- Published: 22/09/2012 at 05:02 PM
- Writer: Online Reporters
The junket with 39 aides, media members and academics said to be mainly sympathetic to the governing Pheu Thai party is costing taxpayers 7 million baht. The high point of the trip for many of the participants, apparently, will be Sunday's Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United, though Mr Somsak has said he would pay for that outing.
Sathit Pitutacha, a member of the Democrat Party's executive board, said on Saturday that he would file petitions with the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) asking them to investigate Mr Somsak.
Mr Sathit said some of the media members invited on the trip were not parliament journalists. They were pro-government journalists, columnists and academics who had been attacking the Democrats, he added.
He said the opposition had earlier asked the House committee on ethics to probe Mr Somsak for allegedly failing to perform his duties impartially. Thus, the party demanded him to resign.
The trip started last Wednesday and is scheduled to end this coming Thursday. Mr Somsak said on Thursday that he would take media groups to study the operations of the BBC, The Economist, the UK parliament and Oxford University.
The itinerary covers England, France and Belgium.
He has insisted that he wants the press to learn from the foreign experience, but admits he is looking forward to watching a football match too.
Mr Somsak also acknowledged some mistakes may have arisen in the participants' name lists, as some of those who were invited were found not to be associated with media companies.
He said he was ready to answer all inquiries.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 24/09/2012 at 10:13 PM
-
Disc18 Android - "the next general election will be held less than three years later. Dems might win the election, though unlikely, and a pro-dem house speaker will be born."
And if that happens, you will see if my standards are as flexible as yours.
You see, I believe that wrong is wrong. Saying, "Other people do it" is the argument of a child.
- Discussion 2 : 23/09/2012 at 05:08 PM
-
Discussion 12 englishbob : the next general election will be held less than three years later. Dems might win the election, though unlikely, and a pro-dem house speaker will be born.
- Discussion 3 : 23/09/2012 at 11:14 AM
-
In Europe these people would pay for the trip and that in turn would allow them to report on it without bias or favor. That in turn would sponsor the trip resulting in very little expense to the tax payer.Is that how it works here?NO.
- Discussion 4 : 23/09/2012 at 08:55 AM
-
Dems will be further frustrated after the probe is rejected by their favourite "impartial" state agencies.
- Discussion 5 : 23/09/2012 at 04:13 AM
-
I no longer want to pay taxes if all the money is going to be squandered by corrupt politicians.
At least pretend to be working for the country and the millions who voted you into office!
- Discussion 6 : 23/09/2012 at 03:48 AM
-
In the US, the Govt officials must pay for any activities not connected to the business of the country themselves, like the costs of extra stay in the hotel, the soccer match tickets, and etc. So, if he and his team won't bill the taxpayers for such activities, it can be done!
- Discussion 7 : 23/09/2012 at 12:24 AM
-
To the victors belong the spoils. If the people don't like it then vote Somsak out. I understand that winning elections is something unknown to the Dems but endlessly filing silly petitions may be counterproductive.
- Discussion 8 : 22/09/2012 at 07:54 PM
-
The 'impartial' House Speaker taking an all expenses paid trip to Europe with 'government friendly' media sources?
The currying of favours is so blatant it SHOULD be embarrassing. The Dems protested about Somsak's bias towards Peua Thai before... Clearly this shows they were right to do so. His credibility is shot to pieces. How can people trust him to rule the house fairly when he is so clearly another Peua Thai toady?
- Discussion 9 : 22/09/2012 at 06:28 PM
-
if the media were serious about this they would have cameras at the airport when all these spongers and pyscophants come back. Show the people on nationwide TV where their money is being spent. Too much to hope for as the bumbling exucses that get made will be accepted by the masses
- Discussion 10 : 22/09/2012 at 06:27 PM
-
Bangkok-London with a stop in Dubai to receive his new marching orders??? How much lower can this guy go????
- Discussion 11 : 22/09/2012 at 06:26 PM
-
A payer who makes an own goal almost every week...should he not be replaced???
- Discussion 12 : 22/09/2012 at 06:14 PM
-
The Parliament president should be setting an example for its good governance. Somsak Kiatsuranont does the opposite. He should resign, or if not, be fired.
- Discussion 13 : 22/09/2012 at 06:08 PM
-
l think all the rax payers want a probe to this unethical football trip to london
- Discussion 14 : 22/09/2012 at 06:05 PM
-
I cant believe he had the gall to still go .Shameless waste .Theres no such thing as extra budget .Its called savings .
- Discussion 15 : 22/09/2012 at 06:03 PM
-
Why does he look so stoned or drunk in the pic , the Thai taxpayer getting their monies worth once again ?
- Discussion 16 : 22/09/2012 at 06:01 PM
-
AV for PM !
- Discussion 17 : 22/09/2012 at 05:58 PM
-
Dems had better asked the Ombudsman and Senate group to probe into the study trip in one go to save breath.
- Discussion 18 : 22/09/2012 at 05:40 PM
-
Yeah, the BBC 'expertise' we could witness in May 2010 and the flooding of 2011. A great example to the Thai media.
But of course it's all about spending those last millions on the bottom of the coffers before the end of the fiscal year. We wouldn't want to have to do with less, would we?
- Discussion 19 : 22/09/2012 at 05:28 PM
-
I'm surprised that he can squeeze in a trip to England considering all the trips he has to make to Dubai.
Bangkok Post
