An economics professor at Chulalongkorn University has rebuked Future Forward spokeswoman Pannika “Chor” Wanich and advised her to equip herself with knowledge before making public comments “just for the sake of occupying media space.”
“There is nothing wrong with not knowing but, as an MP and public figure, not knowing through failing to seek the information and then expressing opinions in an irresponsible manner is wrong,” wrote Assistant Professor Piti Srisangnam of the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, in his Facebook post today in response to Ms. Chor’s criticism of the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok last weekend.
The controversial spokeswoman raised several questions related to the summit, such as why did Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha give a news conference after the summit in Thai and did not provide an interpreter for members of the foreign media? Why did the Thai government choose Plaza Athenee as the venue for the summit rather than other five-star hotels or the Foreign Ministry? Was there something special between the Prime Minister and the proprietor of the hotel? Why were recycled paper chairs used at the summit, which will generate more garbage, when the hotel has enough chairs made of other materials?
Assistant Professor Piti suggested Ms. Pannika learns more about “green meeting” venues which, he said, must comprise the following elements; green catering, green arrangements, green documents and low carbon footprint. Plaza Athenee, like the other hotels, is regarded as a green venue.
As for green arrangements, Piti explained that there are no hotels in Bangkok which have thousands of chairs for the summit participants and many trucks would have been used to bring the chairs to the meeting venue. This time, pulp paper chairs, which are light and reusable, were appropriate.
All the information about the “green meeting” venue was available in a documentary released via YouTube, said Piti, adding he wondered if Ms. Pannika had seen it.
He also advised Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to read a book on ASEAN’s 50th anniversary before talking about the group’s principle of non-interference in the affairs of member countries.
