[Update-1] Opinion: Saksayam should listen to his own government’s advice

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Coalition MPs are asking for Saksayam Chidchob to show some responsibility for catching covid and initially refusing to provide his full timeline to the public.

That was certainly unexpected.

Not that many people would have thought that the transport minister’s lack of responsibility would actually lead to the rare war of words between Palang Pracharath Party and the Democrat Party versus the Bhumjaithai Party.

Democrat MP Pimraphee Phanwichatikul was one of the first lawmakers from the government’s side to come out to condemn the transport minister.  

She said if a government official has contracted the coronavirus while on duty then that is honorable, similar to the sacrifice of Governor Verasak Vichitsangsri from Samut Sakhon who almost died from his infection.

However, if a government official has contracted the virus while he was clubbing and lounging then that is “unacceptable” because it is “unethical”.

She then drew a comparison to a case in New Zealand where its former health minister, David Clark, who was demoted and then resigned because he broke his government’s covid-prevention rules twice by taking his family to the beach and a personal mountain bike trip during the country’s lockdown period.

He actually offered his resignation twice but the first letter was declined and he was kept in his role because of the pandemic until the second breach of trust.

Now, if Saksayam really did went clubbing in Thonglor, did he break any law? No, unless he stayed past 11 pm because Bangkok is one of the nine “controlled” provinces.

Did he break any law when he initially did not give up his full timeline? Yes.

Saksayam already said that he did not go clubbing in Thonglor and Ekkamai. In the end, following heavy criticism, he also provided a more detailed timeline.

But the trust has been breached.

Move Forward Party MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn told Thai Enquirer on Friday that the government must crosscheck Saksayam’s latest timeline with the tracing by the Mor Chana application because there is now doubt whether the minister had provided a fake timeline.

Saksayam’s latest timeline shows only official visits and the time when he was at home in Rama 9, he said.

“In order to clear any doubts, I believe he should reveal the information from Mor Chana to compare it to the timeline he has revealed. I think this would be fair to him because it will clear people’s doubt towards him,” he added.

Former politician and apparently, ‘a lounge expert’ Chuwit Kamolvisit, already said that he has video footage of the minister’s car entering the Krystal Club but he has no evidence of Saksayam actually being there.

Palang Pracharath Party’s Sira Jenjaka who chairs the parliament’s Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee also said that he had received photos of two ministers visiting the club.

Did Saksayam provide a fake timeline then? If yes, then he would be breaking the law again.

We will have to wait and see how this saga would pan out but so far, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha did not even reprimanded Saksayam even though the premier found a lot of things to say against civilians who went out to parties.

“No matter what kind of measures we have come up with, if there are people who are not following it, things would continue to be like this,” Prayut said on Monday.

Someone should tell Saksayam.

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