PM Prayuth ready to drop plans to rebuild reporters' rooms

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PM ready to drop plans to rebuild reporters' rooms
Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung,
Nitipol Kiravanich
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Reporters' rooms in Government House were spared demolition after pressure was put on Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha by journalists.

Prayut yesterday clarified that the plan was to renovate the rooms rather than demolish them. However, he added that if the renovation move were to be still opposed by the reporters, he would drop the idea.

"Since I became PM, I see you [reporters] living in limited space, so I would like to please you. If you want me to make it better with a good design I will. But if you don't, I won't pursue and the money will not be wasted," he said.

Yuwadee Thanyasiri or "Je Yu", a veteran reporter who has worked at Government House for more than 30 years, said there were so many problems waiting to be solved in Thai society by the government, why worry about the reporters' rooms. She said the government's priority should be solving people's problem such as rice and rubber prices, living costs and overpriced lottery tickets.

"I feel that it is a waste of money, or that the government is afraid that the budget will not be used," she said.

On Monday, Colonel Werachon Sukondhapatipak said all three rooms for reporters, including the so-called "Rung Nok Krajok", would be knocked down and rebuilt in the architectural style of other buildings in the Government House compound.

He said the rebuilding plan had been acknowledged by the PM. The budget would be Bt2 million, as estimated by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning architects, he said, adding that the project would be completed in 60-90 days.

He said the reporters could work in containers prepared to be their working space during the construction.

After news that their rooms would be demolished, journalists at Government House gathered signatures to voice their opposition to the move and submitted it to General Wilas Aroonsri, the prime minister's secretary-general.

Currently, there are three rooms for reporters in Government House. The best known is the first "Rung Nok Krajok" or "the nest of sparrow". The octagon building was built in the General Kriangsak Chomanan's era in 1979 - 35 years ago. It is located on the west side of Thai Khu Fa building, where the PM's office is situated. The other two rooms are located in the Government House compound.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-ready-to-drop-plans-to-rebuild-reporters-rooms-30243990.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-24

[JoeLing]

Crime - who cares
Corruption - who cares
Unemployment - who cares
Inflation - who cares
Healthcare - who cares
Education - who cares

But overpriced lottery tickets is an absolute disgrace .

[NongKhaiKid]

Would reporting nice things and not asking difficult questions help ?

[JoeLing]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice
Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.
Everyone happy

[Krataiboy]

She said the government's priority should be solving people's problem such as rice and rubber prices, living costs and overpriced lottery tickets.

Yeah, who gives a fig about insignificant little irritants like a rape and violence epidemic, an endemic drugs problem and the total failure of the educational system, so long as lottery tickets stay cheap.

[2fishin2]

Happiness is priceless and #1 priority

[JoeLing]

Happiness is priceless and #1 priority

For everything else, there is:

[Expat Girl]

Crime - who cares

Corruption - who cares

Unemployment - who cares

Inflation - who cares

Healthcare - who cares

Education - who cares

But overpriced lottery tickets is an absolute disgrace .

Strange that the reporter would mention overpriced lottery tickets, that will be way down on the PM's priority list. I wonder were the lottery funding goes to, straight into he government or do they use it for worthy causes ?

[JoeLing]

Crime - who cares

Corruption - who cares

Unemployment - who cares

Inflation - who cares

Healthcare - who cares

Education - who cares

But overpriced lottery tickets is an absolute disgrace .

Strange that the reporter would mention overpriced lottery tickets, that will be way down on the PM's priority list. I wonder were the lottery funding goes to, straight into he government or do they use it for worthy causes ?

Of course it goes to "worthy causes"

[Expat Girl]

Crime - who cares

Corruption - who cares

Unemployment - who cares

Inflation - who cares

Healthcare - who cares

Education - who cares

But overpriced lottery tickets is an absolute disgrace .

Strange that the reporter would mention overpriced lottery tickets, that will be way down on the PM's priority list. I wonder were the lottery funding goes to, straight into he government or do they use it for worthy causes ?

Of course it goes to "worthy causes"

I thought it would, i will buy a couple now i know it benefits others

[rubl]

Would reporting nice things and not asking difficult questions help ?

Help? With letting the reporters decide on whether or not they want their reporters room and facilities improved ?

[NongKhaiKid]

Would reporting nice things and not asking difficult questions help ?

Help? With letting the reporters decide on whether or not they want their reporters room and facilities improved ?

Not a hint ? Steel fist and velvet glove come to mind or is the general really all heart ?

[Triplebank999]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice

Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.

Everyone happy

"Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway."

Don't know much about the Thai lottery do you? Why do you think people buy the tickets?

[ggt]

Taken as a whole...Thai reporters present themselves as whiners...incapable of creative thinking...and malcontents...

Do not build them a new facility...take away their table and chairs...make them sit on the floor at the feet of the new prime minister...

Edited September 24, 2014 by ggt

[JoeLing]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice

Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.

Everyone happy

"Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway."

Don't know much about the Thai lottery do you? Why do you think people buy the tickets?

So how many times you read "ordinary" people have won millions?

[rubl]

Taken as a whole...Thai reporters present themselves as whiners...incapable of creative thinking...and malcontents...

Do not build them a new facility...take away their table and chairs...make them sit on the floor at the feet of the new prime minister...

Thai reporters indeed seem not always up to what some may consider professional standards.

Still since we talk about Thai reporters I think providing them with simply two-legged wooden stools would be much more effective than letting them sit on the floor

[fobuff]

who needs a room for reporters under martial law where nobody can critisize the great leader and his junta i agree a waist of money

[rubl]

who needs a room for reporters under martial law where nobody can critisize the great leader and his junta i agree a waist of money

... and the moment PM Prayuth simply orders demolishment without providing new quarters a few posters here will be all over him for being so dictatorial, same like upgrade is deemed a waste of money and leaving as is near inhuman.

[WitawatWatawit]

General, reporters are people, too, you know.

Really. They like a little hug every now and then. A little gesture of kindness. A pat on the head. Or the bum. Go on, buy them a few lava lamps, yee miserable beggar.

[Robby nz]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice

Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.

Everyone happy

"Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway."

Don't know much about the Thai lottery do you? Why do you think people buy the tickets?

So how many times you read "ordinary" people have won millions?

I do know that the couple just round from our soi won 64 million but I suppose that's nothing to someone as rich as you.

Incidentally they still push their handcart into the market every evening to sell meals.

[Expat Girl]

who needs a room for reporters under martial law where nobody can critisize the great leader and his junta i agree a waist of money

Absolute rubbish, I have seen several newspapers criticize him recently, and some of the extracts are posted on this forum. At least you do recognize him as a great leader so well done on that point.

[ParadiseLost]

My guess is the reporters are happy with their lot and are most likely worried that they will remain stuffed into containers for the rest of their careers!

Once the buildings are demolished there could be infinite delays and even cancellation...

PS:

Why all the sniping posts - does nobody have a sense of humor anymore? Pure spite and quite unnecessary meanness, in all topics.

[JoeLing]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice

Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.

Everyone happy

"Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway."

Don't know much about the Thai lottery do you? Why do you think people buy the tickets?

So how many times you read "ordinary" people have won millions?

I do know that the couple just round from our soi won 64 million but I suppose that's nothing to someone as rich as you.

Incidentally they still push their handcart into the market every evening to sell meals.

And how long is the q outside their home?

BTW, any idea how much I have in my account?

I didn't check since a while but as you're up to date how rich I am

you might PM it to me?

[tomyummer]

Suppose the problem with overpriced lottery tickets would easily be solved.

Half the lottery ticket price and everyone in the kingdom would notice

Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway.

Kill two flies at once; People are happy, government coffers are happy.

Everyone happy

"Quarter the payouts, no one would ever realise as no one ever wins BIG prices anyway."

Don't know much about the Thai lottery do you? Why do you think people buy the tickets?

Because they know, like in other countries with government lotteries, the proceeds goes to improving the educational system making Thailand one of the smartest countries in the region?

[tomyummer]

Everyone knows that the journalists would rather have the 2 million baht for lottery tickets.