The 30 million baht charter flight

[reader]

From The Thai Enquirer

PM’s deputy secretary Natreeya Thaweewong came out to defend why Srettha’s charter
flight to the UN General Assembly cost 30 million Baht.

Her response came after recent calls by political activist Somchai Srisutthiyakorn
to look into why the flight cost so much. She explained that an e-bidding system was used to secure a reasonable price.

Thai Airways initially asked for 25 million Baht, but due to increased fuel prices,
the cost rose to 30 million.
 

Natreeya broke down the total cost, which included 4.84 million for aircraft
expenses, 16.8 million for fuel, 1.47 million for food, 3.06 million for ground
services, and 3.8 million for operational costs.

Other passengers, including the Prime Minister's daughter and wife, covered their
own expenses. The government chose a charter flight to avoid inconveniencing
other passengers on a commercial flight.

=======================

From the Thai Enquirer

A famous Thai journalist Thapanee Eadsrichai (owner of The Reporter & a journalist for
Channel 3) came out to praise the fact that Prime Minister Srettha was traveling in
‘Business Class’ in the CHARTERED aircraft and that was because Srettha was trying to
save money for the country.

The fact of the matter is in a chartered aircraft passengers can sit in the toilet or on the
floor if they want (the money is already paid for the entire aircraft anyway).

Thapanee says that everyone is travelling in Business class and not 1st class not
knowing that there was no 1st class in the aircraft he was traveling in.

Thapanee seems not to know that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has only 22
business class seats and 234 economy class bringing in a total of 256 seats with
no 1st class seats.

She said that the Prime Minister chose the 787-8 Dreamliner and had to sit
in business class instead of sitting in first class but stated that he did so to
save money.

[vinapu]

seems steep  but when we calculate cost  if they bought all seats on the aircraft, say 300 tickets at 2000 $ it would be 20 mln. baht one way. 

Sure , Prime minister could squeeze himself  into last row of economy class for the said 2000 but then it would be scream that it's publicity stunt and shame to the nation to be so cheap and treating him so shabbily and that nation of 70 mln can afford to rent him a plane for 50 satangs per citizen.

Since I don't like 787 I'm not even jealous

[macaroni21]

How many people went on that flight? Was the plane mostly empty? Could he not have chartered a much smaller business jet?

[reader]

Thai Air Force bid 132 m baht for the job.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, reader said:

Thai Air Force bid 132 m baht for the job.

so 77% savings if they paid 30 mln

[reader]

Typo: Air Force bid 32 million not 132 but either way they still lost.

[PeterRS]

15 hours ago, reader said:

She said that the Prime Minister chose the 787-8 Dreamliner and had to sit in business class instead of sitting in first class but stated that he did so to save money.

What a load of PR nonsense! There was a time when all Thai Ministers and their spouses were entitled to free first class travel everywhere on THAI. I believe that was finally suspended some years ago. But rather difficult to sit in first class when there is no first class seating!

15 hours ago, reader said:

The government chose a charter flight to avoid inconveniencing other passengers on a commercial flight.

Another piece of PR spin aka b/s! With TG having no flights in to New York, the Prime Minister would certainly have looked foolish descending the steps of a JAL, Korean or other nation's aircraft. So a charter from a Thai aircraft will no doubt have seemed the only other solution. Pity the government did not check. 

10 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

How many people went on that flight? Was the plane mostly empty? Could he not have chartered a much smaller business jet?

The answer has to be a very resounding 'yes'. Or he could have taken a regular non-stop THAI flight to London and then taken an executive jet from there. The cost of a mid-size executive jet for that round trip would be no more than US$100,000

15 hours ago, reader said:

Other passengers, including the Prime Minister's daughter and wife, covered their own expenses.

So they paid their pro rata share of 30 million baht? I'll put a lot of money on the table that that is nothing like what they paid!