PPT had seen this story a few days ago in a Thai-language newspaper and we were skeptical. Could it be true that the Royal Thai Air Force was to spend over 54 million baht to refurbish a lavatory on board a VIP aircraft?
Khaosod now reports that this seems true. It reports that the “54.43 million baht project is detailed in a document published on a military-run website earlier this week.”
The air force is reported as saying that the $1.8 million price tag is “reasonable.” The “excuse” is that “it involves sophisticated engineering…”.
Only a pissy $75,000. Clipped from DemotiX
The “golden toilet” is for an RTAF Airbus A340-500 (HS-TYV). It will leap into the ranks of the world’s most expensive loos.
This aircraft was acquired from Thai Airways in 2016 “for a price of reportedly 1.7 billion baht – paid from the state coffers.” It was “converted for use in ‘VVIP’ transport missions and entered into service under the 602 Royal Flight squadron.”
We can guess that this expense might have something to do with a royal bottom needing special care and complex engineering to separate royal excretions from common crap. Or maybe it is just a gift – paid by the taxpayer – for a “valued” consort? We are reminded of the need a few years ago for special potty arrangements that again bled the taxpayer. This was an expensive, temporary, and unnecessary loo for Princess Sirindhorn.
The Khaosod report goes on to list another royal suck on the taxpayer:
Another procurement document shows that the air force also awarded Thai Airways a 750 million baht contract to renovate the interiors of a Boeing 777-800 royal aircraft with the tail number HS-MVS.
Little is known publicly about the details of the project or the aircraft itself, though official records said the twin-engine jet entered into service in 2007 and is under direct command of King Vajiralongkorn’s Deachochai 3 Royal Flight Unit.
This is one of the aircraft that regularly shuttles the king, queen and their entourage around Europe and flits back and forth between Europe and Thailand, depending on where the king is. That’s a lavish fit-out for the taxpayer to fund.
It seems pretty clear that the calls for monarchy reform are not changing the way the military, regime, or royal family siphon funds from the public purse into luxury accoutrements for precious asses.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 
[…] its personnel to deal with space security.” In fact, the main activities of the RTAF is transporting VIPs, including taxpayer sponging royals. Getting the right on-board loo seems far more important than […]
[…] Airbus appears to be the same VIP plane that the generous generals shoveled money into for the Royal Thai Air Force for a magnificent loo for royal poop and pee at a cost to […]