Thailand: House speaker's hefty travel spending faces probe

[ableguy]

Each committee has been instructed to divert leftover funds to cover the expenses of Somsak and Charoen, who overspent their budgets.

How could this possibly be a good idea?

I think it would be a much better idea if these two had to repay these expenses from their own personal bank accounts. A budget is called a budget for a reason. When the money is gone the party is over.

Yeh I know, I will wake up now.

Dream on.

[surangw]

looks like he forgot to share the wealth with the correct persons.

[hanno]

When all has been said and done, our democracies back home are no better. What was this thing in the UK a couple of years ago? Tax payers paying for some MP's duck pond? Some American politician (or his wife) getting a USD 500.00 haircut on Airforce One? Members of the European Parliament spending on average close to EUR 6,000 per day?

Doesn't make this particular story any better, but off the top of my head I cannot think of any country where the tax payer is not getting stiffed paying for the government he/she elected.

[OzMick]

In an interesting contrast, the former Oz house speaker is facing charges over abuse of his travel allowance - mostly by misuse of Cabcharge.

[MaxLee]

Well SOMEONE IN PHEUTHAI MUST take the blame in order to backstab-slipping-whitewashing-getting away oneself from all ootsy-bootsy-traveling plans for Hawaii

[ginjag]

When all has been said and done, our democracies back home are no better. What was this thing in the UK a couple of years ago? Tax payers paying for some MP's duck pond? Some American politician (or his wife) getting a USD 500.00 haircut on Airforce One? Members of the European Parliament spending on average close to EUR 6,000 per day?

Doesn't make this particular story any better, but off the top of my head I cannot think of any country where the tax payer is not getting stiffed paying for the government he/she elected.

Part agree, but these stories are minnows compared to this everyday corrupt actions. try to look at every day incidents not isolated bits from the west.

You have to know the difference between near total and small fry.

[hanno]

When all has been said and done, our democracies back home are no better. What was this thing in the UK a couple of years ago? Tax payers paying for some MP's duck pond? Some American politician (or his wife) getting a USD 500.00 haircut on Airforce One? Members of the European Parliament spending on average close to EUR 6,000 per day?

Doesn't make this particular story any better, but off the top of my head I cannot think of any country where the tax payer is not getting stiffed paying for the government he/she elected.

Part agree, but these stories are minnows compared to this everyday corrupt actions. try to look at every day incidents not isolated bits from the west.

You have to know the difference between near total and small fry.

Fair enough, but the West is supposed to be leading by shining example...... And small fry? A lot of politicians in Bavaria are getting heat at the moment for employing relatives over years, with pretty good salaries, which is against the law. As is a MP passing government contracts to a spouse.

Sure, it is unlikely that a copper on the street in Europe asks for a Dollar, but when it gets to really big money I am not so sure that there is not a fair amount of corruption. Greed is not confined to race or nationality.

[lostmebike]

The clocks thing was all over other news sources. Somebody tracked them down, they are normally sold for a handsome profit at 16000 baht each. Not a bad mark-up really from 16K to 75K. Should there be an investigation? Absabloodylutely !

I agree, the 'mark-up' (wonder whose pocket that ended up in) is ludicrous and needs to be investigated.

Let's face it, PTP are as corrupt as they come but if the Dems were in power, would they not be just as bad? Six of one....