Bangkok: Mr. Sutham Charitngam, a Member of Parliament for Nakhon Si Thammarat representing the Palang Pracharath Party, has publicly declared his innocence following a complaint lodged by Ms. Netdao Watcharachainanwong, known as ‘Madam Cher,’ with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The complaint concerns a transfer of 120,000 baht, which Ms. Cher alleges might be considered as receiving assets or benefits exceeding a legal limit. Mr. Sutham insists that this amount was a reserve fund intended for conducting a poll to identify a party candidate for the MP position in Constituency 1, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sutham explained that the Palang Pracharath Party has a policy of conducting polls since October 2024. He secured a reputable pollster who conducted the survey at a reasonable cost. Upon completion of the poll, Mr. Sutham received a receipt and transferred 120,000 baht to the polling company on January 17, 2025. He maintains that all financial transactions were documented and transparent.

Mr. Sutham recounted an incident on February 24, 2025, during a dinner with his superior and Ms. Cher, where his boss inquired about a refund for the poll expenses. Ms. Cher offered to transfer the money to him first, intending to secure the refund herself from the party. Mr. Sutham expressed uncertainty about her intentions but confirmed that all transactions were legitimate and documented. He questioned Ms. Cher’s motives behind the complaint, suggesting it might be an attempt to damage his or the party’s reputation.

Mr. Sutham emphasized that the matter could be verified through party documents and insisted there was nothing to conceal. He noted that he had limited interactions with Ms. Cher, meeting her only a few times in the past six months. Despite the allegations, Mr. Sutham expressed his readiness to confront the situation in court, if necessary, to clear his name, assuring that he never received money from anyone during his political campaign.