CMPO denies having used up 10 billion baht of budget in 33 days

[webfact]

CMPO denies having used up 10 billion baht of budget in 33 days

BANGKOK, 28 February 2014 (NNT) – The Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has refuted allegations that it used as much as 10 billion baht in budget over the 33 days since the agency's establishment.

CMPO committee member Tharit Phengdit spoke to reporters about the claim by a Democrat Party spokesman, saying that it was untrue. He explained that the Cabinet had only just approved a budget for the CMPO's expenses, and this budget also needs to be approved by the Election Commission.

He asserted the CMPO had been carefully spending money on expenses that included per diem allowances and food expenses of the policemen and soldiers on duty under the CMPO's guidance, and that all expenditures were in accordance with state protocols.

Mr. Tharit remarked that the CMPO had established joint patrol teams to help maintain order at rally sites and prevent mishaps, after People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban recently agreed to allow the officials to enter rally premises.

He added that despite the limitations imposed upon the CMPO by the Civil Court, the policemen and soldiers have been carrying out their duties in full.


-- NNT 2014-02-28

[Rob8891]

Can't have paid Chalerm's bar tab yet, huh?

[Soutpeel]

Can't have paid Chalerm's bar tab yet, huh?

Beat me to it ...LOL

[andygunther]

What a crashing party they must have had

[patjem]

Could've settled some of their debts to the rice farmers with that, but apparently, the funds weren't available.

[mrwebb8825]

"CMPO committee member Tharit Phengdit spoke to reporters about the claim by a Democrat Party spokesman, saying that it was untrue. He explained that the Cabinet had only just approved a budget for the CMPO's expenses, and this budget also needs to be approved by the Election Commission.

He asserted the CMPO had been carefully spending money on expenses that included per diem allowances and food expenses of the policemen and soldiers on duty under the CMPO's guidance, and that all expenditures were in accordance with state protocols."

3 Points jump out:

1. IF the budget has JUST been approved by the caretaker cabinet, What money have they been spending for the last 33 days?

2. The "Caretaker" cabinet is NOT authorized to set up ANY NEW agencies so HOW is the CMPO legitimate?

3. The "Caretaker" government is NOT ALLOWED to reassign MPs while in caretaker status so HOW did they get authorization to assign Chalerm and his thugs to an illegal agency?

[djjamie]

Come on Chalerm. Denying is not your job. It is the PTP spokesman's job and he is the hardest worker in the PTP.

Prompong Nopparit denied a report that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has urged the government to hold talks with protesters

Pongthep Nopparit denied former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had ordered the caretaker government to complete the Feb 2 election.

Prompong Nopparit denied on Friday that the party had pressured Somsak Kiatsuranont to resign as House speaker

Prompong Nopparit denied that Pheu Thai's competence to govern is being questioned

Prompong Nopparit denied the government was applying double standards

Prompong Nopparit denied a rumour that his party was behind the campaign against the "Bangkok shutdown".

Prompong Nopparit denied red shirts' harassment of some Democrat Party candidates had anything to do with the PTP

Prompong Nopparit denied Yaowapa Wongsawat is being prepared as a stand in should PM Yingluck Shinawatra meet with a political accident.

I bet the spokesman that announces successes of the PTP isn't worked very hard. Don't hear from him at all.

Edited February 28, 2014 by djjamie

[LeamchabangLarry]

Only Red idiot thug trash believe anything that comes out of any PT statement these days. Lie after half-truth after Lie. Hubrisly blatant and consistent

[PatOngo]

"CMPO denies having used up 10 billion baht of budget in 33 days"

They also denied that night follows day and that the sun rises from the east!

[Cuchulainn]

Yeah, Chalerm's bar bill and a wig for baldy!!

[than]

It's make a lot of whisky bottles

[siampolee]

Ear medicine you know. Dammed expensive too.

http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/entertainment/the-top-10-most-expensive-whiskies-in-the-world/

[Robby nz]

I guess the official from the National Budget Bureau who told the Rice Policy Committee meeting that CMPO had applied to the Bureau for 10 billion to pay riot police will be looking for a new job.

Cant have government officials telling the truth.

Said official should have known after what happened to the lady who exposed the truth about the cost of the rice scheme, but possibly the official didn't know it was supposed to be a secret.

[LuckyLew]

Money was not spent ... was just send to Hong Kong via Yaowarat middle man 555

[rubl]

Interesting that with a budget just approved by the (caretaker) cabinet the CMPO member fails to mention the size of that budget. Almost as if it's one of those state secrets, like the single A4-page on 800 billion Baht rice scheme accounting.

[kurtgruen]

"CMPO denies having used up 10 billion baht of budget in 33 days"

They also denied that night follows day and that the sun rises from the east!

He is probably telling the truth and has only used 9,999,999,999 Baht of the budget in 33 days. By the way, how much is the budget for this farce???

[mimithewoof]

Only Red idiot thug trash believe anything that comes out of any PT statement these days. Lie after half-truth after Lie. Hubrisly blatant and consistent

Hubris already? I guess it takes one to know one - which doesn't excuse your 'red idiot thug trash' comment one bit. Never mind the present chaos, about which we all have our own opinions, but your expressing of yours in this way makes me wonder why your post is still up.

I live in Chiang Mai, a red-shirt hub and, even when I was reporting for a local expat newspaper a few years ago, those of the red persuasion I spoke to were in no way deserving of your comment. I can only assume you're living in BKK, which is no excuse but might explain your insupportable attitude.

[Xonax]

Assault rifles, Rubber bullets and Teargas don´t come cheap in Thailand.

[Bkungbank]

Money is not a issue as long the people life are safe in public street, the people include all Thai people red ,blue,yellow or black.

As the money spend worth but this daily killing and bombing what happen if received salaries and not doing job to protect the people.

[Halion]

Only Red idiot thug trash believe anything that comes out of any PT statement these days. Lie after half-truth after Lie. Hubrisly blatant and consistent

Hubris already? I guess it takes one to know one - which doesn't excuse your 'red idiot thug trash' comment one bit. Never mind the present chaos, about which we all have our own opinions, but your expressing of yours in this way makes me wonder why your post is still up.

I live in Chiang Mai, a red-shirt hub and, even when I was reporting for a local expat newspaper a few years ago, those of the red persuasion I spoke to were in no way deserving of your comment. I can only assume you're living in BKK, which is no excuse but might explain your insupportable attitude.

I was in Bangkok during the unrest in 2010 when those gentle and educated folks of the Red Shirt persuasion tried to burn the city center to the ground. Funny how specific experiences tend to effect ones outlook.

[mrtoad]

No wonder Chalerm has been missing for three days, must be one hell of a session.

I guess he's sipping Rouge with his cadres.

[rickirs]

I don't find it very informative seeing what readers believe about the CMPO by whatever faith they have. But is there any government agency budget public information? No budget details are revealed by the CMPO other than mention of a couple expense items (and what be be implied as extraordinary expenses related to the anti-government protests) covered by the budget without any budget or costs. Will disclosure to the EC make such request public at that time or will it remain confidential? With complete transparency on the use of public funds comes assurance of accountability.

[Robby nz]

This only surfaced because the rice policy committee suggested using the budget contingency fund which is supposed to be reserved for disasters.

They asked the national budget bureau which administers the fund if they could use 20 billion of the 70 billion that comprised the fund to give to the BACC to pay the farmers.

One of the officials of the NBB pointed out that should the 20 billion be taken the fund would be run dangerously low because of the previous request by CMPO for 10 billion.

The NBB considered that 40 billion which is all that would be left was not enough of a cushion should there be another disaster such as the floods or the tsunami.

No reason why the NCC should lie about this but every reason why Chalerm should.

Indeed the NBB official was only being responsible by pointing this out.

[surangw]

must have taken shopping lessons from Imelda Marcos