PM Prayut defends role for Kunplome brothers

[webfact]

PM defends role for Kunplomes

By THE NATION

 

 

SAYS THEIR APPOINTMENT AS GOVERNMENT ADVISERS WAS MADE TO GET POLITICAL GUIDANCE

 

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday downplayed the appointment of two politician brothers from the influential Kunplome family as government advisers.

 

Prayut said he needed politicians to advise him on political affairs but denied the appointment was for his own benefit.

 

The Cabinet yesterday appointed Phalang Chon Party leader Sontaya Kunplome as an adviser to the prime minister and his younger brother Ittipol an adviser to Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat. The appointments were effective immediately.

 

The Kunplome family is influential in the eastern seaboard region, especially Chon Buri. In early 2000, Sontaya served as science and technology minister, and also tourism and sports minister. Ittipol is the former mayor of Pattaya City, a special administrative area in Chon Buri province.

 

The father of the Kunplome brothers, Somchai, formerly one of the most influential figures in the eastern seaboard, is serving jail time for masterminding the murder of a local politician.

 

Prayut yesterday said he needed some politicians around during the run-up to the election to help him better understand politics.

 

“I don’t mean to bring [Sontaya] here for my personal interest. I need someone who knows about politics to give me advice because I don’t know how politics works. But I do need to know something,” Prayut said after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

 

The move is seen to be politically significant. In the past month, Somkid Jatusripitak, the chief of the junta’s economic team, has allegedly been consolidating power by wooing former members of the House of Representatives from different political parties to join a new pro-junta party.

 

The party reportedly is to be led by Somkid’s close aides, Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana and Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong. It is likely to be launched in June and is expected to back Prayut to return as a head of the government after the next election which is expected to be held next year.

 

Phalang Chon adviser Charoon Ngampichet yesterday did not rule out the possibility of the party banding together with a pro-military party after the election.

 

“It’s a matter for the future. If the opportunity is really offered, we’ll have to consider whether it’s appropriate,” he said.

 

Charoon welcomed the presence of key Phalang Chon members in the government.

 

Uttama admitted yesterday that preparations were being made for a pro-Prayut party. He said he had discussed the matter with Somkid and Sontirat, although “no conclusions have been reached”.

 

“Personally I support General Prayut if he wants to continue working for the country. He is suitable for the job,” Uttama said.

 

In a related development, Prayut said yesterday that authorities are trying to determine whether a planned gathering of politicians from the Pheu Thai Party at a golf course in Nakhon Pathom constitutes a violation of the junta ban on political activities.

 

According to media reports, a group of key Pheu Thai figures plan to have lunch and play golf with politicians from the Sasomsap family, which owns the golf course.

 

Prayut, who also heads the ruling junta – the National Council for Peace and Order – said he did not know whether such a meeting constituted a violation of the NCPO order prohibiting political activities. “The authorities involved are looking into the matter,” he said.

 

The PM added that authorities were also looking into cases in which politicians visited local residents in different areas.. “We will see if the order was violated. The order states clearly what can be done and what cannot,” he said.

 

The four brothers from the Sasomsap family are well-known, influential politicians in Nakhon Pathom. Two of them became Cabinet members in previous administrations and lead a faction within the Pheu Thai Party.

 

Prayut and certain other figures from the ruling junta were photographed with the Sasomsap brothers after playing a round at the golf course last year.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30343354

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-18

[webfact]

Kunplome brothers appointed political advisors to PM

By Thai PBS

 

 

Two Phalangchon party core leaders were appointed political advisors of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by the Cabinet on Tuesday (April 17).

 

The appointment of Mr Sontaya Kunplome, leader of Phalangchon party and former tourism and sports minister and Mr Itthipol Kunplome, former Pattaya City mayor, as political officials was proposed by the secretary-general of the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Cabinet.

 

Mr Sontaya will serve as a political advisor to the prime minister whereas Mr Itthipol as an advisor to the tourism and sports minister.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/kunplome-brothers-appointed-political-advisors-pm/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-04-18

[starky]

Ok so their father is a killer. These 2 probably have their fingers in every dirty little pie on the eastern seaboard and the acting prime minister who has been running the country for 4 years knows nothing about politics. Hahaha you literally couldn't make this shit up. And what's better they are now looking to give this flip with his self proclaimed political knowledge of zero, his own party. Fantastic! sorry Thailand your <deleted>.

The arrogance is overwhelming, so in four years he hasn't bothered to learn ANYTHING about the position or the job of which he has held. Where are you now Junta fanclub?

Edited April 17, 2018 by starky

[smutcakes]

So that reform of the political system then...... 

 

Anyone with a functioning the brain could see that the new system if anything woukd lead to even more necessity for 'bargaining' with smaller parties. 

 

I presume in General Prawit's crackdown on influential figures they must have missed this family.

 

Its difficult to see a more clear and blatant case of the Junta bargaining itself with local powers in preperatiom for an election.

 

There may also he a case for needing more local cooperation in Chomburi/Rayong area for the EEC project which these two maybe able to secure with the families fine upstanding reputation.

Edited April 17, 2018 by smutcakes

[Oziex1]

The influential family gets a place at the trough then.

[Samui Bodoh]

Wake up, make coffee, turn on the computer, read the news...

 

And have my intelligence insulted.

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by Samui Bodoh

[PatOngo]

10 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

The influential family gets a place at the trough then.

They have their snouts in it for years!

[stephen tracy]

So he's now hiring gangsters. Birds of a feather.

[smutcakes]

When all the PDRC anti corruption reformers wake up this afternoon they are going to go crazy with this........   right?

[Thailand]

You would consider a book or a movie of what has been going on here for the last few years as total unbelievable fiction.

 

The fact that it is true makes it more ridiculous,but very sad!

[stephen tracy]

Just now, smutcakes said:

When all the PDRC anti corruption reformers wake up this afternoon they are going to go crazy with this........   right?

You ask a good question mate. I just don't know anymore. You just couldn't make this stuff up.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut said he needed politicians to advise him on political affairs but denied the appointment was for his own benefit.

how does that follow ? he says i didn't do it to help me but i did it to help me 

[JAG]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

When all the PDRC anti corruption reformers wake up this afternoon they are going to go crazy with this........   right?

 

On 09/04/2018 at 3:19 PM, DrTuner said:

 

I believe at big football matches, after an "own goal" has been scored, the fans of the team which has benefited chant " It's all gone quiet over there, over there, it's all gone quiet over there..."

 

Incidentally, I have no idea how DrTuner's quote got in here!

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by JAG

[Somtamnication]

Lovely dad! 

[RichardColeman]

We need some help 'counting the ballots'.

[Lupatria]

Prayut: “I need someone who knows about politics to give me advice because I don’t know how politics works.”

“Personally I support General Prayut if he wants to continue working for the country. He is suitable for the job,” Uttama said.

To me, the two quotes sounds like:

He is suitable for the job, because he don’t know how politics work.

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“Personally I support General Prayut if he wants to continue working for the country. He is suitable for the job,” Uttama said.

But he knows absolutely nothing about politics.  Room temperature IQ's abound in the halls of power in current Thailand. 

[BobBKK]

Prayut "I'm not good at politics"  that is true but he's good at coups so if this doesn't work just have number 23.

[Oziex1]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

They have their snouts in it for years!

Now it's official.

[mikebell]

The words 'former mayor of Pattaya' tell you all you need to know about the legitimacy of these appointments.

[mark01]

When are the Thai people going to wake up and see what's happening to their country.

There was a brief glimmer of hope just after the coup when the army reigned in the police (a little bit).

After that it's steadily declined.

The future after next year's farce "democratic" election is not looking good. 

Prayut and his gang of crooks will seemingly do anything to hang on to the power and the money.

[Lupatria]

The Lee Kuan Yew system works well. Soon there will be a cabinet of family members and Thailand becomes the Kunplome corporation. This is how it's been done properly Donald. 

[Oziex1]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

They have their snouts in it for years!

Now it's official.

[PatOngo]

28 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

But he knows absolutely nothing about politics.  Room temperature IQ's abound in the halls of power in current Thailand. 

Yes, some IQ's are lower than the daily road toll!

Edited April 18, 2018 by PatOngo

[Oziex1]

Suprised to read their old man is serving time, for how much longer is the question.

 

I have a feeling these guys will take feeding at the trough to a new level.

[coulson]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut said he needed politicians to advise him on political affairs but denied the appointment was for his own benefit

4 years late....

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The father of the Kunplome brothers, Somchai, formerly one of the most influential figures in the eastern seaboard, is serving jail time for masterminding the murder of a local politician

Interesting.....

[a977]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

how does that follow ? he says i didn't do it to help me but i did it to help me 

So if he doesn't know anything about politics get the f%&k out of there and let somebody who does run the country, (I read there's a nice little retirement village being built on Doi Suthep)

[Anak Nakal]

Suthep and employees say "no!" to corruption before.

Now they silent.

it is ugly and stupid.

[dickjones2018]

daddy is a criminal with connections... he knows the best way to get rich is in politicals as you control the local police, maffia, etc...

[NanLaew]

25 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

Suprised to read their old man is serving time, for how much longer is the question.

 

I have a feeling these guys will take feeding at the trough to a new level.

As I recall, after sentencing and his 'disappearance to Cambodia' the (God)father was living life on the lam, in plain sight of the local police at the family pile in Chonburi and even having birthday parties where all sorts of officials, police and government figures were invited. I think he was arrested and finally incarcerated during the last year of the Yingluck government. Kunplome family members, incuding Sontaya have also served in both the Shinawatra premierships.

 

Now, as Bamber Gascoigne used to say, here's you started for ten:

 

Who said, "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." ?