General Udomdej admits park scandal affects his good reputation

BANGKOK: Deputy Defence Minister Udomdej Seetabutr admitted Friday that the Rajabhakti Park scandal had affected his good reputation that he had built up throughout his whole life.

He said he had gone through wars and mine fields and had fought against influential figures only to find himself accused of being a cheater in the park project.

He said that the park project came to a standstill and if the problem goes on unresolved it would be badly affected.

As chairman of the Rajabhakti Park Foundation, General Udomdej said he earlier planned to hold a press conference to give his side of the story but this could not be done now because the case was being investigated by a committee.

He said he felt disappointed for having done the best he could for the project only to land himself in the hot seat.

He also said that it was a pity that the army did not present all the details about the income and expenditure of the park project when it staged a press conference recently.

These details, he explained, can be rechecked by the National Anti-Corruption Commission or the Auditor-General’s Office for instance the rumour that a palm tree costs as high as 300,000 baht each.

The embattled deputy defence minister then criticized without naming name Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya for jumping the gun by implying that there was corruption in the park project after having received some documents from two red-shirt leaders, Jatuporn Promphan and Natthawut Saikua.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/general-udomdej-admits-park-scandal-affects-his-good-reputation

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-12

His good ... ?

General you should stop hiding your light under a bushel and project yourself more.

So transparency and oversight over the project is still not an option? This might help your tarnished reputation, or it might sink it.

wars and mine fields?

wars and mine fields?

He was highly decorated for his role in the Battle of Khon Kaen Naafi.

OK, maybe he can defend his good name by explaining how he became a multi-millionaire making $40,000 a year..

"The embattled deputy defence minister then criticized without naming name Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya for jumping the gun by implying that there was corruption in the park project......"

Hilarious, it was himself who really got the corruption ball rolling when he admitted kickbacks, gouged from casting foundries were discovered but conveniently changed into 'donations'.

wars and mine fields?

From my perspective it looks like this whole Rajaphakdi Park episode is a minefield in a war zone with casualties and fall out.

although I personally believe there is a stitch up going on with this I also believe that certain things need to be exposed and explained to the public as to why they happened the way they did, and it is also worth noting that the military should not be involved in public projects such as these, they should also not be directly involved in equipment procurement or managing public money or budgets allocated to them

You want your reputation then do the right thing

If amulet man was doing something wrong then arrest warrants should be issued and requests made to have him returned to Thailand to answer questions

If amulet man was doing something wrong then arrest warrants should be issued and requests made to have him returned to Thailand to answer questions

To answer question ?

"There is nothing you can talk to us about that we don't already know."

Pompous ass! Just like so many junta cronies.

We see remorse, after being caught out, every day on local television in Thailand (usually associated with the ubiquitous finger-pointing) - so why is Udomdej any different?

As if to demonstrate his true character, he claims to be aggrieved by the general feeling against him, yet it seems he is quite willing to also practice innuendo when talking about Paiboon!

only thing guaranteed in thailand is corruption, the park being no exception and deserves all the bad press possible.

I would think this scandal is as close as this twit general ever been to real conflict .

Recently another ex-military man who once pretended to be a PM claimed to have served through 5, count them, 5 campaigns !

The only campaigns he ever saw were of the election variety. These people really do live in their own little world.

wars and mine fields?

He was highly decorated for his role in the Battle of Khon Kaen Naafi.

And rightly so - you try getting through a "Naaffi Growler" in a shirt that tight!

He deserves a second row of gongs for not getting the watered down brown sauce down the front of his trousers!

NB. For those fortunate enough not to have encountered them, and bearing in mind the international nature of this forum, perhaps I should explain that a "Naaffi Growler" is a deeply unpleasant meat pie sold in British military canteens. The contents, grey in colour, have baffled the worlds finest forensic scientists. It is widely believed to have been designed by the East German secret service as their contribution to the Warsaw Pacts efforts in the Cold War. Together with the "Herfie Handbag" and "Currywurst and frittes" it sustained our troops through the long post war stand off with the Soviet Union

A nonsense post has been removed.

'He said he had gone through wars and mine fields and had fought against influential figures only to find himself accused of being a cheater in the park project'

In other words "I deserve any money that comes my way regardless of how it's accumulated. I'm special"

Open the books good General and prove your innocence!

"As chairman of the Rajabhakti Park Foundation, General Udomdej said he earlier planned to hold a press conference to give his side of the story but this could not be done now because the case was being investigated by a committee."

I don't see why he should be holding-back from giving his side of the facts, unless perhaps they embarrass some other important-person, in which case he should still go ahead and do it !

Failing which, he should supply full details to the investigators, so that it is all transparent, as it ought to be !

Open the books good General and prove your innocence!

Oh how we wish.

Lots of hot air and distraction tactics will be employed over the next few months while they try to sweep this under the already bulging carpet. Whatever happened with that microphone scandal? Any arrests?

although I personally believe there is a stitch up going on with this I also believe that certain things need to be exposed and explained to the public as to why they happened the way they did, and it is also worth noting that the military should not be involved in public projects such as these, they should also not be directly involved in equipment procurement or managing public money or budgets allocated to them

You want your reputation then do the right thing

If amulet man was doing something wrong then arrest warrants should be issued and requests made to have him returned to Thailand to answer questions

I am not sure he is able to return from where he currently is, as he (conveniently) died in military custody, along with another key witness.

The reason military men pay large amounts of money to become generals is precisely so they can be directly involved in equipment procurement, thus gaining a handsome return on their investment. The minefields and war zones the good general is referring to may be metaphors for the intense internal competition for the top money making spots.

wars and mine fields?

How old is he ?

Operetta army with more general than in US army

This appears to be deeply connected with the gentleman who has fled, after being the courageous whistle blower. It appears he may have pointed to this man, as the primary culprit in this scheme. Then again, he may just be a fall guy, for a much larger net of individuals. Since he was the acting chief of the army, he would be the highest ranked guys so far, to be implicated. The top brass must be quite worried. What is left of their reputation, after bungling the post coup government to such an enormous extent, is in question. They do not appear willing to give up power. It could be a very ugly fight.

Expletive deleted.

Another example showing that personal reputation is the most important aspect of 'Thainess'.

OK, maybe he can defend his good name by explaining how he became a multi-millionaire making $40,000 a year..

Keep going with your miss information

2014 NLA asset declarations

deputy defence minister Gen Udomdej Sitabutr 54.6 million baht

= $1.5Million

Hardly a $ multi-millionaire

And a pittance compare to some PTP and red shirts

eg Former deputy interior minister Pracha Prasopdee, a red shirt leader, reported Bt211 million

How did a red shirt accumulate $6Million, payments from Dubai ???

Now that is a real multi-millionaire

As grandpa always said: "You can't lose what you ain't got"

OK, maybe he can defend his good name by explaining how he became a multi-millionaire making $40,000 a year..

Keep going with your miss information

2014 NLA asset declarations

deputy defence minister Gen Udomdej Sitabutr 54.6 million baht

= $1.5Million

Hardly a $ multi-millionaire

And a pittance compare to some PTP and red shirts

eg Former deputy interior minister Pracha Prasopdee, a red shirt leader, reported Bt211 million

How did a red shirt accumulate $6Million, payments from Dubai ???

Now that is a real multi-millionaire

'2014 NLA asset declarations'

Must be correct then as the good folk would never lie...

gullible

adjective UK US /ˈɡʌl.ə.bl̩/

› ​easily ​deceived or ​tricked, and too ​willing to ​believeeverything that other ​people say:There are any ​number of ​miracle ​cures on the ​market for ​peoplegullible enough to ​buy them.

Don't worry General. There is good news in all this controversy. Once you have a "bad reputation" then you have nothing more to lose, except maybe your job.

War and minefields? It seems that countries that engage the least in traditional military campaigns, tend to have more bemedalled and illustrious heroes.

The more protestations of innocence are made, the deeper one sinks into suspicion.

Not that it will ever happen, but imagine an independent, foreign auditing company being brought in to find out who has the money, where it came from and by what means it was acquired. A nice dream to think of more prisons, full of those who have ransacked this wonderful land.

He should be thankful that he is a high ranking officer. Civilian has been charged and convicted for negligence and allowing grafts and corruption to happen under her watch. He is lucky to lose just his reputation. Others less privileged civilians have suffered much harsher punishments even deaths.