MP questions love for flood victims

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: An opposition MP Friday came up with “new information” to support his allegation of irregularities involving the government’s Flood Relief Operation Centre (FROC).

Phuket Gazette partner newspaper The Nation reports that at a press conference at the Parliament building, Vilas Chantharapitak, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, questioned FROC director Pracha Promnok’s approval of the purchase of 2,500 small boats for 14.2 million baht.

Pracha is also the justice minister.

The purchase was made by the Interior Ministry’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Vilas said the department paid far above market prices for the boats, 2,000 of which are made of plastic. The remainder are made of fibreglass.

Vilas told the press conference that he had also discovered that the private company involved in supplying the boats for the agency is located on Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Road – and operates a love motel.

Does love know no bounds?

— Phuket Gazette editors