Elusive Vatana set to weigh in on PAO vote

Vatana Asavahame, 87, a former Samut Prakan MP and deputy interior chancellor, claims he may visit Samut Prakan residents again in two weeks after avoiding corruption charges for 15 years.

Akarawat Asavahame, the original Samut Prakan MP and Mr. Vatana’s brother, as well as several other government officials from the county, attended a welcome ceremony on Thursday at the new home of Soontorn Pansangtong, which was reported to be taking place in the district of Bang Phli.

Vatana gave the festival a call to Mr. Soontorn to congratulate him on the new home and disclosed that he will support Mr. Soontorn when he travels to Samut Prakan to meet with people in two weeks.

In a case involving the Klong Dan waste treatment incident, the Supreme Court accused Vatana of abuse of power in 2008 and gave him a 10-year prison sentence. Since 2009, he has avoided punishment.