Will A Scandal Over Expensive Watches Bring Down Thailand's Government?
The deputy prime minister is believed to own some 25 luxury watches, worth more than $1 million. The fallout has tarnished the government's image, leading some to wonder how much longer it will last.
Last month, at a Cabinet function on the lawn of Bangkok's Government House, deputy prime minister and defense minister Prawit Wongsuwan made a simple gesture: He raised his arm to shield his eyes from the sun.
He might be wishing by now that he hadn't. In doing so, he exposed the bling on his wrist and a diamond ring on his finger. The wristwatch turned out to be a Richard Mille, worth $90,000 by some accounts. Internet sleuths were quick to scour the Web for more treasure, discovering photos of a slew of watches on Prawit's wrist over the past few years, including several Richard Milles, Patek Philippes and Rolexes.
The total,
