Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has eschewed forming a panel to probe his deputy Prawit Wongsuwon's 20.9-million-baht chartered flight to the Asean-US defence meeting in Hawaii last week, which critics said was overpriced.
"Why do we have to form [the panel]?" Gen Prayut said, responding to media questions about probing the issue.
The flight in question was with Thai Airways International Plc (THAI), which carried Gen Prawit and 38 members of his entourage to Hawaii for the meeting, which concluded on Saturday.
Criticism was sparked after the flight cost was shared on the Secretariat of the Prime Minister's website, which included 600,000 baht spent on in-flight food and drink.
- Earlier report: Airline on the defensive
"Are there any direct flights to the meeting? No, there are not," Gen Prayut said. "Did they go for the [country's] benefit or for a holiday?"
He urged people not to try to conduct a witch-hunt.
"Anyone who wants to file a lawsuit about the issue can do so," he said.
Referring to surfacing criticism, Gen Prawit said he believed someone was trying to undermine him, insisting he gained nothing from the flight arrangements.
Gen Prawit echoed the premier's comments, saying there was no direct flight to Hawaii and that making a stopover would have wasted time.
Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI executive vice-president for aviation business, said the reported charter fee of 20.95 million baht was only a median price set in compliance with regulations, but that the actual fee to be collected could be lower.
"THAI had never flown on the route, so it must be assumed the price was based on comparisons with those of other airlines. The set price is not the actual price," she said.
Referring to the 38 delegates on the trip, Gen Prawit said the US wanted Thai delegates to come as a group to the talks, which touched on terrorism, transnational crime, maritime security and the South China Sea.
Gen Prawit said he travelled to the US on Thursday morning and then met the Thai ambassador and US defence secretary.
He said the flight information was made public as it was taxpayers' money that was used to fund the trip.
Surapong Tovichakchaikul, a key Pheu Thai figure and former foreign minister, said former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra had travelled to an Apec meeting in Hawaii on a commercial flight, the cost of which did not exceed two million baht.
He questioned the lavish spending of the National Council for Peace and Order members amid the flagging economy.
The government said it has charged taxpayers 20.95 million baht to fly Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and 38 aides aboard a 747, but Thai Airways International now says it may give a discount. (Creative Commons)