iCon case will test PPRP’s ethics

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has accepted the iCon Group’s alleged pyramid scheme as a special case, involving over 8,000 complaints claiming combined losses of more than 2.4 billion baht.
However, the damage from this case extends beyond financial losses, as allegations of corruption in high places risk further eroding public trust in public institutions that are meant to protect them.
As the iCon case unfolds, allegations of “irregularities” continue to surface, raising questions about how the company — which claimed to operate as an online marketer of health and dietary supplements — was able to continue its business despite alleged fraud complaints.
One of the most scandalous revelations involves a leaked audio recording of a conversation between The iCon founder and CEO Warathaphon “Boss Paul” Waratyaworrakul and a man purported to be a non-MP member of a House committee.
In a television interview, Mr Warathaphon admitted he was one of the individuals involved in the conversation, which he said took place two years ago. In the audio clip, the other man is heard offering to help him fix complaints against The iCon Group in exchange for 100,000 baht.
Ironically, the politician implicated in the clip is reported to be Samart Janechaijittawanich, the former deputy spokesman of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), who built his political career as the founder of a network opposing pyramid schemes. In an interview from abroad, Mr Samart denied being the other man in the recording. He also threatened to take legal action against anyone linking him to The iCon Group.
Just two days after the arrest of 18 suspects in the iCon case — including Boss Paul and a group of prominent celebrity endorsers, charged with colluding in public fraud and uploading false information into a computer system, which they all denied — the PPRP removed Mr Samart as its deputy spokesman.
A week later, party leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon announced that Mr Samart had submitted his resignation as a member of the PPRP.
The scandal should not be allowed to end here, by any means.
Despite the PPRP’s attempts to point the finger towards politicians from other parties — especially those involved with the House committee on consumer protection — the truth remains that the PPRP has yet to get to the bottom of the allegations against its own senior member.
Instead of allowing the allegations to disappear with Mr Samart’s resignation, the PPRP, which won the trust of millions of voters and once served as part of the ruling coalition, has a responsibility to conduct a thorough internal investigation and disclose the findings to the public, whether or not they clear or implicate Mr Samart.
To show its commitment to transparency and accountability, the party must also support any public inquiries into Mr Samart’s alleged actions. Parties are undeniably essential to democracy, serving as a vehicle for the public to express their aspirations and turn them into public policies. This critical role means that parties must hold themselves to a higher standard. They must also take the responsibility to vet and monitor people they place into key positions to prevent misuse of power.
The PPRP must set an example and show the public that it has a strong enough system not only to prevent its representatives from abusing their power but also to hold them accountable in instances of misconduct.
By simply dismissing those implicated in a high-profile public fraud investigation, the party risks cultivating a culture of impunity. The failure to address the iCon audio clip and allegations against its former member fully and unequivocally will also damage the party’s long-term standing, as it provides no assurance that similar incidents will not recur in the future.
As allegations about political misconduct in the iCon case widen, the PPRP’s response will set a standard of accountability that the public can expect from those entrusted with power. Instead of engaging in a blame game, all parties should take the opportunity to demonstrate to the public that they remain committed to transparency and accountability — to the pursuit of of truth and justice, which are the democratic principles they are duty-bound to behold.
It is not too late for the PPRP to launch a probe and install stronger checks in its party. By doing so, the PPRP will help rebuild public confidence. Such actions will also set a standard of accountability for others to follow.