Phase 2 of ‘We Travel Together’ may be cancelled over corruption

By The Nation

 

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

The second phase of the “We Travel Together” tourism stimulus campaign may be scrapped over corruption fears, according to a source familiar with the matter. 

 

So far, more than 200 people have been prosecuted for defrauding this and other government schemes to stimulate the pandemic-hit economy.  

 

According to the source, plans to extend the “We Travel Together” campaign with another one million discounted rooms may be cancelled. Meanwhile plans to issue more Bt600 and Bt900 daily food and travel coupons under the scheme are on hold pending investigation of corruption. 

 

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was reportedly furious when he heard details of the graft while chairing Thursday’s meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) executive. Afterwards he instructed Deputy Police Chief Piya Utayo to find ways of punishing the culprits.

 

He also sought the public’s cooperation in bringing the cheats to justice. 

 

“Solving the problem of corruption is not just the responsibility of the state,” Prayut said after the CCSA meeting. 

 

“All parties must cooperate – givers, receivers and service providers. They must help each other by providing information so that we can arrest these fraudsters,” he added.

 

Prayut pointed out that “We Travel Together” was aimed at helping hotel and other tourism-related businesses recover from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. The PM and government agencies were scrambling to find budget and set up projects, only to see them end in corruption, he complained.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30399783

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-12-18

 

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9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Phase 2 of ‘We Travel Together’ may be cancelled over corruption

 

Crikey colluption in the LOS .! Who'd have thought that .. 

 

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

“All parties must cooperate – givers, receivers and service providers.

 

Hahahaha .. he might want to rephrase that .. 

Wow!  

 

What a surprise....lol!

9 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

Phase 2 of ‘We Travel Together’ may be cancelled over corruption

Crikey colluption in the LOS .! Who'd have thought that .. 

Being cynical, has his pledge to stamp out corruption when he seized power, now morphed into a bigger pot for less recipients?

 

9 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

“All parties must cooperate – givers, receivers and service providers.

Hahahaha .. he might want to rephrase that ..

The reason for cooperating is so he knows who's screwing who.

Seems to be stories now on here daily about government corruption, police corruption, monk corruption, tourism corruption, travel corruption, company corruption, etc. Sad state of affairs when you gotta feel sorry for the average Thai that does not have the opportunity to be corrupt !!

 

 

The whole country seems to be out corrupting each other in a covid free for all ???? 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Solving the problem of corruption is not just the responsibility of the state,” Prayut said after the CCSA meeting. 

Maybe we can start at the Immigration Ministry...then go from there

2 hours ago, webfact said:

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was reportedly furious when he heard details of the graft

Joke of the week???? Prayut furious laughable, just laughable.

The corruption starts at the top and does not trickle down, in this case it is a deluge.

It is very sad if a country and government have to close a scheme down because they can't regulate or trust the operators, which is supposedly to help/support the countries economy and people.

 

You might as well just say we have failed.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The second phase of the “We Travel Together” tourism stimulus campaign may be scrapped over corruption fears

 

See....this is a problem that will only continue. It is endemic to Thailand/Thai's

The reason is they are raised watching how Hi-So, govt etc get away with murder..... literally

 

They watch corrupt govt officials with their snouts in the trough get rich

They watch Police with their illegal fines get rich

They watch Immigration with their brown envelopes from visa agents get rich

 

Why would they not say "My Turn"???

 

One way out of this is enforce rule of law with REAL punishments dished out no matter who you are period

"We Cheating Together" 

What's the big deal.

Just normal behavior, move on, nothing to see here.

Thats what happens when you lead by example! Pot and kettle comes to mind.

It’s almost funny TIT

15 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

It’s almost funny TIT

It isn't for the thousands of people that would have booked using the scheme that are now unable to due to the greed and corruption of some of the businesses in the programme.

 

That's not to say that regular Thais aren't complicit, having seen a local small hotel taking advantage of the predecessor of We Travel Together, who were giving 1000 baht for vouchers and claiming 1500 baht from the Government.

 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was reportedly furious when

"Was reportedly furious when the media discovered graft cause he thought it was hidden well enough. He is mad cause only the "other side" is supposed to be caught in corruption, not his cronies

I propose renaming that scheme into something more appropriate and to the point. How about "We Screw Each Other Over Because That's How We've Always Done it"?

10 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is very sad if a country and government have to close a scheme down because they can't regulate or trust the operators, which is supposedly to help/support the countries economy and people.

 

You might as well just say we have failed.

failures here...not in government nah never..impossible

Coruption in Thailand never!!!!

7 hours ago, webfact said:

 

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was reportedly furious when he heard details of the graft

But, I lead by example.

I love the smell of corruption in the morning.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was reportedly furious when he heard details of the graft

Just as furious as when people asked him about his wealth a few years back?

Did he throw a banana peel at the person who told him this "news"?

5 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is very sad if a country and government have to close a scheme down because they can't regulate or trust the operators, which is supposedly to help/support the countries economy and people.

 

You might as well just say we have failed.

They failed.. but i wonder how much of the corruption was with knowledge of officials and them taking a cut.

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

They failed.. but i wonder how much of the corruption was with knowledge of officials and them taking a cut.

They have failed but anyone who has lived in Thailand long enough and wants the best for the country, knows that corruption is embedded in society and it will take generations to get rid of it, unless there is a huge overhaul of the political and social system.

 

I can't see it happening in my life time. Sadly.

Corruption is part of the culture, its seen as normal. There is a sense of entitlement to it. 

People would be seen as stupid not to take advantage of an opportunity. 

 

In this case its been a free-for-all. Hotels that are not even open have been doing 100 room a night business !! or claiming that from the government (from Thai news).

 

 

Thigh-land Number 1.

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Corruption is part of the culture, its seen as normal. There is a sense of entitlement to it. 

People would be seen as stupid not to take advantage of an opportunity. 

 

In this case its been a free-for-all. Hotels that are not even open have been doing 100 room a night business !! or claiming that from the government (from Thai news).

 

 

Can I also claim?

Probably stating I have a 50 room hotel.

One night I dreaming I owned a massive 5*star hotel and contacted TAT.

They agreed and put me on "their" programme too.

I do not say that that Prayut himself is corrupt, but according to official documents, Prayut when he toke over as PM, said it was to stop the gouverment corruption. Every person in the Thai gouverment has to declare their assets. 2014 Prayut declared assets for 1 million baht. Today his assets is worth 20 billions baht. PM of Thailand get a yearly salary of close to 1.5 million baht, so he must have done some really good investments over this six years.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“All parties must cooperate – givers, receivers and service providers. They must help each other by providing information so that we can arrest these fraudsters,” he added.

 

Yes, of course, that's for what you have the defamation laws. You have these laws in use to arrest the disturbers rather than the fraudsters. To arrest those disturbers who speak out about you and your gangs corruptions and the corruption of those who follow your example.

 

Must be fake news  as (no Thai would do this)