SENIOR NATIONAL Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) figure Alongkorn Ponlaboot has been accused by his own colleagues of seeking political gain after he led NRSA members to hold meetings with politicians and allegedly used state funds to create a political network.

NRSA member Seree Suwanpa-nont took to the House floor during an assembly meeting yesterday to launch a stinging attack against Alongkorn, who was previously a Democrat Party politician. Seree questioned Alongkorn’s motives over his meetings with Democrat and Pheu Thai politicians last week.

Seree questioned whether the meetings with politicians and the alleged move to use a state fund to establish a political network are aimed at setting up a new political party.

“What is happening is not different from what political parties do, building networks, throwing parties and distributing handouts. Is this vote buying? Is this what the NRSA should do?” he said.

He said the assembly was carrying out political activities in defiance of the ban issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

He said Alongkorn’s meetings with two major political parties had damaged the assembly because the parties had accused the assembly of failing to implement reforms.

Seree also questioned what objectives would have been achieved had Alongkorn, the body’s first vice president, been allowed to lead the NRSA’s third meeting with foreign diplomats to discuss the upcoming referendum on the charter draft.

The gathering had been planned for yesterday afternoon but was cancelled by NRSA president Captain Thinnapan Nakata.

Before hearing the meeting was cancelled, Seree said: “I feel the event is a waste of time and bores the diplomats.

“I do not see the significance of the meeting because we hold such meetings too often. If it is possible, this event should be cancelled.”

Thinnapan, who chaired yesterday’s NRSA meeting, said he had decided to cancel the meeting with foreign diplomats and future meetings with political parties.

He said he had earlier cancelled a planned seminar in Cha-am.

‘No hidden motives’

Alongkorn apologised to the NRSA if he had made a mistake. He denied that he had hidden motives behind the meeting.

NRSA member Wanchai Sornsiri said he did not believe Alongkorn’s claim that the meeting with politicians had not dealt with politics but only national reform.

He called on Thinnapan to review his role and urged him not let his subordinates abuse their positions for political gain. Thinnapan said he would not appoint a fact-finding panel to probe Alongkorn’s actions, adding that he would take sole responsibility for any allegations.

“If there is any mistake, I will go to jail first. I feel that all NRSA members have good intentions. I apologise for any mistake and will correct what is not right,” he said.

Thinnapan said his decision to cancel the meeting with diplomats yesterday would not damage relations.

He said he would not discuss the issues with Alongkorn but would let the NRSA whips hold a meeting on the matter.

Thinnapan added that Alongkorn did not violate the NCPO ban on political gatherings after he cited the former’s name to hold meetings with politicians.