Bt21m Hawaii trip ‘reasonable’, says OAG

[rooster59]

Bt21m Hawaii trip ‘reasonable’, says OAG

JUTHATHIP LUCKSANAWONG,
JITTRAPORN SENAWONG
THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK:-- THE OFFICE of the Auditor-General has found no irregularity involving Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s recent trip to Hawaii, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said yesterday.

 

However, the OAG refused to make a determination as to whether a chartered flight with 38 delegates for an international security meeting was appropriate or not. 

Pisit said his agency would submit its finding regarding the Hawaii trip to the State Audit Commission on Monday in order to avoid possible criticism that it had hurriedly jumped to conclusion.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Bt21m-Hawaii-trip-reasonable-says-OAG-30297172.html

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-10-08

[AGareth2]

I'd be p'ed off if I was charged 15 k for noodles

[PatOngo]

Totally expected....what else could he say!

[sharecropper]

The only way to get this incompetent, dissembling, totalitarian, corrupt, condescending lot out is by launching a c... oh, they already did that. What's next?

[PatOngo]

Not even a wimper from the masses!

[NongKhaiKid]

4 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Not even a wimper from the masses!

I'd suggest they know better !

[z42]

Absolute BS, the full article quotes the auditor general as saying "that if the national carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) had booked regular flights for each delegate, the cost would have been up to Bt500,000 per each (person)"

I'm sorry but that is a complete lie,  first class travel is expensive for sure, but it is not 16000 USD expensive. As if the original, hideously expensive flights were not obscene enough, the outright arrogance shown by all parties in the subsequent cover up (what else should I call it?) by spinning such outrageous lies is sickening. Thailand has no hope as the odds are stacked entirely in the crooks' (what else should I call them?) favour

[mtls2005]

Of course it was "reasonable", shocker.

 

Just as it is reasonable to hunt down anyone who posted details of this trip on social media, jail them for "computer crimes".

 

[steelepulse]

Hmmm, where to start? 

 

First of all, looking at the seating chart that was published online quite a number of pax were in biz class seats, therefore the 500,000 per person is complete BS.

 

Second>>>>  several informal meetings concerning various topics and a reception

 

Sounds like cocktails and luas's then.  No formal meetings whatsoever.  I'd call this a boondoggle.

 

 

 

[Pimay1]

Had they flown economy class the plane would have been a 737 and the cost substantially lower.

[trainman34014]

Don't tell me anyone is expecting anything productive out of 'probes' into this matter !

[pookiki]

Just checked the United Airlines website for one way First/Business Bangkok-Honolulu tickets in November. The prices range from 99,600 baht to 184,945 baht.  UAL is usually the most expensive carrier to Honolulu from Bangkok.  Nothing else needs to be said.

Edited October 8, 2016 by pookiki
mistake

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Totally expected....what else could he say!

 

Not keen on a visit at the military camp

 

38 people on a 747 says it all to me.

 

 

[Dibbler]

Just one example of how an unelected government is just the same as previous elected governments; too busy stamping out corruption so there is more money to spend on themselves!

[NongKhaiKid]

1 hour ago, trainman34014 said:

Don't tell me anyone is expecting anything productive out of 'probes' into this matter !

There's no shame about what they  do and no shame in how complaints etc are simply dismissed.

[tbthailand]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

THE OFFICE of the Auditor-General has found no irregularity involving Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s recent trip to Hawaii, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said yesterday.

 

prediction fulfilled... 

 

Job done.

 

Move along, ...

 

Next in line is the NACC, ... 

[PatOngo]

50 minutes ago, NongKhaiKid said:

There's no shame about what they  do and no shame in how complaints etc are simply dismissed.

.............with a defamation suit!

[jamesbrock]

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Not even a wimper from the masses!

 

Hardly surprising considering what was being commemorated two days ago...

[Eric Loh]

4 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Not even a wimper from the masses!

 

Not even a whimper from the Dem Party who was extremely vocal previously and even called for a stop to Yingluck's travel. Their whip Khun Jurin was particularly vocal. Would expect him to say something as he seem such an authority on extravagance traveling. 

[candide]

So let's summarise:

- 21 millions spent to go to an "informal" meeting

- the names are kept secret as it is a security matter, but journalists were part of the trip (we have even seen a picture of some participants in Hawaiian shirts)

- Thai airways needs two months to provide a plain bill for the food and drinks consumed

- the OAG argues that it would have costed the same price with regular flights.

Hmmmmm.......

Edited October 8, 2016 by candide

[Tompa]

"He said the charter flight's estimated cost of almost Bt21 million was set by the national carrier, plus a 120-per -cent profit. "

How on earth can Thai airways loose money with these type of markups

[Jonathan Fairfield]

OAG: no irregularities in DPM's Chartered Flight
Nattakorn Ploddee

 

 

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has confirmed that details of the Deputy Prime Minister’s business trip to Hawaii have shown no irregularities during preliminary investigation, while the State Audit Commission will be considering the appropriateness of the trip’s budget on Monday. 

 

Auditor General Pisit Leelavachiropas has announced the outcome of the office’s preliminary investigation into Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan and his delegates’ trip to attend the US-Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting in Hawaii from 29th September to 2nd October. 

 

Despite a budget of 20.9 million baht, the OAG confirmed that there were no irregularities. The stated price was normal for chartered flights. The trip included 38 passengers, while the return trip carried 41 passengers. The additional three on the return flight had left Thailand early to prepare for the Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Hawaii. 

 

The official list of individuals on the chartered flights will not be made public, as it could affect national security, but the OAG confirms that personnel on board the chartered flight included security personnel and journalists. 

 

The chartered flight was a more convenient choice, in regards to time consumption, as the flight took about 11 hours compared to indirect commercial flights of between 16 and 33 hours. Comparatively, a chartered flight means a slightly higher cost than buying tickets for 38 individuals on a commercial flight, which would have cost 19 million baht. 

 

The OAG noted that on the chartered flights, both going and returning, flight attendants had served a total of 9 VIP meals, while the rest were standard meals. On this point the office found no irregularities as all outlays correlated to normal costs, and to the bills which were also made public. 

 

However, the State Audit Commission is convening a meeting to consider in detail the appropriateness of the business trip. The meeting is scheduled for 10th October.

 

Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/website_en/news/news_detail/WNPOL5910080010007

 

 

-- nnt 2016-10-08

[1337markus]

Anyone can check his handywork. Yes there are no DIRECT flights ( he is correct) but thats the same anywhere these days. Korean air FIRST class return 1 stop is 313,000 baht so how does he say up to 600,000 is top level?

[Lupatria]

If corruption an nepotism would be painful, Thai screams could be heard from Norway to Antartica

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The chartered flight was a more convenient choice, in regards to time consumption, as the flight took about 11 hours compared to indirect commercial flights of between 16 and 33 hours. Comparatively, a chartered flight means a slightly higher cost than buying tickets for 38 individuals on a commercial flight, which would have cost 19 million baht. 

 

The flight took about 11 hours.

Wow, that's full throttle for a 10600 km linear distance.

The detour to Tokyo for a refuel on a smaller plane would be about 200 km.

 

But hey, the time of a world powers foreign minister like Thailand is so precious

Makes US foreign secretary envy. As far as I know he doesn't fly on a 747?

 

The plane of Germanys foreign minister broke down twice this year.

He spent one or two extra days in China

 

EDIT: just noticed my error.

It was the defense ministers.

But still comparable.

Edited October 8, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[kannot]

6 hours ago, sharecropper said:

The only way to get this incompetent, dissembling, totalitarian, corrupt, condescending lot out is by launching a c... oh, they already did that. What's next?

C................ivil war

[KhunBENQ]

19 minutes ago, 1337markus said:

Anyone can check his handywork. Yes there are no DIRECT flights ( he is correct) but thats the same anywhere these days. Korean air FIRST class return 1 stop is 313,000 baht so how does he say up to 600,000 is top level?

 

All just desperate cover up attempts.

A clown show.

 

 

[BuckBee]

Shocking farce, only thing transparent is the corruption, arrogance & ignorance of those at the top.

One question should be how does the hawaii trip balance with the sufficiency economy philosophy that buck banana keeps bleating on about to the masses !

38 people off on a not fully official delegation when at a great location is obvious abuse, how many would of gone if location was Pakistan lol .

between this and the current flooding which yingluck roasted for I see same same issues with current mob over last ... thailand is heading for bigger problems than the little protest of 2010 .

[bluebluewater]

Some things CAN be done with remarkable speed here in Thailand.  DNA tests and investigations into corruption come to mind.

[waldroj]

There must be a few of the participants from Shutdown Bangkok back in January 2014, who are now thinking they should have stayed home instead.