The Pheu Thai Party has peppered Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with questions about the Rajabhakti Park project - including who initiated it, why is it in Prachuap Khiri Khan and who chose the contractors?
In a statement released on Wednesday, the party asked who actually initiated the one-billion-baht park project.
It also asked why Rajabhakti Park was built in Prachuap Khiri Khan province instead of Bangkok, Thon Buri or Ayutthaya -- present and former capitals of Thailand that were directly related to the seven former kings whose giant statues were erected at the park.
It asked why a park intended to honour the former kings included resort houses for guests of the army, and why the army sought a budget from the government's central contingency fund to implement a project that was not urgent at all.
Pheu Thai also wondered why the government allocated a budget to a project on army land while drought victims and farmers suffering from low crop prices still needed help.
It questioned the army's need to seek donations from organisations at a time of economic problems to fund the project's construction, and why most of the contractors for the project were selected without a bidding contest.
The party also asked why an amulet trader was involved in a government project and been able to demand kickbacks from foundries that built the giant statues.
Pheu Thai criticised the government for banning demonstrators from visiting the park to demand a quick investigation into alleged irregularities in the project. It declared the restrictions a serious violation of civic rights.
The party's statement asked how the government intended to go about seeking a royal pardon, saying the irregularities had tarnished a project intended to honour former great kings.
