H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, commenting on reports that the Election Commission had ruled that the stockholdings of his wife were in breach of the law, thus affecting his qualifications to be a Cabinet minister, stated that up until now he had only seen hearsay press reports of this matter but had not yet received any notification in writing from the Election Commission. 

 

However, in the case of the stockholdings cited in the reports, the Foreign Minister said that ever since joining the Cabinet, he had reported such stockholdings to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on at least four occasions in the past in accordance with the timeframe stipulated by the regulations. These stockholdings are shares that his wife received from her father as an inheritance some 37 years ago. They are not concessionary shares but are shares held within the family and unlisted on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The stockholders consist of 6-7 relatives of his wife and the shares have remained untouched ever since they were inherited.

 

The Foreign Minister said that once the Election Commission formally notifies him of this matter, he was prepared to explain the facts in every detail according to the procedure.