The richest Cabinet member of the Chuan Leekpai government is much poorer than the richest in the previous government. But even so, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has no peer; he is among the poorest politicians Thailand has ever had, according to the latest asset declaration from the Counter-Corruption Commission.

Chuan has assets of Bt3,371,326.52 while his wife, Phakdiporn Sutcharitkul, has Bt2,404,500 and his son, Surabot Leekpai has Bt1,951.

He has a National Housing flat worth Bt416,800, 400 sq wah of land worth Bt1,200,00, two old cars worth Bt300,000, a handgun and a rifle worth Bt40,000 and a miscellaneous Bt312,600. He also has Bt200,000 of debt.

Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn has four yachts with a total value of Bt26 million, while University Affairs Minister Decha Sukharom has Buddha amulets and jewellery worth a total of Bt75 million, including Bt26 million in diamond rings.

Deputy Labour Minister Jongchai Thiangtham has Bt20 million worth of Buddha amulets, and Public Health Minister Kamron na Lamphun has 77 cows valued at Bt213,000. Deputy Science Minister Pornthep Tejapaibul has a pair of prize mares valued at Bt200,000 each.

Deputy Commerce Minister Photipong Lamsam, with the largest assets in the Chuan Cabinet, is worth Bt1,342,013,964, compared with the Bt23 billion assets of Thaksin Shinawatra, the richest man in the Chavalit Cabinet.

Discounting Thaksin from the Chavalit government, Chuan has Cabinet members with combined assets of Bt14 billion, compared with the Bt13 billion of the previous government.

Together with the assets of his spouse and dependent minors, Deputy Communications Minister Pradit Pataraprasith is considered the richest minister, worth a total Bt2,306 million.

Minister Decha declared total assets of Bt1,312,574,000, while Deputy Foreign Minister M R Sukhumbhand Paribatra filed Bt486,319,6245.

The fifth richest minister is Deputy Interior Minister Vatana Asavahame with Bt452,900,000. Vatana said that his family has a business empire worth more than Bt10 billion, but he said it was sufficient to declare just half a billion.

Apart from Chuan, three other ministers have assets less than Bt5 million. PM's Office Minister Jurin Laksanavisit has Bt3,731,376, while Deputy Interior Minister Chamni Sakdieth Bt4,333,562.73. PM's Office Minister Chaiyos Sasomsup declared Bt4,633,812.73.

The richest wives of the Cabinet members were Apamas, wife of Minister Pradit Pataraprasith with Bt1,415,670,253 followed by Karuna, wife of Deputy Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Newin Chidchob with Bt846,790,000.

The Nation