Bangkok Post

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

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.

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.

Mr Pracha said the trip to the Four Seasons was his own idea. He wanted to dispel allegations of conflicts of interest dogging the prime minister.

He said there was nothing unseemly about Ms Yingluck's meeting because business people were able to give her information that was useful in running the country.

"The PM can meet anyone, anywhere, as long as it is not against law and order," Mr Pracha said.

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said his party still has suspicions the prime minister and her audience were up to no good.

Since the government has never declared which areas will be designated floodways or water retention areas under its flood prevention plan, questions could be asked whether it was trying to find areas of mutual interest with the businessmen.

He said the party will also keep a close watch on new land valuations that take effect in the middle of this year.

In December, the Treasury Department announced new land values that were supposed to take effect on Jan 1.

Land valuations increased an average of 20% nationwide, though the appraisals failed to take into account the impact of last year's floods, Treasury Department director-general Naris Chaiyasoot said.

The Land Department asked for the valuations to be delayed by a year to ease the burden on flood victims who may have to pay higher taxes. The land appraisal committee chaired by interior permanent secretary Pranai Suwanrath allowed a six-month postponement.