Four Seasons controversy continues | Bangkok Post: learning

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The PM’s Four Seasons Hotel meeting continues to make news as the ombudsman wants an explanation and a Phue Thai MP is denied entry to the floor where the meeting took place.

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Staff of the Four Seasons Hotel block Pheu Thai Party MP Pracha Prasopdee, centre, in front of the hotel yesterday. He planned to lead reporters to inspect the seventh floor of the hotel wherePrime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra held a private meeting with businessmen instead of attending a House session. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

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PM urged to clarify hotel meet

Aekarach Sattaburuth 
Manop Thip-Osod

The Office of the Ombudsman has decided that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's decision to skip a parliamentary session for a private meeting with a group of business people poses concerns about her ethics.

Ombudsman chairwoman Panit Nitithanprapas said yesterday the office has accepted a petition by the Green Political Group to look into the prime minister's use of official time for private business that the group says has remained unexplained to the public.

On Feb 8, Ms Yingluck skipped a House session to attend a meeting classified as secret with Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and a group of businessmen including Srettha Thavisin, president of property developer Sansiri Plc.

The meeting has drawn criticism from members of the opposition. They said it was inappropriate for the premier to meet in secrecy with a select group of business people. Since the Shinawatra family also owns property developer SC Asset, such a meeting could pose a conflict of interest, the opposition said.

Mrs Panit said the ombudsman's office had ruled that the petition concerns the ethics of Ms Yingluck as a political officer and member of parliament.

She has sent a letter asking Ms Yingluck to clarify the matter in 30 days.

Meanwhile, a Pheu Thai MP's attempt to dispel questions over the propriety of the meeting between Ms Yingluck and businessmen at the Four Seasons Hotel fell apart yesterday when the hotel denied him and a group of reporters entry.

A group of disappointed reporters and photographers who were to accompany Mr Pracha on his tour of the seventh floor. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

Pracha Prasopdee took a group of 60 reporters to the hotel on Ratchadamri Road, intending to show them the seventh floor where the meeting took place.

However, in the event, he and his group were allowed only as far as the hotel's downstairs lobby. The hotel's staff refused to let the reporters in, saying Mr Pracha, an MP for Samut Prakan, should have made a request in advance.

Undaunted, Mr Pracha asked to check in to a room on that floor, which houses suites and an executive club. Four Seasons staff allowed only one reporter to follow Mr Pracha into the hotel. Once inside, however, Mr Pracha was informed the seventh floor was fully booked.

Eventually, Mr Pracha's fact-finding mission ended up at the hotel's buffet table where he spent about one and a half hours discussing details of the hotel's seventh floor plan with its staff.

You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/wZyvSR

block – to stop someone/ something from moving through or along something else  ปิดกั้น, กีดขวาง
reporter – someone whose job is to write articles or make broadcasts about events in the news ผู้สื่อข่าว, นักข่าว
session – a formal meeting of an institution such as a parliament or a court การประชุม
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
clarify – to explain something more clearly so that it is easier to understand  แจกแจง   ชี้แจง
ombudsman – an official whose job is to examine and report on complaints made by ordinary people about companies, the government or public authorities ผู้ตรวจการของรัฐสภา
pose – cause something, especially a problem or difficulty เป็นเหตุให้
concern – a worry ความกังวล
ethics – a set of principles people use to decide what is right and what is wrong จริยธรรม
petition – a request of someone in authority to do something คำร้อง
the public – people in general ประชาชน, สาธารณชน, มหาชน
skip – to not do something that you usually do or that you should do; to avoid ไม่เข้าร่วม, ขาด
classify – to divide things into groups according to their type; to decide which type or group somebody/something belongs to แยกประเภท จัดประเภท
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
property – land owned by someone ที่ดิน, อสังหาริมทรัพย์
criticism – comments that show that you think something is wrong or bad การวิจารณ์
the opposition – the political party or parties that are not part of the government ฝ่ายค้าน
inappropriate – unsuitable ซึ่งไม่เหมาะสม
select – carefully chosen as the best out of a larger group of people or things  ดีเลิศ, ดีที่สุด, ชั้นหนึ่ง
conflict of interest – a situation in which someone cannot make a fair decision because they will be affected by the results ผลประโยชน์ทับซ้อน
rule (of a court) – to make a decision พิพากษา, ชี้ขาด
matter – a situation or subject which is being dealt with or considered เรื่อง, ภารกิจ, งาน
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
dispel – to remove fears, doubts and false ideas, usually by proving them wrong or unnecessary ทำให้หมดไป
propriety – behaviour that follows accepted social or moral standards ความเหมาะสม, ความถูกต้อง
deny – to not allow someone to have or do something ไม่ยอม, ปฏิเสธ
entry – the right or opportunity to enter a place การเข้า
disappointed – unhappy because someone or something was not as good as you hoped or expected, or because something did not happen ผิดหวัง
refuse – to say you will not do something that someone has asked you to do ปฏิเสธ
in advance – before the time that is expected; before something happens ล่วงหน้า
undaunted – determined and not afraid to continue doing something, even though it might be difficult ซึ่งไม่สะทกสะท้าน, ซึ่งไม่ท้อถอย
suite – a set of rooms ห้องชุด
executive – a senior manager in a business or other organisation ผู้บริหาร
inform – to tell somebody about something, especially in an official way แจ้งให้ทราบ
book – to arrange to have or use something on a particular date in the future จอง
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
mission – an important piece of work that a person or a group of people has been given to do ภาระกิจ หน้าที่
details – small facts or pieces of information relating to a situation รายละเอียด

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