Tourism Authority denies spending 9 million at political fundraiser

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is rejecting a report that it spent 9 million baht on banquet tables at a pro-Junta fundraising dinner on Wednesday night.

TAT director Yuthasak Supakorn claims the agency had nothing to do with the dinner and TAT might take legal action against those reporting the false news for defaming the agency.

“It was TAT’s policy that its budget be allocated efficiently and transparently”, the director said.

“The agency had no link with the fundraising dinner hosted by Phalang Pracharat.”

“Considering the financial regulations, it’s impossible to do that,” he said.

“Plus, allocation of that budget needs to be passed by the TAT committee. We had no such agenda in our meetings.”

Phalang Pracharat’s Nattapon Teepsuwan, responsible for fundraising, also rejected the report that the finance ministry and TAT had made donations or joined the fundraising dinner on Wednesday.

He said the fundraising process was transparent and the party would disclose the names of the donors in a couple of weeks.

The development came after it was reported that the finance ministry and TAT may have spent more than 20 million baht to buy banquet tables which cost 3 million baht each.

TAT director Yuthasak Supakorn

STORY: The Nation