Corruption in stimulus packages: Tourism minister to check that the old folk have actually arrived

[webfact]

Corruption in stimulus packages: Tourism minister to check that the old folk have actually arrived 

 

Picture: Bangkok Biz News

 

Thai tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan is set to make sure that widespread corruption in the "Rao Thiaw Duay Kan" (Let's travel together) stimulus scheme is not repeated in the upcoming version for older folks.

 

"Thiaw Thai Wai Gao" - travel in Thailand for older people - is set to be discussed by the cabinet next week and will apply to people 55 and older.

 

Last week Yutthasak Suphasorn of the TAT went to senior police to report more than 500 cases of corruption in the let's travel together scheme.

 

Tours that were meant to have turned up at hotels had not. But the hotels were still pocketing the coupon money.

 

Now Pipat said that he was working with the TAT and the tourist police to make sure that loopholes were plugged for the older folks. 

 

When it comes to tours, buses and even flights groups of older people will be checked to make sure they are where they said they would be.

 

"We shall check all groups," said Pipat, " to make sure they have really travelled. We want to make sure they are getting the benefit of the scheme and not unscrupulous operators".

 

He said he would be using experience from the previous stimulus package to plug loopholes and stop corruption.

 

The delay in the new stimulus package - and the expansion of the old one to enfranchise a million more people - has been because of the current Covid-19 situation that is taking up valuable government time. 

 

Source: Bangkok Biz News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-12-24

 

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[PatOngo]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Tours that were meant to have turned up at hotels had not. But the hotels were still pocketing the coupon money.

Older people should be even easier to rip off! 

[RotBenz8888]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Corruption in stimulus packages: 

For a moment, I thought it was Corruption stimulus packages. But I'm sure that wouldn't be needed. 

[ChipButty]

Dont worry they will find a way to beat the system

[tonray]

TM30 for Old People...the new coming rules...ha ha ha ha

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, RotBenz8888 said:

For a moment, I thought it was Corruption stimulus packages. But I'm sure that wouldn't be needed. 

Well, I am not sure about that. My impressions about this county is: the more corruption stimulation, the merrier... as everybody seems to be in on it and they can't get enough.

[biggles45]

So they are working to close the loopholes, but what about the hotels that pocketed the previous money? You know who they are, TAT told you so what is your intention? 

[digger70]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan is set to make sure that widespread corruption in the "Rao Thiaw Duay Kan" (Let's travel together) stimulus scheme is not repeated

Yea right ,He can say that but he can't guarantee/stop that. Corruption is a part of life in Thailand .

[pokerface1]

 Covid virus has been battling to take hold in Thailand only because the corruption virus is more contagious however now it's time  for corruption stimulus package to get back on top of the virus.????

[metisdead]

A troll post using a trolling image has been removed.

[Venom]

This is exactly why there's so much money in politics. ???? 

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Dont worry they will find a way to beat the system

For every plan, theres a scam in all walks of Thai life.

[overt2016]

On 12/24/2020 at 11:36 AM, PatOngo said:

Older people should be even easier to rip off! 

Should be, but should not be!

[Stargeezr]

Board up the hotels, and jail the owners and upper management that were

involved with ripping off the people and the government, easy and simple solution.

Even if these rich people have connections, make it clear that they are not above the law.

   Never will happen as this is Thailand we are talking about. Once again I was dreaming.

Geezer

[ChipButty]

Easy to get around this one, all the staff will get their grandparent to book

[plachon]

In a country where senior politicians, especially ministers who are almost expected to skim the cream off every large project, the bureaucrats and the police are notoriously corrupt, launching a poorly conceived scheme such as this one at this time, when normal checks and balances of a parliamentary opposition have been almost entirely removed, then is it any wonder that the private sector, in the form of these hoteliers and tour companies, also jump aboard the "rent-seeking" gravy train? 

Exactly what the senior police it has been reported to are supposed to do, besides arrest the minister himself for utter incompetence, is anyone's guess? The thing with Thai-style corruption of this nature, as everyone seems to take their cut of the pie, the only "victim" is the long-suffering tax payer, and they've never had a voice so don't matter, making it the "perfect crime". Everything else about this case is just pure, well-rehearsed theatrics and spectacle.