Govt silence has turned Hawaii trip into soap opera
The government has done a poor job in explaining to the public why the trip to Hawaii led by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan cost the taxpayer Bt20.9 million.
Authorities seem reluctant to reveal the identity of the 38 people who accompanied the deputy premier, saying only that this is classified information. That is an implausible excuse.
Government officials have also failed to satisfy the public’s curiosity as to why a Thai Airways International Boeing 747 with room for over 400 passengers was used for a party of just three dozen people.
Meanwhile rumours online suggest the Thai military chose Hawaii as the venue for the meetings with their US counterparts because the island is renowned as a “romantic” destination.
Hence, the only way out of this embarrassing situation for the government is to come clean over the matter. Remaining silent or being secretive about it will only make matters worse.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha should be reminded that, in politics, one man’s feast can result in another man’s fatal food poisoning!
Vint Chavala
