Bangkok: Kan Jom Phalang and the president of the Kan Jom Phalang Foundation held a press conference to address the issue of donations, confirming that they had never transferred money to the Thammanat Foundation and apologizing for being careless. Ice Ratchanok and Nawat also attended the event and posed detailed questions.
According to Thai News Agency, Kan Jom Phalang, together with Ms. Kanchana Sthaworn, also known as "Eve," president of the Kan Jom Phalang Foundation, discussed the drama surrounding donations to their foundation. Ms. Kanchana apologized for the delay in responding to public inquiries two weeks ago, explaining that the foundation initially refrained from addressing questions as they were primarily directed at Kan Jom Phalang. It was only when inquiries were directly posed to the foundation last week that they felt compelled to respond.
The foundation's fundraising efforts, initiated by Kan Jom Phalang Friends, have garnered over 200 million baht since inception, with about 117 million baht already utilized. Addressing the foundation's regulations, particularly Article 39, the foundation acknowledged its nascent status and admitted to an oversight in specifying the allocation of donated funds.
The regulations stipulate that upon dissolution and liquidation of the foundation's accounts, funds cannot be retained by staff as personal property. Instead, another charitable organization must assume control of the funds under the foundation's stated objectives. In cases where objectives are unmet, the funds revert to state ownership. The foundation reassured adherence to legal standards, ensuring that funds remain within the foundation rather than being transferred to the Thammanat Foundation. Since its inception, over 1 million baht has been allocated to the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, the Friends in Need (Pha) Foundation, and the Kan Jom Phalang Foundation, with Jackson Wang contributing donations.
Historically, the foundation has maintained two bank accounts, though only one is actively used, with no cash withdrawals recorded. This was confirmed by a representative from the accounting company. The link to the Thammanat Foundation originated from a previous collaboration on a flood relief food pantry. The Thammanat Foundation was considered suitable for asset transfer due to its lack of close affiliation with other entities at the time. Despite this, potential changes remain possible, with assurances of coordinating with a stable foundation and amending Section 39 to reflect strong potential and stability.
Kan Jom Phalang elaborated on why he is not the foundation's chairman, citing his belief in the foundation's continuity beyond his lifetime and the benefit of transparency from his lack of control. However, in response to concerns over transparency, he committed to managing the foundation himself.
Additionally, Nawat's long-term donations, purportedly for road construction, were addressed. He emphasized personal accountability, stating he would use personal funds if uncomfortable with how donations were used. He confirmed receiving no compensation from the foundation.
Responding to Ice Rakchanok's media statements about her relationship with Lt. Col. Thammanat, she clarified her openness to collaborate with anyone willing to assist her.
Kan Jom Phalang also presented evidence of communications with MPs from the Prachachon Party regarding scams, reaffirming his commitment to aiding the party despite having no political ambitions, even when invited to participate in politics.