The barbecue that fired up awareness of political corruption in Thailand

[webfact]

 

When Deputy House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada threw a barbecue party for Parliament cleaning staff in August, he obviously never thought he was breaking any laws or regulations.

 

However, the barbecue inadvertently fired up the ever-smoldering issue of corruption in Thailand. As a result, political officeholders appear to have become more careful about spending state funds, while taxpayers are more eager to see how their money is being spent.

 

On August 17, Padipat’s team distributed vouchers bearing his name to 370 cleaning staff at Parliament. The vouchers entitled them to a free meal worth 269 baht at a barbecue restaurant in Bangkok’s Bang Pho area the following evening.

 

“We paid for the meal with the deputy House speaker’s budget,” Padipat, a member of the opposition Fair party, declared when the scandal first erupted.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-10-24

 

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[Mavideol]

why are people surprised, nothing new we all know how Thai corrupted politics work

[BritScot]

Is the fuss because they are lowly cleaners? I personally think this is/was a very good gesture of thanks. The people complaining should hold their heads in shame. 

[dinsdale]

This is small fry corruption. Look at the top for serious corruption.

ps bring back reactions to our accounts.

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

“We paid for the meal with the deputy House speaker’s budget,” Padipat, a member of the opposition Fair party, declared when the scandal first erupted

To be reimbursed and paid in full by Speaker Padipat.

[josephbloggs]

18 hours ago, Mavideol said:

why are people surprised, nothing new we all know how Thai corrupted politics work

What's corrupt about taking your cleaning staff for a 269 baht dinner? It's a nice gesture.

[klauskunkel]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

What's corrupt about taking your cleaning staff for a 269 baht dinner? It's a nice gesture.

Nothing corrupt about it, if he uses his own money.

But he used taxpayer money instead and put his name on the vouchers which made it appear as if he paid for it, which means:

 

a) he doesn't understand the usage of his House Speaker budget, either because he is too stupid, or negligent to read guidelines

b) he feels entitled to do with the budget as he wants

c) he is corrupt

 

any of these answers convey a deep problem within Thai office holders

 

[MikeandDow]

20 hours ago, BritScot said:

Is the fuss because they are lowly cleaners? I personally think this is/was a very good gesture of thanks. The people complaining should hold their heads in shame. 

I think you should hold your head in shame condoning coruption

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, dinsdale said:

 

ps bring back reactions to our accounts.

Do you mean these emojis?    and many many more

[Will B Good]

Fired up awareness?.....You'd have to have lived in a cave since WW2 not to be aware that Thai society in general is not totally corrupt.

[dinsdale]

6 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Nothing corrupt about it, if he uses his own money.

But he used taxpayer money instead and put his name on the vouchers which made it appear as if he paid for it, which means:

 

a) he doesn't understand the usage of his House Speaker budget, either because he is too stupid, or negligent to read guidelines

b) he feels entitled to do with the budget as he wants

c) he is corrupt

 

any of these answers convey a deep problem within Thai office holders

 

This is corruption...

[BritScot]

On 10/25/2023 at 4:11 AM, MikeandDow said:

I think you should hold your head in shame condoning coruption

Sorry but if you think providing a barbecue to thank staff for doing thankless work is corruption your moral compass is broken beyond repair. Stop and think or maybe you think it's currupt when a company pays bonuses every year or holds Christmas parties? Just shaking my head in disbelief...

[MikeandDow]

51 minutes ago, BritScot said:

Sorry but if you think providing a barbecue to thank staff for doing thankless work is corruption your moral compass is broken beyond repair. Stop and think or maybe you think it's currupt when a company pays bonuses every year or holds Christmas parties? Just shaking my head in disbelief...

if he paid for it out of his own money no problem, but he used taxpayers money,  That is coruption  think you should get your moral compass fixed and look up the meaning of coruption.

Companys are not part of the goverment and are not funded by the taxpayer they can do what they want with there money BUT the goverment is not, it is funded by the taxpayer are are accountable for this money,  and paying for a barbecue is not part of it

[digbeth]

11 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

if he paid for it out of his own money no problem, but he used taxpayers money,  That is coruption  think you should get your moral compass fixed and look up the meaning of coruption.

Companys are not part of the goverment and are not funded by the taxpayer they can do what they want with there money BUT the goverment is not, it is funded by the taxpayer are are accountable for this money,  and paying for a barbecue is not part of it

so what's the difference between hosting a reception for 'dignitaries' or just throwing staff party for those serving in the parliament house from taxpayer's money

 

in this case he ended up paying out of his own pocket, but it did raise awareness of the budget that's been there and used for various 'reception' in the past and went unreported 

[sammieuk1]

269bt meal cheapskate 🤔

[MikeandDow]

2 hours ago, digbeth said:

so what's the difference between hosting a reception for 'dignitaries' or just throwing staff party for those serving in the parliament house from taxpayer's money

 

in this case he ended up paying out of his own pocket, but it did raise awareness of the budget that's been there and used for various 'reception' in the past and went unreported 

because it was not authorised,  goverment are supposed to have accountablity for taxpayers money or do you not care