Condemned by everyone for guilting Ichitan’s CEO into paying millions in travel expenses last month, Satriwitthaya 2 School’s marching band returned from Netherlands yesterday to face the music.
In this case, questions from a ravenous press corps.
Yes, the damning voice recording of their principal pushing them to beg Tan Passakornatee was real, they admitted at a press conference. Band members Anusorn Pornneramit and Ponsakorn Lertsakworakul said the voices belonged to them, Principal Patcharapong Treetaepa and Vice Principal Chanika Wangkij. No, they would not discuss their principal’s involvement further.
“We found out that our budget was not approved only two days before asking Tan for money,” Anusorn said. “We are musicians, and we were not involved in the request process whatsoever. When I found out, I did try to ask for sponsors through my connections. We waited until the last day, and we’re ashamed to have asked Tan for money.”
The students faced the press alone and apologized again, with no faculty or administrators present to support them. Principal Patcharapong was conspicuously absent, and education officials announced they will review his actions.
Anusorn and Pongsakorn claimed they were desperate after learning their was no money to travel after practicing for six months. His Pongsakorn added that Tan’s name came up at the time due to his reputation as a generous businessman, Kapook reported.
The Office of The Basic Education Commission yesterday issued a letter to Patcharapong Treetaepa instructing him to report to to discuss the issue. He is subject to disciplinary action if found to have acted inappropriately, according to Springnews.
Ever since word got out of Tan’s charity late last month, netizens set out to dig up dirt on the band and question their sincerity. On Monday someone uploaded a video which claimed to be a conversation between faculty and the students called “Beggars.” It was posted to the Drama Addict page on Facebook, where people love to create Internet drama.
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