Thai Defence Ministry clarifies high cost of DPM’s trip to Hawaii

BANGKOK, October 3 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Defence clarifies the latest overseas trip of Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan and his 38-member entourage to attend the the ASEAN-US Defense Informal Meeting in Hawaii that cost over 20 million baht and has drawn criticism on social networks. Defence Ministry Spokesman Major General Kongcheep Tantrawanit publicly explained on Monday that the Thai deputy prime minister, who oversees national security, traveled to the United States to attend the ASEAN-US Defense Informal Meeting in Hawaii, scheduled for September 29-October 2 (US time), via a chartered flight of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, because there was no direct fight from Bangkok to Hawaii. The spokesman told journalists if the deputy prime minister and his team traveled to Hawaii via a commercial flight, they needed some flight transfers and the normal aviation service for the route is not available everyday. Besides, a Royal Thai Air Force aircraft was not ready for the 19-hour Bangkok-Hawaii route and vice versa, while military pilots are not keen on the route. The spokesman said, however, that public participation in the government’s operation is a good thing and it is in line with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha's policy on standard public work with transparency and accountablity. According to the spokesman, the cost of the chartered flight is posted on the official website of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister in line with the regulation of the state agency. The over 20-million-baht cost, which draws criticism by netizens, includes 3.8 million baht for a chartered plane service, 10 million baht for the fuel price, 600,000 baht for food and beverage, 2.6 million baht for ground service operations and three million baht for other expenses. (TNA)