Opposition Democrat MP Sathit Pitudeja yesterday accused Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of abusing the emergency budget to benefit her associates.
The Cabinet had approved Bt43 million in January and Bt67 million in July to compensate and bail out red-shirt protesters, he said during the last day of the censure debate.
He also played a video showing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra calling for rapid relief for the red shirts, especially those still held in custody since the uprising against the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2010.
Rather than allocate a budget through normal channels to the Justice Ministry's Justice Fund, the Cabinet used the money reserved for emergencies to bail them out, Sathit said.
The policy to compensate and help the red shirts, rather than facilitate reconciliation as intended, would further deepen the divide in society, he said.
"It might just reconcile your associates," he said.
The government spent money to help Darunee "Da Torpedo" Cherngcharnsilpakul, who was charged with lese majeste under Article 112 of the Criminal Code, he said.
However, Darunee was arrested in 2008, long before the 2010 protest, he said.
"This kind of person, who is a threat to national security and the monarchy, is not qualified to receive any assistance," he said.
Prime Minister Yingluck told the floor that the compensation was handled by Justice Minister Pracha Promnok and asked him to explain to the Opposition.
Pracha said the money was spent for compensation and temporary release of some detained red-shirt protesters, but not all of them.
Darunee's name was on the list but eventually the committee considering the matter decided not to bail her out, he said.
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Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/28/pm-accused-of-misusing-budget/
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