Plan” approved” by House attorneys
PUBLISHED: 19 September 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
A group of MPs and House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha have defended Padipat Santipada’s international trip schedule as being legal.
Mr. Wan, who is also the president of the parliament, stated that he gave his approval for the trip to Singapore, which will be led by Mr Padipat starting on September 21 – 24.
Mr. Wan added that the funds for the trip is also being distributed in accordance with appropriate restrictions after consulting with senate’s legal experts.
He stated that the journey is expected to help the work of House committees dealing with these issues. The goal of the trip is to see Singapore’s contemporary political system and understand how the city-state combats haze pollution.
Because the Members are not traveling to Singapore at the proposal of an organization or company that would cover traveling expenses, Parliament is allocating funds to cover all travel costs.
Mr. Wan noted that the MPs must submit a report upon their return and that there is an easy-accessible resources for the trip.
Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, a lieutenant official for the United Thai Nation Party, voiced his disapproval of the tour’s price.
Mr. Pongpol claimed on Facebook that the MPs had reservations for flights and lodging totaling 1.3 million baht, calling it” much very expensive.”
He explained that, for example, they intend to stay at a hotel that costs 12,500 baht per person per night, with round-trip airfares that are assumed to be in business school and are priced at 51,250 bacht each person.
We can’t afford to ignore this trip’s high cost, Mr. Pongpol said.
Mr. Padipat explained that he had spoken with lawmakers about switching his group’s two-hour aircraft to Singapore to low-cost companies. He claimed to have received a response, however, stating that MPs on official journeys must board the national carrier.
Regarding the hotel, Mr. Padipat claimed he made it clear to the vacation organizer that his group wanted each room to charge between 7,000 and 8,000 baht per night.
However, he added that” conditions exist where we don’t always get to decide on specific things.”