TAT reports to police 514 businesses that cheated "We Travel Together" scheme

[webfact]

TAT reports to police 514 businesses that cheated "We Travel Together" scheme 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Yutthasak Suphasorn has gone to the Royal Thai Police with a list of the names of 514 hotels, resorts, restaurants and shops who he claims have ripped off the state in the "We Travel Together" (Rao Thiaw Duay Kan) coupon stimulus scheme. 

 

The corruption was widespread and five ways that it was done were mentioned by Yutthasak in a story reported by Daily News.

 

Examples included hundreds of hotels nationwide who made up bogus stays or said they had 300 rooms booked when in reality they only had 100 guests. Some establishments had real guests but claimed over the top prices to secure government coupons. 

 

Some restaurants charged patrons low prices then reported high prices to the state. Some connived over Thai ID details provided when people returned to their provinces after lockdown while others sought to illegally claim that expenditure was individual when in reality it was part of group packages. 

 

He gave Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat a list of 312 hotels and 202 shops including restaurants. 

 

Deputy commander of the RTP Damrongsak said that the cases were nationwide and the flow of money showed there was clear evidence of fraud.

 

He said that the Crime Suppression Division would establish an investigative committee. He promised a speedy resolution to the cases that were criminal in nature and crimes against the state. Only the state could withdraw the cases.

 

He wanted no delay so that subsequent stimulus packages could proceed without delay.

 

He said he didn't want there to be any more corruption. Whether it was deliberate or unintentional he said that corrupt businesses would not get away with it.

 

"We have our methods", he warned.

 

Soure: Daily News

 

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[YetAnother]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

list of the names of 514 hotels, resorts, restaurants and shops who he claims have ripped off the state

and those are just the ones they found

[Surelynot]

The shockwaves must reverberating around Thailand as we read......

[madmitch]

Typical. The businesses get Government help and they cheat to get more.

[ndreamer]

13 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

and those are just the ones they found

much more then this, hotels were paying guests to stay. Rebates were on everything for the 50/50 

[ndreamer]

Just now, ndreamer said:

much more then this, hotels were paying guests to stay (checkin) some with no rooms. Rebates were on everything for the 50/50 

 

[colinneil]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

The corruption was widespread and five ways that it was done were mentioned by YutthasaK

Shocking absolutely shocking, saying Thai businesses were involved in corruption, no way, never would any Thai business be involved in corruption.????????????????????

[ChipButty]

He said he didn't want there to be any more corruption,

 

Cant promise you that Somchai

[ChipButty]

My wife thinks they should name and shame the hotels involved lets see who the biggest culprits are 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

They don’t see it as corruption. They see it as money they’re entitled to, a stimulus package. They justify it in their heads. Hey, these are Covid times, we’ve lost money. It’s the govt wanting to help. We ought to grab it.

 

Same as the first govt schools I worked for out in the provinces. I was told part of my salary had to be kicked back to cover their trouble and expenses. Not corruption, bribery, whatever. They simply felt their pay wasn’t high enough for they had to do, and thus I should cover it.

 

It goes for Thais as well, having to buy their jobs, with admin positions going for hundreds of thousands of baht. Oh excuse me, they’re not buying those jobs. Surely there’s a lot of administrative red tape and expenses that must be covered. Like Mercedes payments.

[petermik]

MY TGF told me about this earlier in the week...apparently (unconfirmed) some hotels got their staff to book rooms but obviously not stay there and were offering them inducements for doing so.....gordon bloody bennett who,d a believed they could be so devious...surely not here in Thailand ????

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, petermik said:

MY TGF told me about this earlier in the week...apparently (unconfirmed) some hotels got their staff to book rooms but obviously not stay there and were offering them inducements for doing so.....gordon bloody bennett who,d a believed they could be so devious...surely not here in Thailand ????

What was it? You scratch my back and I'll scratch your?

[Nsp64]

This whole country is a corrupt, polluted,  filthy place.

Its changed for the worst in the last 10 years and I dont think it will ever return to its former glory.   RIP Thailand, you destroyed yourself. 

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, Nsp64 said:

This whole country is a corrupt, polluted,  filthy place.

Its changed for the worst in the last 10 years and I dont think it will ever return to its former glory.   RIP Thailand, you destroyed yourself. 

I quite like this place and there's nothing wrong with a bit of corruption

[trainman34014]

No watch it all get swept under the carpet and we will never hear of a single court case relating to these matters !

[RichardColeman]

In all fairness to the businesses taking part in this fraud - it was the government themselves that turned off the cash flow to the businesses by turning off the tourist income - as seen throughout the world.

 

My opinion, if any government wants to close a business and can prove transmissions came from a business, then that is their right and the business should suffer as a result of lack procedures , BUT, no company or business should be told to shut without full support and full retribution from the government on unproven accusations or un-shown data forcing them into bankruptcy from closure.

[ChipButty]

I dont know if this is true, Ive just been told some of the hotels claiming are not even open, sounds about right

[ronaldo0]

Who would have thought that would happen ! ????????

[garzhe]

Surprise Surprise !

So much for TAT figures for many thousands of hotel room booked.

[Elkski]

White collar criminals.  Like USA never jail time. 

[Pique Dard]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Only the state could withdraw the cases.

exactly! the fact is,  there will be no legal proceedings

[bodga]

Unable to comment because  apparently it may be overly derogative towards the Thais

[sammieuk1]

All learning from its leaders the whole country is riddled to the core no wonder the students are protesting  ????

[bermondburi]

16 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I quite like this place and there's nothing wrong with a bit of corruption

Well you say that, but it's taxpayers money. 

[ChipButty]

32 minutes ago, bermondburi said:

Well you say that, but it's taxpayers money. 

No it's not it's my money

[bermondburi]

35 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

No it's not it's my money

I was referring to the money from the government given to the hotels. 

 

Okay, you pay VAT, it's your money. 

[Traubert]

On 12/17/2020 at 10:54 AM, webfact said:

The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Yutthasak Suphasorn

On 12/17/2020 at 11:29 AM, ChipButty said:

He said he didn't want there to be any more corruption,

 

Cant promise you that Somchai

 

Nope, can't get Somchai from here. Try as I might.