Somsak's Trip To Europe Paid For By Leftover Cash: Source

[Buchholz]

Speaker to be invited to explain his 'study trip'

The parliamentary committee on House of Representatives Affairs will meet on Thursday to discuss the "study trip" House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont led to Europe, Panel Chairman Pheu Thai MP Paijit Srivorakhan said yesterday.

Democrat MP Satit Pitutecha has asked the committee to investigate Somsak's "study trip" with close aides and reporters.

This development comes amid news of another controversial trip planned by the House standing committee on corruption this weekend.

Paijit said the House of Representatives Affairs panel would invite Somsak and the Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament, Khampee Ditthakorn, to a meeting held to consider a project to promote democracy in the parliamentary system.

Paijit said the expenses of Somsak's trip were within the Bt8 million budget set. He insisted that all the spending of Somsak's entourage was covered by Parliament considering they had been invited to tag along by the Parliament President.

Somsak's spokesman Wattana Sengpairoh yesterday denied media reports that Somsak went to France and Belgium, saying he only went to the UK. He added that it was normal for members of House committees to go overseas on study trips. He also denied that reporters invited on the trip were only those who favoured the red shirts, saying representatives from The Nation and Bangkok Post were also invited, though nobody at Asia Update was invited.

However, Wattana's claim was disputed by both papers and others.

Academic and columnist Pitch Pongsawat, who was identified as representing Kom Chad Luek, said he joined the trip as an academic and was not there on behalf of the Thai daily.

Wattana told reporters about many tours that members of House panels went to this year to back his claim that Somsak's trip was legitimate.

Meanwhile, Krungthep Turakij has found another luxurious excursion that may contravene parliamentary rules: the House standing committee on corruption and malfeasance plans to spend Bt2.38 million of state funds visiting Hong Kong and South Korea from Friday until next Tuesday.

The panel, led by Wiroj Pao-in, stated in its request for funds from Somsak that members wanted to take the trip to learn about anti-corruption work in the two countries.

However, the itinerary suggests the trip is mainly a sightseeing tour organised by Petra Travel for a "special tour of Hong Kong and Korea for five days, three nights".

Details showed that 12 panel members were going on the trip, with a daily allowance of Bt9,300 each, in addition to hotel expenses of Bt30,000 per member. Parliament would also pay Bt30,000 for the accommodation for each member.

In addition to these 12, 10 others on the trip will get a daily allowance of Bt6,300 and hotel allowance of Bt15,730 each.

Other costs include Bt300,000 for a reception, Bt482,300 for transport, Bt7,500 to hire an interpreter, Bt9,000 for passports issued for two specialists and seven parliamentary staff.

Details of the itinerary show that members on the trip will be eating at top restaurants. A feast of lobsters sashimi, chamber nautilus sashimi, boiled shrimps, and several other expensive dishes has been arranged for them on the first day they arrive in Hong Kong at the Lei Yue Mun Restaurant.

Sites where corruption panel members will visit to "study" for their "work" include Repulse Bay, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Jewellery factory and the Jump Show.

A former House panel chairman, who asked not to be named, alleged that Somsak often approved foreign trips for panels that went against regulations enacted by former Parliament President Wan Muhammad Noor Matha. He said several panels often sought funds together, which forced Somsak to approve the trips in a rush.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

[aguy30]

People are talking like this amount of money would do so much to improve the lives of the poor. If they gave the 7,000,000 baht (140,000 pounds, $230,000 or 175,000 Euro) to 70,000 of the poorest people (0.1% of the population) in the country that would be 100 baht each. That isn't enough to buy a bag of over priced low quality rice or two bottles of Singha and a bowl of mama. Can't see many lives being changed by that. It probably cost the government at least 7,000,000 baht for Yingluck to take a three day trip to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for a photo op.

With that said, the excuse that it is a surplus and needs to be spent is a totally disgusting excuse for taking a lavish trip by pigs in charge. The money should have been left in the coffers and returned for future worthy needs of the country. You have to wonder if it was intentional that there was "surplus" that had to be spent.

Someone mentioned that votes cost 500 baht. Well that isn't true everywhere in Thailand. I know that in a small town north of Udorn Thani that people were paid 200 baht and somebody was there to check if their "secret" ballot was marked as paid for. For two hundred baht the people also got what they were paid for. Might have even been over priced.

Edited September 24, 2012 by aguy30

[Buchholz]

This development comes amid news of another controversial trip planned by the House standing committee on corruption this weekend.

Details showed that 12 panel members were going on the trip, with a daily allowance of Bt9,300 each, in addition to hotel expenses of Bt30,000 per member. Parliament would also pay Bt30,000 for the accommodation for each member.

In addition to these 12, 10 others on the trip will get a daily allowance of Bt6,300 and hotel allowance of Bt15,730 each.

Other costs include Bt300,000 for a reception, Bt482,300 for transport, Bt7,500 to hire an interpreter, Bt9,000 for passports issued for two specialists and seven parliamentary staff.

It probably cost the government at least 7,000,000 baht for Yingluck to take a three day trip to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for a photo op.

With that said, the excuse that it is a surplus and needs to be spent is a totally disgusting excuse for taking a lavish trip by pigs in charge. The money should have been left in the coffers and returned for future worthy needs of the country. You have to wonder if it was intentional that there was "surplus" that had to be spent.

What with her fluency in English, on the plus side of today's trip to New York, Yingluck and her extended entourage, she won't need to pay for an interpreter like the above South Korea/Hong Kong boondoggle.

.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Buchholz

[Nickymaster]

I want to know what Tom thinks about this.

He may be having lunch round about now, so he has had plenty of time to think (mind you, that hasn't had much effect for a few years)

Yes, this is a baiting post, but I seriously want him to opine.

so you're purposefully breaking forum rules?

did not see that post before commenting.

This "news" is a non-issue. There are many, many more important things to worry about in Thailand. TBH, I thing the article is mostly baiting on the part of The Nation.

1) government representatives sometimes need to get information to do their jobs. For example, American congressmen call these trips "fact-finding missions"

2) such trips need to be justified.

3) regarding the budgets, the reality, as already posted - use or lose it motivates people to find projects for their budgets if they have a surplus

4) in the big picture of Thai politics, this is peanuts

Sometimes politicians waste money. Is this particular trip justifiable? I don't have any information to make a statement. The Nation thinks it is not, but that is not surprising. If people want to take the word of The Nation to boil their blood pressure against the government, that's up to them. The general opinion of The Nation is that it is a pro-Abhisit anti-Yingluck rag. Fox News pushes their "outrage" button over President Obama every day. That's just thinly veiled propaganda and hyperbole. The Nation has a ways to go to get close to the same league as Fox News, but they are trying .

Flame away, guys. It's just the king of outrage The Nation wants.

"Sometimes politicians waste money. Is this particular trip justifiable? I don't have any information to make a statement"

They went on a holiday and suddenly you have no opinion and information on the subject.

Edited September 25, 2012 by Nickymaster

[Buchholz]

Parliament's overseas excursion system may need review: Somsak

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont said Wednesday that he would have the House committee's overseas excursion system reviewed if investigators found his recent trip to Europe unacceptable.

Somsak added he was okay with the House Committee on Parliamentary Affairs investigating the trip following criticism that the excursion featured extravagant hotel stays and functions, expensive football matches and that members of the entourage were selected on grounds of favouritism.

The committee has yet to summon the House Speaker for questioning since he returned from the controversial trip.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03