MPs Urged To Probe Srettha’s 30-Million-Baht Chartered Flight To US

[bamnutsak]

7 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Well, you put whole government on the same flight

I do not believe that the "whole government" is on the same flight.

 

In addition to the PM I think there is the Deputy PM and MoFA Minister, the rest are staff, servants, hangers-on, family.

 

The rest of the government remains in Thailand.

 

The PM spent many years attending college/university on the U.S.A. so he will not need need any translators, for English anyway.

 

 

[VocalNeal]

22 hours ago, connda said:

As a head of state and the leader of Thailand, Srettha using a chartered flight is pretty much business as usual. 

But he isn't head of state. He is simply leader of the government.????

[bamnutsak]

4 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

But he isn't head of state. He is simply leader of the government.????

Correct.

 

Per the current Constitution, the King is the Head of State, and the Head of the Military.

 

 

That said the PM should not fly commercial, IMO. So options are limited, especially with a party of 50.

 

The A340 hasn't flown in a while (2022?) and is said to be in need refurbishments, which may not be worth it given the age of this airframe. 

 

If the trip is worthwhile, and beneficial to the people, then cost may not be a deciding issue?

 

My sense is that the troughage includes these highly desirable foreign trip perks, which everyone in the new government will be taking advantage of in the coming months and years. The smarter ones will avoid posting their adventures on social media, but the attention may be hard to resist.

 

 

 

 

 

[bamnutsak]

On 9/18/2023 at 9:31 AM, bamnutsak said:

Srettha's trip is scheduled for eight days (18 - 26 Sep) so not sure if the aircraft parks, or returns to Thailand. only to be dispatched later for the return segment? 

 

 

It looks like they are going to keep this aircraft in the U.S. for the duration of Srettha and family's visit. It was moved to IAD yesterday for temporary storage longer term parking at JFK is not possible. No clue on the return routing?

 

It does sound like a boondoggle, all this for a three-minute speech. And some controversy on his daughter's need to travel with the government party, and who paid for her trip.