Democrat seeks names of people who got aid from Yingluck govt

[webfact]

POLITICS
Democrat seeks names of people who got aid from Yingluck govt
JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- FORMER Democrat Party-list MP Watchara Petchthong yesterday cited public interest in demanding the Rights and Liberties Protection Department to disclose the list of alleged offenders of public assembly from 2005-10 who received financial assistance from the Ying-luck Shinawatra administration.

The department had failed to keep its promise to Watchara that it would publicise the names of those using the money for their bail, he said. Instead, it had sent an official letter to him stating that the information committee had resolved not to disclose the names, claiming it would affect reconciliation and security policies, he said.

This was unreasonable, as bail had been paid by taxpayers, so they reserved the right to know who had benefited from the money.

Some of the recipients might have been alleged lese majeste offenders and many of them had fled the country, he said.

Watchara said he would exercise his citizen's rights under the Official Information Act to appeal the committee's decision.

Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya should order the department to reveal the list of those bailed out and update their status, he added.

Kannika Sangthong, director-general of the department, said financial assistance of Bt111 million had been proposed during the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration and approved by the Yingluck administration. It had been distributed to the victims regardless of their colour affiliation with no discrimination, with some 96 people receiving Bt82 million from the justice fund, she said.

Initially Bt5.9 million had been allocated to 18 people but that was insufficient, so more money was requested from the justice fund and was approved by the Yingluck administration.

Some Bt76 million had been withdrawn to assist 78 people affected by the political assembly with the rest returned to the treasury, she said.

The assistance had been provided to people from all sides in line with the principle of the fund to reduce inequality and create opportunities to fight lawsuits when they had not been ruled guilty and hence deemed innocent, she added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Democrat-seeks-names-of-people-who-got-aid-from-Yi-30269671.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-28

[chainarong]

The question is what right has a government to supply money to people who have broken the law, that is the question , not the one bandied about by the government at the time, to prevent inequality , if these people hadn't broken the law in the first place they wouldn't be up on charges , the government has no mandate here to spend tax payers money on law breakers , if anything the mandate is to ensure that the law is carried out, how the people charged get their money is up to them.

Edited September 28, 2015 by chainarong

[Srikcir]

Regardless of the proprietry of public assistance, use of public funds for discretionary distribution should ALWAYS be transparent and accountable. If the recipient's cannot agree to such disclosures, they can reject the assistance. If the recipients were honrable, they should voluntarily disclose their receipt of public funds.

The demand made by Watchara is reasonable, especially in the light that the government had originally promised to disclose the information. But his request should be equally placed upon the Abhisit and Prayut regimes for there to be equality of justice.

[ldiablo]

I'm surprised there is any money left in Thailand considering the decades of corruption at every and all levels of business and government.

[Basil B]

It had been distributed to the victims regardless of their colour affiliation with no discrimination

It is not unreasonable to ask who the money went too, More importantly was this bail money used to enable some people to avoid jail time by skipping the country.

P.S. did the government fund the Shinawatra's 2008 trip to the Olympic games?

[EnglishJohn]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

[Alwyn]

The question is what right has a government to supply money to people who have broken the law, that is the question , not the one bandied about by the government at the time, to prevent inequality , if these people hadn't broken the law in the first place they wouldn't be up on charges , the government has no mandate here to spend tax payers money on law breakers , if anything the mandate is to ensure that the law is carried out, how the people charged get their money is up to them.

That's a fair comment. How about a government that comes into place through an illegal act? An illegal government, so to speak? Coup's were illegal before this lot changed the law, right?

[Alwyn]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

I know, it's disgusting - nearly as bad as taxpayers money paying for an illegal coup and taxpayers money being used to prevent democracy.

[scorecard]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

I know, it's disgusting - nearly as bad as taxpayers money paying for an illegal coup and taxpayers money being used to prevent democracy.

... nearly as bad as taxpayers money ... being used to rescue the democracy which was being destroyed by an 'elected' government.

Edited September 28, 2015 by scorecard

[Alwyn]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

I know, it's disgusting - nearly as bad as taxpayers money paying for an illegal coup and taxpayers money being used to prevent democracy.

... nearly as bad as taxpayers money ... being used to rescue democracy was was being destroyed by an 'elected' government.

Democracy was not being destroyed by the last government. How do you work that out? At least they were put in place by the taxpayers

[RubbaJohnny]

I'm surprised there is any money left in Thailand considering the decades of corruption at every and all levels of business and government.

It's a question of flow , righ thinking and re-eduction may help you fully appreciate local wais

[GeckosDiving]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

I know, it's disgusting - nearly as bad as taxpayers money paying for an illegal coup and taxpayers money being used to prevent democracy

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Seems faire enough.

May we ask as well to know what became of the money raised by Suthep during his protests ?

Quite sure no one can really tell

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

Had a look at your recent posts...

Usual rant, you should do more exercice and less bars in Pattaya, it will help you forget about the "bogeyman"

By the way you ask other TV user to :

"YOU really shouldn't be calling other people morons."

You should use your own advice

[chainarong]

It had been distributed to the victims regardless of their colour affiliation with no discrimination

It is not unreasonable to ask who the money went too, More importantly was this bail money used to enable some people to avoid jail time by skipping the country.

P.S. did the government fund the Shinawatra's 2008 trip to the Olympic games?

No , but they did give a free pass to go ,with a promise to return , now that was silly of them

[Baerboxer]

Taxpayers paying bail money for offenders. I never heard anything so ridiculous. The whole point is that the offender loses the bail money if he does a runner.

Then they said they would publish where the money went in order to get approval to do it, then did the opposite once they had it in their grubby hands.

If it was distributed evenly and fairly, how could it affect reconciliation ?. Obviously it wasn't.

Absolutely typical of how the last bunch of cronies operated. Blatant liars - good riddance to dirty rubbish.

I know, it's disgusting - nearly as bad as taxpayers money paying for an illegal coup and taxpayers money being used to prevent democracy.

... nearly as bad as taxpayers money ... being used to rescue democracy was was being destroyed by an 'elected' government.

Democracy was not being destroyed by the last government. How do you work that out? At least they were put in place by the taxpayers

And they then simply handed all power over to one man, their owner and master, who wasn't elected, and could not be as a convicted criminal.

They demonstrated how much they listened to the people with their resounding votes for the Amnesty Bill which was crafted to whitewash their boss and themselves and make them above the law.

Very democratic.

[maidee]

if anyone from governement is reading this

my arrogant BIL tells everybody he knows how much dirty money he earned by selling access to companies for a MEETING with yingluck

he married my wife's sister, only in a temple wedding , it was in the biggest most expensive hotel in thailand with hundreds of guests

so if he got caught, his stealings are in his girlfriends / son name, not in his

he thinks the many millions of corrupt money are safe in that way