ML Panadda Diskul, appointed secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office six days after the coup, caused uproar among local officials across the country when he posted, in Thai, “facts that everyone might not know; facts so shocking that some may not be able to believe them.”
He explained, “Some local government organisations did not pass the audit to qualify a prize for good local government organisations … That wasn’t a surprise to me, because I know that some local government organisations squander money as if it is their own money.”
He continued, “I was told that the president of one OrBorJor bought first class tickets, ordered hundred of thousands of baht worth of wine, and demanded that air crew supply them with chillis, chilli paste and fish sauce [which he would have known are not carried in the aircraft].”
Worse, he said, “That person also used a close friend as a nominee to buy a house in Europe.”
He concluded. “Whoever wants to spend their life on these luxuries should do it from the profits of private business. As local politicians, they should not destroy the reputation of Thai local government.”
But ML Pannada did not name names. This, local politicians say, tarnishes all 77 OrBorJor in the country, along with the thousands of municipalities and sub-districts.
Phuket OrBorJor President Paiboon Upatising told The Phuket News this morning, “I think he should say exactly who did this – not blanket all 77 provinces. He is talking about just one person but when he says it like this it makes all of us look bad.”
With a laugh, he added, “But I know it isn’t me because I don’t drink alcohol.”
Others, too, were irritated. The Provincial Administration Organisation Council of Thailand (PAOC) issued a round-robin letter headed, “Following the post by ML Panadda Diskul that might destroy the image of local government organizations,” and urging all local council staff to wear black today in protest.
In Phuket this morning, Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) no one was wearing black – apart from Mr Paiboon himself, who often wears a black suit with his pink ties.
“I didn’t urge my staff to wear black for this thing,” Mr Paiboon said, adding, “I think [ML Panadda] is adult enough and a reasonable person. He should apologise or show evidence to prove [his allegations] as soon as possible.”
Then he issued his challenge: “I can't do the ice bucket challenge because of my [medical] condition, but I will donate B100,000 baht to charity if ML Panadda will reveal the name of the person he is accusing.
“In the end, I think an apology should be enough. If he apologises to all of us we are ready to forgive him.”
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