Six Thai ministries spend big on PR activities

[webfact]

Six ministries spend big on PR activities
JEERAPONG PRASERTPONKRUNG
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- SIX ministries have spent more than Bt100 million each on public relations, advertising and events over the past six months, a source revealed yesterday.

"The biggest spender is the Energy Ministry. It has spent Bt455 million," the source said, citing information from the Monitoring and Auditing Committee on Fiscal Expenditures. The source said that the committee's chairman Lt-General Chartudom Titthasiri had passed the information to the Cabinet on Tuesday.

The data reveals that the second-biggest public-relations spender is the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry, spending Bt387 million, followed by Finance Ministry, which has used Bt215 million.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry came in fourth with Bt194 million, followed by Commerce Ministry (Bt173 million) and the Interior Ministry (Bt137 million). "Provincial authorities have spent a total of Bt105 million on public relations, advertising and events," the source added.

However, some ministries have used much less for the same purpose. The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has only spent Bt14 million on PR activities. The review also showed that PTT had spent as much as Bt241 million, TOT spent Bt142 million and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has used up Bt135 million for the same purposes. CAT Telecom and the Government Savings Bank have spent Bt109 million each, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand has spent Bt104 million.

The Department of International Trade Promotion has used Bt96 million and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has spent Bt66.5 million in promotional activities over the last six months.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Six-ministries-spend-big-on-PR-activities-30271372.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-22

[taff33]

Follow the money,and then make arrests.

[ChrisY1]

Almost 1/2 a billion spent on PR...........in 6 months?......unbelievable and my guess is poor accountability........which general is overseeing this ministry??

[NongKhaiKid]

Was all the planning for these splurges conducted in 5 star hotels with the relevant hospitality ?

It's easy to be careless with other people's money, in this case the public pursue, and deserves a suitable response from the very top.

[Somtamnication]

It's called BUY YOUR CUSTOMER.

[ratcatcher]

Almost 1/2 a billion spent on PR...........in 6 months?......unbelievable and my guess is poor accountability........which general is overseeing this ministry??

General A.C.Counting.

[Langsuan Man]

Come on, they didn't do a thing about all the relatives hired as consultants, why should anyone be surprised or even concerned

To the victor go the spoils, and when you have a military coup, they are the victors

As long as the Thais are willing to put up with this crap why should we care.... it isn't our tax money......my tax money is spent keeping beach road clear of vagrants

[smutcakes]

Would be interesting to see which PR companies were used and the ownership and interest holders in those groups.

[worgeordie]

Another waste of tax payers money,don't believe the PR worked

as I never heard or seen anything ,about these events,programs,did you?

regards Worgeordie

[LivinLOS]

As long as the Thais are willing to put up with this crap why should we care.... it isn't our tax money......my tax money is spent keeping beach road clear of vagrants

I see.. You dont buy or consume any products good or services, dont own a car, buy fuel, drink alcohol, or anything then ??

Thailand is a country that relies on consumption taxes more than income taxes (consumption taxes make up 50% of all revenue.. Corporation, income, import and sin etc etc taxes making up the rest). As westerners usually consume and spend many multiples of average thai expenditure we generally pay far more in taxation annually, even without income taxes, than average thais.

Your money is being used !!

[trainman34014]

Meanwhile; one of our local village's can't even get enough money out of the Government to increase the size of its water supply pipes and people are restricted to a trickle of water thanks to past corruption in the local 'Management'.

As usual the rich just get richer while the poor are trodden underfoot.

[Langsuan Man]

As long as the Thais are willing to put up with this crap why should we care.... it isn't our tax money......my tax money is spent keeping beach road clear of vagrants

I see.. You dont buy or consume any products good or services, dont own a car, buy fuel, drink alcohol, or anything then ??

Thailand is a country that relies on consumption taxes more than income taxes (consumption taxes make up 50% of all revenue.. Corporation, income, import and sin etc etc taxes making up the rest). As westerners usually consume and spend many multiples of average thai expenditure we generally pay far more in taxation annually, even without income taxes, than average thais.

Your money is being used !!

Learn to read, I never said I don't pay taxes, I said my taxes are used to keep beach road free of vagrants

[waldroj]

What is Jeerapong’s point? It’s easy to cast a slur by quoting a few figures without providing details.

This can hardly be news if the amounts spent are in accordance with the budget allocations for those Ministries, and can be fully justified.

However, if this is not the case then criminal acts have been committed and investigations should take place (then we have a news item).

[Pib]

However, some ministries have used much less for the same purpose. The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has only spent Bt14 million on PR activities.

Seems a ministry whose mission is to improve the social safety fabric of the country would spend a lot more money on PR. Just goes to show how serious (not) Thailand is in this area.

[fred Kubasa]

In most situations the role of PUBLIC REATIONS is to cover up or make nice

some stupid thing the client did and if that is the case then 10 billion

couldn't make nice the agencies involved !

[kaorop]

How much did the "Bend over and Take it up the Crack Ministry" spend, ?

[kaorop]

However, if this is not the case then criminal acts have been committed and investigations should take place (then we have a news item).

"If" you ask?

Come on now

Investigation you say?

By whom?

And to what end I ponder?

Clearly the old adage is ringing true: "power corrupts and article 44 is absolute power"

[tuanku]

I can see why the energy ministry is a big spender - it has to justify some pretty unpalatable policies regarding coal fired power stations etc. Lots of TV adverts pushing dirty fuel over renewables. Interesting to know if anyone is studying the effectiveness of the spending.

[Gunna]

Almost 1/2 a billion spent on PR...........in 6 months?......unbelievable and my guess is poor accountability........which general is overseeing this ministry??

Now this is really unbelievable, but true

Citing a private company’s survey results, he said the state spent almost eight billion baht on advertising and PR activities for various ministries in 2013.

So for 6 months down from 4 billion under Yingluck and PTP to 1/2 billion ie 1/8 , and some of you nuff nuffs are still complaining that the General should be doing more.

Grow a brain and take off your rose coloured glasses

At least the General has increased the budget for NACC so they can prosecute more corrupt officials, instead for trying to give them all amnesty.

[bobmac10]

It's not working

[Langsuan Man]

Almost 1/2 a billion spent on PR...........in 6 months?......unbelievable and my guess is poor accountability........which general is overseeing this ministry??

Now this is really unbelievable, but true

Citing a private company’s survey results, he said the state spent almost eight billion baht on advertising and PR activities for various ministries in 2013.

So for 6 months down from 4 billion under Yingluck and PTP to 1/2 billion ie 1/8 , and some of you nuff nuffs are still complaining that the General should be doing more.

Grow a brain and take off your rose coloured glasses

At least the General has increased the budget for NACC so they can prosecute more corrupt officials, instead for trying to give them all amnesty.

You know if your General friend had to PAY for his weekly propaganda spiels , his spending might just be up there like it was for Yingluck and PTP

Please site all the corruption that the NACC has " exposed " so far ?

All I have seen is a couple of cops charged with legest majiste offenses and supposedly stopping the road stops that no one has reported as having ceased

The BIB are still out there with their hands out just like before the " path to democracy " that Thailand is on courtesy of the military

[Thai at Heart]

What exactly does the energy ministry have to advertise anything for? Whatever it sells itself is a monopoly. Or it is advertising on behalf of private companies? What is the finance ministry marketing?