Alcohol Watch calls for probe of top cop

[webfact]

Alcohol Watch calls for probe of top cop
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- AN anti-alcohol network has called for an investigation of Bt50,000 monthly payments made to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn’s since last year from a leading drinks firm.

 

Sanit serves as an adviser to Thai Beverage, one of the country’s biggest producers of alcoholic drinks, but is facing calls to quit the role.

 

Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of Alcohol Watch, questioned how a senior police officer could justify accepting payments from an alcoholic drinks firm.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30301925

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-12-12

[optad]

Beautiful. It is incongruous how he could ethically receive those payments given his role.

 

All public officials should have to declare alternate revenue sources.

[Somtamnication]

As the song goes: nice job if you can get it.  Pathetic.

[waldroj]

"...Using this case as an example, would it then be fine for junior officials to take money from pubs and bars too..."

 

One thing that Thais continue to excel at is leading by example !!!

 

[NongKhaiKid]

37 minutes ago, optad said:

Beautiful. It is incongruous how he could ethically receive those payments given his role.

 

All public officials should have to declare alternate revenue sources.

Now wouldn't that open quite a can of worms.

Public officials shouldn't be allowed to have other sources of income except with prior approval which should not be given lightly or simply on ' the nod '.

However having said this I'm sure nothing will change because it would affect too many important people and especially those who can make the decision to stop this sort of thing.

[optad]

^^ I have never understood the problem of officials not being forced to  list their income on a state site given their remuneration and pensions. They declare assets on taking office but not incoming revenues when holding. Bizarre/. 

 

The fact that another interested group has to probe this one issue is mad. And indicative of an endemic situation.

[newatthis]

50,000 baht a month to encourage Thai's to have a healthier lifestyle. Sounds OK!

 

[optad]

^ That can be qualified by Singha advocating better water quality than Chang.

[ezzra]

Back in the days when we use to run a large factory in BKK the cops use

to come around and collect 'contribution to a charity event' we use to

term it as a donation to the Chivas regal foundations.... 

[PatOngo]

It would be interesting to know if he received the payment in cash or product.

[whatproblem]

2 hours ago, optad said:

Beautiful. It is incongruous how he could ethically receive those payments given his role.

 

All public officials should have to declare alternate revenue sources.

Including backhanders?

[Sphere]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Sanit serves.....

 

Does he also protect? 

[alfalfa19]

absolutely shocking, but only in respect to it being exposed to light. 

[pookiki]

I seem to recall a former PM who lost his job because he had income from a cooking show.  This situation is totally beyond the pall.

[malt25]

I don't understand why anyone is surprised by this.

[surinderek]

TIT

[Estrada]

He must have read  Donald Trump's "Art Of The Deal". He has a long way to go to catch up with The Donald and friends coming into power in the U.S., who have much greater conflicts of interest.

[jaltsc]

“Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of Alcohol Watch, questioned how a senior police officer could justify accepting payments from an alcoholic drinks firm.”

 

The same way junior police officers justify accepting numerous payments from any source they can tap into: "We are the police, and you aren't"

[TPI]

Nothing to see here.....move along! I love this place, a million laughs everyday!

[AlQaholic]

What??? you can't be a police and still be an alcoholic? whats wrong with that?

[chrisinth]

3 hours ago, optad said:

Beautiful. It is incongruous how he could ethically receive those payments given his role.

 

All public officials should have to declare alternate revenue sources.

 

One of the points in this is that he did in fact declare his monthly salary from Thai Beverage. While it is quite legal to do what he is doing, what is the big problem? Perhaps he has knowledge in this field as they are employing him as an adviser?

 

"As a member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), Sanit made an official declaration of his monthly salary from Thai Beverage.

 

While praising the NLA for releasing details of the declaration to the public, Legal Rights and Environmental Protection Association president Acting Sub-Lieutenant Somchai Ameen urged Sanit to step down from his post at Thai Beverage."

 

As above, the very fact that an Acting Sub-Lieutenant is urging him to step down, IMO, makes this a non-story.

 

Kamron Chudecha's inane example is the best for me though:

 

"Using this case as an example, would it then be fine for junior officials to take money from pubs and bars too?"

 

If the junior officials were employed as advisors, then the answer would probably be yes, as long as it was declared. The suggestion in the article clearly points to it being OK to take tea money.

 

Pathetic!

[mikebell]

"...Using this case as an example, would it then be fine for junior officials to take money from pubs and bars too..."

They do - every bar owner pays for 'police protection in Pattaya.'

[Dexlowe]

^^^ @chrisinth, that's the worst attempt I've ever seen at justifying the unjustifiable. This man is a commander, and his job is to focus on his command to the exclusion of all else, even his private life should the situation warrant it. Being distracted to play pat-a-cake with a wealthy and generous private corporation is not what taxpayers should expect.

[NextStationBangkok]

How can anyone blame Tea-Money for Beer-Money, mistaken identity.

 

[worgeordie]

50,000 THB per month,to have a friend in high position,with

influence,and whose decisions could affect your business,  

will make perfect sense for the company,but its not ethical.

regards  worgeordie

[selftaopath]

What is an anti-alcohol network? Alcohol Watch? Guess I'm missing something.

[Johnniey]

3 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Now wouldn't that open quite a can of worms.

Public officials shouldn't be allowed to have other sources of income except with prior approval which should not be given lightly or simply on ' the nod '.

However having said this I'm sure nothing will change because it would affect too many important people and especially those who can make the decision to stop this sort of thing.

Are you a Thai citizen?  if you are not making any steps to becoming one,  which I highly suspect,  then  you have absolutely no right to tell anyone what Thai public officials should our shouldn't do. 

You make clear on one hand what you think of Thai people and culture and then have the audacity to  suggest what they should do.

As a retiree,  you should be grateful with the relaxed  visa laws that allow you to remain as a guest in this country.

[chrisinth]

18 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

50,000 THB per month,to have a friend in high position,with

influence,and whose decisions could affect your business,  

will make perfect sense for the company,but its not ethical.

regards  worgeordie

 

What sort of decisions? Maybe I'm missing something, but what could he bring to the table that would enhance Thai Beverage any further than they are now?

 

Serious question.

[jerojero]

Who is really surprised at this revelation? Dig around more and one might find thousands of high ranking Officials accepting similar from companies.

[Prbkk]

The old saying: " the snake rots from the head" ( or is that the fish rather than snake?). Doesn't matter...applicable in this case. A terrible example to those serving under him and another blow for those who believe that there might be a lessening of corruption in the near term. He should be sacked and sent to the monkhood.