Thai junta under scrutiny following allegations of exorbitant spending and nepotism
Chartered flight taken by Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and his entourage to Hawaii last week cost US$600,000
Thailand’s junta came under scrutiny this week after critics filed a petition asking the office of the auditor-general to investigate allegations of extravagant spending on a trip to Hawaii for a defence meeting.
It is the latest in a series of allegations against the military government that seized power in May 2014, promising to root out entrenched corruption in state institutions and close Thailand’s festering political divide.
The government has defended allegations that a 20.9 million baht (US$600,000) chartered flight taken by Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and his entourage to a meeting in Hawaii last week was exorbitant.
Both of these are issues that Thai society is criticising a lot and it will reduce the junta’s credibility
On Wednesday, Srisuwan Janya, head of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, a government watchdog, petitioned the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate expenses incurred on the Thai Airways flight.
These expenses included 600,000 baht spent on in-flight food and beverages, according to details posted on the Secretariat of the Prime Minister’s website. The allegations threaten to erode the military government’s credibility, say critics, including civil society groups.
Last month, Isra News, an investigative news website, reported that Pathompol Chan-ocha, a nephew of junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, was awarded seven construction projects with the Third Army Region, which had been under his father’s command, prompting claims of nepotism. The National Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating those claims.
Preecha Chan-ocha, Pathompol’s father and junta chief Prayuth’s brother, has defended his son and said he acted according to the army’s rules and regulations for contractors.