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A Thai immigrant to New Zealand travelled to Samoa at his own expense then did free plastering work because he wanted to see the country, a court hearing corruption charges against Mangere MP Taito Phillip Field was told yesterday.
Bulakorn Nakhen told the Manukau District Court he was approached by Field in 2005 about doing some plastering work on a property owned by the MP in Samoa.
"He asked me if I wanted to visit Samoa, and he said if I wanted to, I could stay at his place.
"He told me it's being built, and if I go there, I could stay there, and there's just a little bit of work that needs to be done."
Field faces 40 bribery, corruption and obstruction of justice charges after he allegedly allowed several Thais - whom he was helping with immigration issues - to work on his properties for little pay.
The offending is alleged to have taken place between November 2002 and October 2005, and the hearing will decide whether the MP is to stand trial on the charges.
Mr Nakhen told prosecutor David Johnstone he accepted the offer as he wanted to see Samoa and would do the work to "repay" Field.
When asked what he meant by repay, Mr Nakhen - speaking through a translator - said he would be happy to do the work as it would save on his accommodation costs in Samoa.
Mr Nakhen said he made the trip carrying "two to three" plastering tools and was met at the airport by Field's wife, Maxine.
He began work on the property about three days later.
Field visited the job site several times, once delivering insect repellent to fend off the mosquitoes.
Mr Nakhen said he worked up to four hours a day, for about six days. There was no talk of payment.
"It was only a small bit of work, so I didn't want pay."
Mr Nakhen worked on another Field property after returning to Auckland and later became aware of publicity surrounding Field's alleged activities.
He said Field had met him and other witnesses as independent investigator Noel Ingram began his inquiries into the MP, and allegedly told them not to say too much.
Mr Nakhen was interviewed by Dr Ingram and later by police.
He told Mr Johnstone he could not remember what he had told police about his reason for going to Samoa.
Earlier, Mr Nakhen - who arrived in New Zealand in 2002 - told the court he first approached Field for immigration assistance in 2004, soon after marrying his partner, Jinda Thaivichit.
The couple had met in 2003, while Mr Nakhen was recuperating from a police dog bite inflicted during a raid by immigration authorities.
He said Field had consistently told him he should return to Thailand to sort out his immigration application.
He did so and successfully applied for a work permit, returning to New Zealand in 2005.
