Field faces new claim of aiding Thai overstayer

Taito Phillip Field

More allegations have emerged against Government minister Taito Phillip Field - that he had four houses painted by a second Thai overstayer in exchange for immigration help.

Three are alleged to have been in Auckland and the other in Wellington, where the Mangere MP was said yesterday to have taken advantage of a visit to Parliament by the overstayer and fellow Thais to get home renovations.

An Auckland man told the Herald he translated correspondence sent to former overstayer Phongphat Chaikhunpol - also known by his nickname Ded - by Mr Field.

One document was a ministerial letter about 18 months ago notifying the MP of a permit for the Thai to stay in New Zealand. Mr Chaikhunpol received permanent residence an "unbelievable" three or four months later, the man said.

He said he did not want to be identified yet, but was prepared to give evidence in court.

He was not sure whether the letter was signed by Immigration Minister Paul Swain or by associate minister Damien O'Connor, but he thought it was Mr O'Connor, whose office would not comment yesterday.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has appointed Queen's Counsel Noel Ingram to report next week on whether Mr Field had a conflict of interest in asking the Associate Immigration Minister to grant a work permit to another Thai who tiled his house in Samoa.

A South Auckland family also claim Mr Field bought their home last year, which they risked losing in a mortgagee sale, but failed to let them stay there before selling it 16 months later for a $136,000 profit.

Mr Field said yesterday that the family asked him to buy the house, and he did a lot of work on it to make it habitable.

The man claiming to have translated letters for Mr Chaikhunpol said the Thai told him he painted "at least" three houses in Auckland for Mr Field, and another in Wellington.

"At one stage he became grumpy and I asked him what happened - he said he [Mr Field] wants me to paint another house."

"At one stage he went to Wellington - he said Mr Field was taking quite a few Thai people to the Parliament, and they were very excited."

Mr Chaikhunpol allegedly said the group "went to paint and fix a house" for Mr Field while there.

Valuation records show that Mr Field owned a property at 57 Kinghorne St in Wellington before selling it in May last year for $340,000.

Auckland immigration consultant Tim Spooner also reported yesterday that a Thai woman told him she had a close friend who painted three houses in Auckland and one in Wellington for Mr Field, in return for immigration help.

But because of visa concerns, the woman thought the painter would not wish to assist the [Dr Ingram's] inquiry.

Mr Field issued a signed statement yesterday in Mr Chaikhunpol's name, confirming he did "some painting" in July and August this year on the property bought from the aggrieved South Auckland family, at 51 Church St, Otahuhu.

But it said he did so for $1500 at the request of a Jinda Thaivichit, who Mr Field said was his tenant at the time.

He never spoke to the politician about it, the statement said.

"Any allegations that Mr Field only helped me because I painted his house are untrue."

Mr Field said in a statement of his own that he simply asked Ms Thaivichit to ensure damage done to the inside of the house by her sons was fixed after she left.

Neither Mr Field nor the two Thais could be reached for clarification.

Maxine Field referred inquiries about her husband to leading Wellington lawyer Mai Chen, who would not comment.

Mr Field said in a separate statement that he would welcome an extension of Dr Ingram's investigation to both the South Auckland family's allegations and those about the painter.

A spokesman for Helen Clark said Dr Ingram might ask for more time when he reported back on Tuesday.

Act leader Rodney Hide has written to both his New Zealand First and United Future counterparts saying he cannot believe they are considering propping up Labour, given the Field affair.

Kiwibank yesterday denied advising the South Auckland family to sell to Mr Field, as inferred from a statement the MP issued to the Herald in the name of a family member.