Ruangkrai Leekitwattana on Monday cited Articles 78 and 79 of the NACC law as allowing such action to be taken.

He also presented to the NACC two photographs showing Prawit, who is deputy prime minister and defence mister, wearing an expensive watch.

Prawit should disclose his assets straightforwardly rather than having the media expose them, Ruangkrai said.

The Pheu Thai lawyer also said the NACC had scrutinised former PM Yingluck Shinawatra when she had been seen wearing a Bt2.5-million watch, as well as another 500 cases involving political office holders.

It should therefore be able to undertake similar scrutiny in the case involving Prawit, he insisted.

He said that this had just come up during “small talk” with a group of reporters at Government House.

“I stated clearly that it’s not the government’s business, but the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s,” Wassanu said. Wissanu said that if the NACC did not amend it, the government would address the matter in the Conflict of interests Prevention Bill.

Wissanu, the government’s key lawyer, said an amendment might be needed as the regulation is quite old. But as the people opposed it, he would not push for an amendment.

Wissanu said the anti-graft law actually does not prohibit state officials from taking money or gifts from relatives, or gifts from other people valued at less than Bt3,000. They can also give gifts of any value, because the law prohibits takers, not givers.

Referring to an incident involving Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Wissanu said the premier could give an expensive dog to anyone. However, if that person was a state official, the law prohibits them from accepting it if it is worth more than Bt3,000.

Abhisit said the party’s legal team had held a meeting today at which it had resolved to prepare and submit such a petition to the court via the Ombudsman.

The absence of electronic channels for existing parties to contact their members and the requirement to provide evidence to prove members’ qualifications are clearly the burdens on political parties and their members, thus violating the 2017 Constitution, he said.

The requirement to report the status of party members within 30 days is an additional burden both on the parties themselves and their members, the former prime minister added.

The new charter requires any legal enactment or amendment to be subject to public consultation in line with Article 77, but the junta’s order fails to meet this need, he stressed. Abhisit also viewed that the junta chief’s absolute power under Article 44 of the interim charted used to issue the order had become obsolete, since the interim charter had been discarded following the promulgation of the 2017 Constitution.

In his opinion, the order goes against the current charter both in terms of public rights and legitimate procedures.

The invocation by junta head Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha of Article 44 to amend the political party law was announced in mid-December, with its prime purpose to help ease time limits for political parties to pursue some activities, including updating and registering their party membership, which originally ended this month.

However, other new conditions were also addressed in the new order that political parties see as being more of a burden rather than a relief.

Referring to allegations about expensive watches worn by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Watcharapol said the commissioners had agreed that their decision-making process must be straightforward and transparent, as the issue was in the public interest.

He said he was not worried about anything, as the NACC resolution on the matter would be passed by a majority vote and every commissioner would be responsible for it.

The remark came following concerns that Watcharapol’s personal close connection with Prawit could affect NACC’s decision on the issue.

Watcharapol was the PM Office’s deputy secretary-general attached to Prawit in 2014 when the coup-installed government was formed.

The NACC president also denied having counselled Prawit on the watch issue.

“Why [would Prawit] unburden himself to me? He just does his job and I do mine,” he said. “He hasn’t sought any advice with me. He won’t. Don’t you worry about that.”

Prawit was caught up in controversy over a month ago when he was spotted in a Cabinet group photograph wearing a luxurious Richard Mille timepiece that could have cost millions of baht.

The NACC took the matter in hand after members of the public questioned whether Prawit had declared the watch as an asset when he became a minister.

When the agency demanded that Prawit provide an explanation over the issue, more photos of the general wearing fancy wristwatches kept emerging. Netizens now believe that Prawit could have at least 15 such expensive watches.

Prawit late last month submitted an explanation letter to the agency, but new photos continued appearing on the Internet.

Watcharapol said NACC officials might need more time to verify the information before making a judgement.

Four individuals had been summoned to the inquiry, he said. Whether the agency would need to call any other witnesses was yet uncertain.

Watcharapol also refused to say whether any individuals would be further questioned if it was proved that they had a connection to the controversial watches.

Prawit, meanwhile, refused to speak about the issue on Monday, saying only that it should be left for the NACC to pursue.

The general shrugged off the fact that the controversy has drawn wide criticism of him on the Internet. He also refused to say if he had submitted an additional explanation to the agency, saying that he did not know and then walking out of the media interview.

The current regulation forbids officials from accepting gifts worth more than Bt3,000, but Watcharapol said circumstances have changed since the regulation was adopted years ago.

He said giving gifts is a good aspect of Thai culture and it’s common overseas to give and receive gifts at Christmas time.

He said it would take some time to decide whether an amendment is needed. The NACC wants to consult relevant parties first.

The source confirmed that Yingluck had filed the request for political asylum in the UK after the Supreme Court released its guilty verdict against her in November for her part in the rice-pledging scheme case.

Yingluck fled the country in August just before the court was due to read its verdict. The court later sentenced her in absentia to five years in jail for neglecting her official duty while supervising the scheme, resulting in a massive financial losses to the state.

Photographs of Yingluck were circulated in local media and social media last week purporting to show her in London. Thai police have since confirmed the woman in the photos is Yingluck but have not been able to confirm when the photos were taken.

Thai officials revoked her four passports in late October so questions have been raised over which passport she used to gain entry into the UK.

The Pheu Thai Party source said Yingluck had no need to acquire a passport from any country for now because if her application for political asylum in the UK is successful she would be issued a passport or travel document which can be used from that date on.

This follows a petition filed with the NACC to probe PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who had planned to give Bangkaew puppies, each of which was worth Bt6,000, to two of his ministers.

Activist Srisuwan Janya last week filed a complaint with the anti-graft body about Prayut’s law violation.

Prayut also paid Bt25,000 for the young dogs, Bt7,000 above the listed price during his December field trip to Phitsanulok.

Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam tried to find some breathing space for his boss, suggesting last week that the NACC would consider an adjustment to the amendment to current limits to “keep in line with new laws”.

The puppies remain undelivered to the junta premier, who has kept mum about his next move, only saying that it would be done in a legal way.

The NACC secretary-general, Worawit Sukboon, said yesterday that the Commission had yet to consider adding an amendment to the graft regulation to its busy agenda.

“We thank Wissanu for his opinion but we have to take opinions from many sides,” Worawit said, possibly referring to the charter’s Article 77 that requires any legislation to involve hearings from related parties. “But we wouldn’t make it as big as a public hearing,” he went on, “only catching social thoughts should do in this case.”

Worawit also personally saw a good fit between the regulations – enforced since 1999 – and the current circumstances. While a draft for a new NACC law is in progress, he said, the regulation on receiving valuable gifts should be among the last to be considered.

Meanwhile, Panthep Klanaro-ngran, president of the anti-graft national reform committee under the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), made a pitch for updating the Bt3,000 gift limit to keep up with inflation and other developments. While the almost-two-decades-old regulation is still enforced, those who receive valuable gifts could avoid violating the letter of the law, though perhaps not the spirit, by transferring the gifts to their offices instead of keeping them for themselves. “Exchanging gifts is compulsory on some occasions, such as in international meetings ,” Panthep said.

Among suggestions for changes to the draft made during its first reading last November was to include an article empowering the Election Commission (EC) to immediately investigate an MP candidate accused of committing acts of graft, without the need for court-issued warrants.

NLA vetting committee spokesperson Thaweesak Soothkawathin said that while the law already authorised the EC as a state official under the Criminal Code, they still need court warrants to investigate.

While this issue has yet to come to a conclusion, some committee members viewed that giving that power to the EC would grant them overwhelming authority. The suggestions for amendments to the MP election bill draft also included prohibition against “dishonest opinion polls” on the election. “Any poll can be conducted [under] the EC regulation but it must contain no bias,” Thaweesak said.

The vetting committee also agreed with the NLA to delete a clause that would refund candidates their deposits if they received more than five per cent of votes. However, they chose to maintain requirements for candidates to declare tax payment records dating back three years. While the NLA also suggested that candidates be allowed to register an online election campaign, the vetting committee merely noted that any campaign is prohibited three days before voting day.

Any further proposals could be submitted on EC forms, Thaweesak said.

Of 1,230 people polled nationwide, 48 per cent thought that politics in the year ahead would remain much the same given the continuing unstable political factors and lingering conflicts among political actors.

Almost 30 per cent expected improvement as they trusted in the government’s road map to an election and that it now has a more experienced administration, while 22 per cent expected the worst given the unclear election plan and the ongoing corruption.

Asked about Thai society, 44 per cent did not expect much progress given the accumulated problems of crime, drugs and inequality, while 28 per cent expected change for the better citing their belief in Thai people’s willingness to see a united, peaceful society.

More than 27 per cent, however, thought that it could get worse because of the urge to survive in a declining economy.

Asked about the Thai economy, almost 39 per cent thought that it could be enhanced given increasing trade and investment figures and more stimulation from government and the private sector.

More than 32 per cent saw no improvement ahead given the increasing living costs and political affects against economy, while almost 30 per cent thought that it could get worse because of continuing effects from global economic trends.

The poll, titled “people’s perception of politics, economy and society in 2018”, was conducted from January 2 to 6.

Ongart observed that Prayut’s detachment from the military falls in line with other mechanisms and movements since the 2014 coup with potential to prolong the power of the ruling junta.

These include legal preparation, such as the junta-written 2017 charter that allows the Upper House to be wholly handpicked by the junta and to jointly choose an outsider prime minister with the elected Lower House, and last month’s Article 44 order that requires party members to resubmit verification documents.

Prayut also launched his “four questions” and “six questions” to the public with clear leanings against traditional politicians.

Ongart also noted the Cabinet’s frequent approvals of expensive local projects and the emergence of new political groupings ahead of this year’s Prayut-promised election.

“Whether this power-prolonging attempt can be achieved depends on their [the junta’s] ability to show that they work for public interests,” the deputy said. “If they use power to benefit their own camp, such an attempt might not be achieved easily.”

Ongart’s comment appeared to be relatively strong given that many other politicians have chosen not to give a clear-cut assessment of Prayut’s intentions following his remarks about being a politician who was once a soldier.

Others have seen the statement in a more positive light, reasoning that the premier’s “coming out” meant he now had greater awareness of his political roles and that he would separate them from his military roles.