Teachers' Pays Squandered Up In Buriram Roads?
 A 77 million baht budget earlier earmarked for provincial teachers' salary and pays was unduly transferred to finance repairs and construction of roads in Buriram, charged a Puea Thai MP on Thursday.
During a fresh interpellation at parliament, Puea Thai MP Yuttapong Charasatian of Mahasarakam alleged that sum of the taxpayer's money was among a one-billion-baht budget which was at disposal of the Local Administration Department for current fiscal year. Instead of covering the salary and pays for teachers in a number of provinces, the money was siphoned off from the department to the Provincial Administrative Organization of the lower-northeastern province, known as a political stronghold of the Bhum Jai Thai Party's de facto head Newin Chidchob, according to the government lawmaker.
''Buriram was not affected by flooding earlier this year, but the 77 million baht fund was spent up on the repairs and construction of roads in that province.
''It was said at parliament those who might look for (the Local Administration Department's) budget had to give a 30% cut to a party in charge or else they would not get it,'' said Yuttapong.
Satit Wongnongtoey, a former Democrat minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, took the floor to dismiss the charges saying the previous Abhisit government had not appropriated state funds in wrongful ways as alleged by the Puea Thai MP.
Bhum Jai Thai MP Supachai Jaisamut countercharged the department's fund for provincial teachers' pays in current fical year had been appropriated to 32 provinces, besides Buriram. He dared the government legislator to disclose by name the other provinces which had been given such supplementary aids as had been the case of Newin's province.
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