Four city officials faulted by NACC for light show project

[snoop1130]

Four city officials faulted by NACC for light show project

 

 

Four officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have been faulted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission for malfeasance in office in connection with the controversial 39.5-million-baht “Bangkok Light of Happiness” project.

 

The four officials were identified as Ms Pranee Sattayaprakob, director of the BMA’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Office; Mr Thawatchai Chan-ngarm, director of the BMA’s Tourism Office;  and two tourism development officials–Mr Morakot Pumipanich and Mr Sitthichoke Apibarn.

 

The NACC also found that Curio Tour & Travel Company, Sansang Company, and four other individuals were the accomplices.

 

The NACC, however, cleared former Deputy Bangkok Governor Chumpol Sampaopol and two other individuals and two private companies, including Jipatha Idea Company, Siam M.E.E. Company, of any wrongdoings in connection with the light show project.

 

The findings will be submitted to the BMA so that disciplinary actions will be taken against the four officials and also to the Office of the Attorney-General to consider criminal litigation against them.

 

Full Story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/four-city-officials-faulted-nacc-light-show-project/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-11-7

[webfact]

Four BMA officials face prosecution for corruption in New Year lighting scandal

By THE NATION

 

 

THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has initiated criminal proceedings against four city officials over their allegedly corrupt roles in the much-publicised New Year lighting project.

The Bt39.5-million Motif of Light project was implemented during MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra’s term as Bangkok governor two years ago. 

 

However, the NACC did not conclude that either Sukhumbhand or his then-deputy Jumpol Sumpaopol were guilty of corruption in relation to the project. 

 

NACC deputy secretary-general Warawit Sukboon yesterday announced guilty verdicts against just four Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials: Pranee Sattayaprakop, who heads the BMA Culture, Sport and Tourism Department; Tawatchai Chan-ngarm, who heads the BMA Tourism Division; and Morakot Phumpanich and Sittichoke Apibarn, who work in the latter division. 

 

 

The four officials were found guilty of engaging in corruption and abuse of authority in violation of the Criminal Code and of committing grave disciplinary offences.

 

Six other suspects including the firm Curio Tour and Travel were found guilty of being accomplices. 

“They will face criminal proceedings. For officials, we have also forwarded our investigative report to their supervisors so that they can consider meting out disciplinary penalties,” Warawit said. 

 

Sukhumbhand faces new probe

 

In May of last year, the NACC set up a sub-committee to investigate the project. 

 

Eighteen suspects, including Jumpol, who approved the budget for the project, were targeted by the probe. 

 

However, investigators did not find any grounds to believe that Jumpol had engaged in wrongdoing. 

 

Nor is he among 16 suspects that the NACC will target in a further probe related to document forgery associated with the project. However, Warawit said the NACC had ordered a probe against Sukhumbhand for alleged negligence as he failed to prevent corruption. 

 

Sukhumbhand came up with the idea for the BMA to stage extravagant New Year lighting decorations in 2015 reportedly to promote tourism.

 

At that time, tourism had suffered in the wake of the deadly bomb blast that occurred at the Erawan Shrine in the heart of Bangkok. 

 

The NACC probe found that Tawatchai and his team had only contacted Curio Tour and Travel, with the terms of reference and scope of work prepared based on the firm’s information. 

 

Pranee also reduced the bidding period apparently in favour of Curio Tour and Travel, which had stated that the sale and installation of decorative lights were part of its business services just before it tendered the bid for the Motif of Light. 

 

Curio Tour and Travel eventually won the project. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30331076

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-07

[Get Real]

Good!

[The Deerhunter]

On 08/11/2017 at 10:10 AM, Get Real said:

Good!

We are getting a few but it is not even a melted drop of water from the tip of the iceberg.