Thai anti-graft panel reviews House allowances

[webfact]

Anti-graft panel reviews allowances
Khanittha Thepphajorn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The opposition Democrat Party inquired yesterday about expenses claimed by House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont and parliamentary staff for House of Representatives affairs, plus allowances given to people who were not MPs who attended meetings at Parliament.

The House anti-graft committee chaired by Viroj Pao-in of the ruling Pheu Thai Party considered inquiries by members of the panel over Somsak's expenses and those of House secretary Suwichag Nakwatcharachai.

Members of the committee questioned the budget for House affairs, as there were many items considered unreasonable, such as expensive clocks.

Sunthorn Rakmeuang, director of the House's Bureau of Finance and Budget, said some Bt14.9 million was spent on 238 clocks to be installed in parliamentary buildings. The price of the clocks was Bt40,000 each - not Bt70,000 - so it was widely misunderstood, she said. The Bt14-million budget covered the entire timing system, which is linked to a satellite, she said.

The project was initiated during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration in 2004, when some MPs visited the US Congress and found clocks there were very precise. That trip inspired the House to get a similar system, she said.

Meanwhile, drinking-water coolers and heaters were installed by a firm at a reasonable price, she said, noting that she would submit details of procurement for this item later in written form, as she did not remember all details.

Sunthorn was grilled for three hours. She was asked by Democrat MP Vilas Chanpitaksa shortly before the end of the session about the allowance paid to people who attended various meetings in Parliament, particularly a panel set up by secretary Suwichag.

Suwichag had ordered that Bt1,600 be paid to all members of the panel for every meeting and Bt1,200 for members of a subcommittee.

There was no limit on how many meetings such panel members could attend each day. Sunthorn said this was not irregular, as it was in accordance with regulations.

To their disappointment, MPs would only get Bt800 each for such meetings and the regulation limited them to two meetings a day.

Committee chairman Viroj even noted: "Our request to have one more subcommittee was rejected, but he put his men on a higher per diem."

Another Democrat MP, Teerachad Pongviroonrugs, said he would seriously look into whether the secretary had spent public funds for a personal purpose.


-- The Nation 2013-08-24

[NongKhaiKid]

Questions asked and the cost of the clocks magically drop by B30,000 each, I presume the appropriate receipts and paperwork has been mislaid.

Another example of Thainess, the US Congress has them so we want them too.

[Robby nz]

The project was initiated during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration in 2004, when some MPs visited the US Congress and found clocks there were very precise. That trip inspired the House to get a similar system, she said.

Great stuff, not only did they buy the very expensive clocks that they don't need but some of them got a trip to the US as well.

Wonder where they will need to go to be inspired to stop trains falling off the tracks or improve the education system?

[slapout]

I would venture to say, the only truth we can expect, is that the honesty or lack thereof, displayed by the individual unit, from family, corporate, small business, and to government is a mirror of the enity they represent, belong to.or work for.

In my observation this does not seem to carry over to intellegence nor physical attibutes, but a little effort on the leaderships part could set this to follow suit.

.

[Pib]

Sunthorn Rakmeuang, director of the House's Bureau of Finance and Budget, said some Bt14.9 million was spent on 238 clocks to be installed in parliamentary buildings. The price of the clocks was Bt40,000 each - not Bt70,000 - so it was widely misunderstood, she said. The Bt14-million budget covered the entire timing system, which is linked to a satellite, she said.

Bt40K clocks that look like they go for a few thousand baht on Ebay. Timing system linked to a satellite----please! Any laptop on Windows hooks to an internet time source just as good as any satellite....your hand phone syncs to the network time which is linked official time sources...etc. Plus, Thai time is plus or minus a couple of hours anyway. Probably just another case of a govt contract lining the pockets of someone.

[SOTIRIOS]

........what a load of crock....

[Thai at Heart]

Sunthorn Rakmeuang, director of the House's Bureau of Finance and Budget, said some Bt14.9 million was spent on 238 clocks to be installed in parliamentary buildings. The price of the clocks was Bt40,000 each - not Bt70,000 - so it was widely misunderstood, she said. The Bt14-million budget covered the entire timing system, which is linked to a satellite, she said.

Bt40K clocks that look like they go for a few thousand baht on Ebay. Timing system linked to a satellite----please! Any laptop on Windows hooks to an internet time source just as good as any satellite....your hand phone syncs to the network time which is linked official time sources...etc. Plus, Thai time is plus or minus a couple of hours anyway. Probably just another case of a govt contract lining the pockets of someone.

I guess the theory is that if the DSO blocks the internet completely for the country, at least the MPs will know what time it is.

Of course, the fact that the calendars are western, when the Thai parliament runs paperwork wise completely on the Thai Buddhist calendars is not thought of.

[greg71]

As i mentioned in other post ,they just approve the buying of 27 loius viutton chairs sets at 1 million baht a pop ,27 million baht down the gurgler .Nice to sit in those im sure .

[BuddyPinkham]

Questions asked and the cost of the clocks magically drop by B30,000 each, I presume the appropriate receipts and paperwork has been mislaid.

Another example of Thainess, the US Congress has them so we want them too.

And just another waste of my buy MY US government!

[Thai at Heart]

As i mentioned in other post ,they just approve the buying of 27 loius viutton chairs sets at 1 million baht a pop ,27 million baht down the gurgler .Nice to sit in those im sure .

I guess they look good In front of someone's TV.

[Baerboxer]

As i mentioned in other post ,they just approve the buying of 27 loius viutton chairs sets at 1 million baht a pop ,27 million baht down the gurgler .Nice to sit in those im sure .

Only the best for the PTP gang. It's only tax payers money after all. Plenty more where that came from.

Wonder how much LV actually received?

Great to see a democratically elected people's party spending so wisely and transparently. When you've a majority you can do want you want don't you know.

Clocks, LV Chairs, fleet of private planes - just a start of the opulence. No expense will be spared to for the clan.

No economic issues, rice problems, recession, poverty, corruption, terrorism or anything bad here. All blue skies and plan sailing.

[Pimay1]

As i mentioned in other post ,they just approve the buying of 27 loius viutton chairs sets at 1 million baht a pop ,27 million baht down the gurgler .Nice to sit in those im sure .

I missed your other post. Do you have a link to this purchase? $31,000 for a chair set? I must really be behind in the times.

[greg71]

As i mentioned in other post ,they just approve the buying of 27 loius viutton chairs sets at 1 million baht a pop ,27 million baht down the gurgler .Nice to sit in those im sure .

I missed your other post. Do you have a link to this purchase? $31,000 for a chair set? I must really be behind in the times.

I dont have a link ,i was watching thai tv3 with surayud at about 11 am or so and there was a big exposé into this .So maybe its on the channel 3 website .