Govt refuses to discuss Bt21m bill for charter flight to security meet in Hawaii

[JAG]

1 minute ago, waldroj said:

 

 

No JAG, in this case I think Gainsbourg's observation is closer to the truth!

 

Hmm, that photo shows a lot of people, but not an electoral majority, and from a specific area. Remember the process of choosing their leaders was blocked - then there was a coup.

[JAG]

2 minutes ago, Gainsbourg said:

Not really. If they truly dont like it they can put the country at halt/stop directly... many leaders have fallen because the people stand up. The thai dont care for real... again. In the end the majority only wants soaps.food.smartphone.facebook.etc... 

 

 

Fear - the army has a certain reputation shall we say. The Thai people also know that the "safety valve" which intervened in the past when things got bloody no longer works.

 

They can stop it, but it will take a lot to make them do so.

[Gainsbourg]

2 minutes ago, JAG said:

 

 

Fear - the army has a certain reputation shall we say. The Thai people also know that the "safety valve" which intervened in the past when things got bloody no longer works.

 

They can stop it, but it will take a lot to make them do so.

 

And you think the army top has no fear? Imagine people taking the streets. Imagine substantial unrest. Imagine losses of revenue. Etc. The thai junta needs good old happy thailand with the wais and the kwais in order to survive. Previous unrest was mainly in bkk as a red versus yellow case. Bkk is not thailand. This country needs a social revolution like the west has seen nearly century ago. Remember we used to be serfs too but we werent sweetened wit cheap consumer goods. We felt the suffering, the double standards, the exploitation and changed it. The west is not perfect but that specific part of our history is great. And its exact that part, the thai leaders never wanna see happening. Never. Red or yellow. Same same.

[worgeordie]

Hawaii,they always have these meetings somewhere nice,wonder how many 

would attend if they were held in places like Scunthorpe or Detroit ?

regards worgeordie

[JAG]

Just now, worgeordie said:

Hawaii,they always have these meetings somewhere nice,wonder how many 

would attend if they were held in places like Scunthorpe or Detroit ?

regards worgeordie

 

Scunthorpe......

 

If Ty-Phoo put the T in Britain

Who put the....

[JAG]

5 minutes ago, Gainsbourg said:

 

And you think the army top has no fear? Imagine people taking the streets. Imagine substantial unrest. Imagine losses of revenue. Etc. The thai junta needs good old happy thailand with the wais and the kwais in order to survive. Previous unrest was mainly in bkk as a red versus yellow case. Bkk is not thailand. This country needs a social revolution like the west has seen nearly century ago. Remember we used to be serfs too but we werent sweetened wit cheap consumer goods. We felt the suffering, the double standards, the exploitation and changed it. The west is not perfect but that specific part of our history is great. And its exact that part, the thai leaders never wanna see happening. Never. Red or yellow. Same same.

I agree with a lot of that. I just think that the "rrevolution", if that is what we can call it, will take something major to start it. But I do think it will come.

 

And I am sure that in the dark small hours the Army chiefs probably do worry, they know what their army is really capable of, or not....

[Gainsbourg]

Therefore i repeat. The people get what they deserve. Maybe they are fed up. Maybe. But nonetheless they choose the status quo. Which garantees them less trouble and government controled sanook. 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, Rorri said:

Glad they mention he is a Thai polly, for a moment I thought the Chinese had invaded...... or maybe they have... by stealth.

 

Chinese knock-offs are very good these days !!

[HoboKay]

Seems like they chartered a THAI 747-400 and THAI will charge them less, those were merely estimates. That's going to hurt earnings numbers, someone might not get their performance bonus. 

 

600,000 Baht estimated for drinks and meals? Seriously?

Edited October 3, 2016 by HoboKay

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, Jimbo2014 said:

 

I recon guns and roses probably had quieter flights.  Must have been the 4 mile club to end all 4 mile clubs :D

 

4 inch at 4 miles.

[Alive]

This trip story really seems to hit a nerve with a lot of Thai people I've talked to but it's amazing how things fade away in the media so quickly here though. The story of Prayuth's brother's wife is disappearing from the media without resolution or answers. The people are starting to tally this up and it's turning folks fast. Seems that way. And this is only the beginning of their planned long term control over the nation. It's sickening.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Alive

[chainarong]

5 minutes ago, Alive said:

This trip story really seems to hit a nerve with a lot of Thai people I've talked to but it's amazing how things fade away in the media so quickly here though. The story of Prayuth's brother's wife is disappearing from the media without resolution or answers. The people are starting to tally this up and it's turning folks fast. Seems that way. And this is only the beginning of their planned long term control over the nation. It's sickening.

These little episodes will crop up time and time again ,like all Junta's and generals,  they hold everyone in contempt,  however are the people you talk to prepared to do something about it or will they like before wait and follow the students, as the changes ever brought about in Thailand have been student lead....................................

[cardinalblue]

Do they have fishbowls in Hawaii? Other costs?

[Alive]

That's the question. This time though lots of people have been victimized and this doesn't appear to be ending soon. Everytime someone is jailed or loses a business or land due to the grand plan of this regime, all of the friends of that 'victim' turn against the regime. It's kind of like that military idea where you wound one soldier so two others have to carry him off causing three soldiers to leave the battle. This is working in reverse with the oppression of one causing sympathy and empathy. The financial abuse in this story about the trip gets to the average middle class Bangkok people who might supported the protests to stop abuse and corruption of the last government. They work hard in their jobs in Bangkok only to see the people they thought were there to be fair and save the nation's wealth spend it foolishly and commit acts that go against what they were protesting for. Anyways, all these stupid actions by the regime are adding up especially when the regime leaders ignore the cries of the people for punishment for the waste and abuse.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Alive

[CNXBKKMAN]

It is quite odd that a TG 747 should be used for this trip to Hawaii. The Thai military have many many airliners for VIP use. They have a VIP A319 CJ with a 6500 mile range. They have just bought a huge A340 500 ultra long range jet (popular with Saudi royals) this can do BKK to NYC non stop. Plus they have 737's and And a brand new A320 which would need a fuel stop and the two new Sukhoi jets plus Embraer biz jets. The A310 was retired this year. Compare this with the U.K. Which has a 2 vintage 146 aircraft about 30 years old, probably scrapped now. A couple of 125's more than 30 years old, 8 seaters? And one new A330 tanker air refuelling jet which can be used for VIP duties by bolting in some business class style seats when required. It returns back to air to air refuelling when the VIP trip is over and costs 90,000 baht an hour to operate. 

      Hawaii is an exotic holiday destination for some people and there are many spare seats on a 747 for friends and family. This may have had something to do with it? Plus it makes you look important if you arrive in a 747. The USA (Air Force 1 which is a 747), Saudi / Qatar/ Kuwait  royals and Japanse Chinese Govt use 747's. You can make a statement with a 747. 

[JAG]

8 minutes ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

You can make a statement with a 747. 

 

Yes indeed. Of course it may well not be the statement you intended to make......

[kiwikeith]

15 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

" We will be transparent in government. "

 

Apart from anything else people in power, no matter who, have that feeling of entitlement so there's nothing to explain.

 

Quite cheap I would say, comparing to what NZ ministers spend .

[aussieinthailand]

So junta fan club,   how many refused investigations into their deals have they said ,  NO investigations, Stop asking questions, in a row???

When will you lot admit that this lot are beyond reproach and self gifted amnesty for past present and future....?  you have been taken as suckers and the minority that support the junta also............................!

[BSJ]

15 hours ago, Rorri said:

Glad they mention he is a Thai polly, for a moment I thought the Chinese had invaded...... or maybe they have... by stealth.

I was thinking that, but decided to say nothing.......

[Jonmarleesco]

The fact that they refuse to discuss it says more than any debate on the matter ever could.

[tbthailand]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

 

 

 

yet another battle-hardened Thai General.... 

 

Leaches... 

[Krataiboy]

So much for all their bullsh-t about transparency.

[jayboy]

 
Not in this they ain't, much anyway.
 
Ms Yingluck was trying to buy several planes "for exclusive government use" whilst in post. The Junta need to get more ambitious than just chartering.

Haven't heard that but Yingluck was certainly heavily criticised - not least in this forum by those who are now strangely silent - for the costs of her foreign official visits.

Nevertheless she was welcomed overseas as the legitimate and democratically elected leader.Though no stateswoman she was much liked by foreign leaders and did much through her charm to enhance Thailand's battered international image.

She was for example received by HM Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace - purely symbolic of course but still instructive


Whereas in contrast......

[Xircal]

"Bt10.7 million was for fuel"? Are they flying via the Moon?

 

They'll probably use one of Thai's 747s for the round trip. One of those burns approximately 4 litres of aviation fuel a second.

 

A flight between London Heathrow to New York JFK airport would cost £18,500 one way. The distance between the two is 2,999 nautical miles while the distance between BKK and Honolulu (HNL) is 5,728 nm.

 

£37,000 is approximately 1,665.000 Baht. So even if you doubled that figure to represent around trip of 12,000 nm it would still only represent less than a third of the cost of 10.7 million baht in fuel costs which has been calculated for the PM's round trip.

 

So where's the other two thirds amounting to 7,390,000 baht going to be spent I wonder? Aviation fuel cocktails for supper perhaps?

[Happy Grumpy]

15 hours ago, alfalfa19 said:

Nice vacation for some fatcats from a country where many live on less than a dollar a day. 

 

35 baht? A day?

 

 

Hmmmm. 

 

Have you ever been in Thailand? 

[Happy Grumpy]

54 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

So much for all their bullsh-t about transparency.

 

Same as the last lot.

 

 

Probably soon to be even worse. 

[Xircal]

5 hours ago, Alive said:

This trip story really seems to hit a nerve with a lot of Thai people I've talked to but it's amazing how things fade away in the media so quickly here though. The story of Prayuth's brother's wife is disappearing from the media without resolution or answers. The people are starting to tally this up and it's turning folks fast. Seems that way. And this is only the beginning of their planned long term control over the nation. It's sickening.

 

Things fade quickly in the media because it's under government control. Dissent is quickly pounced upon and both journalists and politicians have been arrested for daring to oppose the NCPO. I don't know what goes on when dissidents are carted off for a little 'attitude adjustment' but I doubt if it's a pleasent experience.

[Xircal]

15 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

 

I don't think the national carrier is flying to USA anymore after FAA raised a few issues with keeping up with documentation of maintenance. 

 

They can fly to the US but have been downgraded to a Category 2 rating. This means they can continue existing services but cannot start new ones: https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=19814

[BuckBee]

It's one big festering boil & it going be messy when it goes .

Guaranteed somebody is waiting with funds and plans to hit back & the Junta are doing exactly like PT party & making itself an easy target. With revenue falling and a huge amount of people seriously p155ed with uncle buck & his green mafia the muck will hit the fan it just a matter of how long it takes to burst the currently happy happy hypnosis :-)

Thailand bit boring without spicy m79 street protests ...

[Thechook]

20 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

So 38 officials but how many were genuinely officials or officials in name only ?

Shortly after taking power didn't the PM order this sort of thing be stopped so why did this cost so much and I think we know the answer.

Why does one person need 38 lackeys?  Corruption, abuse of power and public funds is mind boggling.