Saturday, 21 November 2009

Chavalit 'selling his condo to fund trips'



Published: 21/11/2009 at 12:00 AM

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh will sell his 15-million-baht riverside condominium unit to finance a series of trips in the region, says a source close to him.


Chavalit: No financial deal with Thaksin

The source said Gen Chavalit was raising funds to finance trips to Burma, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam and China.

Gen Chavalit had said he would sell his unit at the River Line Place Condominium on Phibun Songkhram Road, in Nonthaburi, for 15 million baht, the source said.

Gen Chavalit, a former premier and former army chief, currently lives at the condominium.

He came under fire over his Oct 21 visit to Cambodia where he met with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia have deteriorated since Hun Sen appointed convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser and refused to arrest and extradite him to Thailand when he recently visited Cambodia.

Gen Chavalit said he did not care who criticised him as he only wanted to solve national problems.

"But now the plans [for his trips] must be delayed because there is no money to fund them. They are costly and Gen Chavalit must pay all the expenses himself," the source said.

Since joining the Puea Thai Party, Gen Chavalit had tried to boost ties with neighbouring countries, the source said.

Besides his visit to Cambodia, the party chairman had also sent his emissaries to contact Malaysia and insurgent groups active in the deep South in an attempt to bring peace to the restive border provinces, the source said.

Gen Chavalit's activities were not funded by Thaksin, the source said.

"I confirm that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra did not give one baht to Gen Chavalit. He spent his own money and did not make any financial agreement with Mr Thaksin," the source said.

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