A list of expensive furniture prepared for a new building under construction for the State Audit Office (SAO) -- which collapsed during Friday's earthquake -- has sparked a strong backlash on social media.
The STRONG Anti-Corruption Thailand Facebook page published details of the building's expenses, including the cost of furniture and fittings.
Among the most eye-catching revelations were the high prices of items intended for the SAO's administrative offices, said the group.
Notably, conference chairs for the meeting room were priced at 97,900 baht each, with 28 chairs purchased for two rooms -- totalling 2.7 million baht. Also, a set of luxury carpets cost 165,000 baht each, while a set of sofas was priced at 157,000 baht.
The most expensive item revealed was a set of carpets for the chairman's office, priced at 110,000 baht each. In total, the costs for various luxury fittings amounted to millions of baht, according to the group.
These costs were met with public outrage, with many expressing frustration over what appeared to be a misuse of taxpayers' money.
Social media users commented, "I just paid my taxes last month, and now I see where my hard-earned money is going," and "This is the agency that audits government spending -- yet they need to audit themselves first."
