Marine officials transferred in case of alleged Bt20m bribery

[webfact]

Marine officials transferred in case of alleged Bt20m bribery

By The Nation

 

 

THE MARINE Department has transferred two officials for violating rules on unloading cargo at a temporary pier.

 

The transfer took place as the Marine Department investigates allegations that Thai officials had allowed a Japanese firm to unload its equipment in exchange for a bribe of about Bt20 million, which was reportedly paid in 2013.

 

“The probe has found one or two officials might have engaged in corruption, because ships using the pier is against normal standards,” Marine Department director-general Chirute Visalachitra said yesterday. “SWe need further evidence to substantiate the claim that they committed grave disciplinary offences.”

 

At this point, the probe has only found that ships using the temporary pier were bigger than regulations allowed. 

 

According to Chirute, a temporary pier can accommodate a ship of up to 500 tonnes. But records show the temporary pier being investigated had allowed ships of about 800 tonnes to moor and unload equipment on about 20 occasions, despite protests from locals. 

 

Sources have said a Japanese firm in charge of the Khanom power plant project in Nakhon Si Thammarat province had used this pier, which has subsequently been dismantled. 

 

 Chirute said his department would ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which is also investigating the bribery claim, to provide information on the case. 

 

“If we get additional evidence, we will launch a disciplinary probe against implicated officials,” he said.

 

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30351173

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-01

[Samui Bodoh]

"...“If we get additional evidence, we will launch a disciplinary probe against implicated officials,” he said.

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning..."

 

"IF, IF, IF"

 

Rarely have I heard such a weaselly statement from a public official.

 

Anyone want to bet that they receive a warning (if that) and then all is forgotten?

 

Until the Thai government starts treating these criminals like criminals, then nothing will ever change.

 

 

[Bluespunk]

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning

Hmm, I wonder what the findings will reveal...

 

Nah, just kidding...we all know what the outcome will be. 

 

Warnings all round chaps. 

[z42]

So taking nearly 3 quarters of a million dollars in corruption will only get you fired from your job (for probably not sharing it), while people are being locked up for sharing news articles, selling pirate cd's, and picking mushrooms. What a farce of a system they've got in place. Dreadful

[colinneil]

Double standards yet again, if you are poor cannot afford a bribe jail time.

If you are a senior government official (crook) you get moved while an investigation takes place. (smokescreen).

That is done to give them time to pass most of the ill-gotten gains further up the chain.

No money passed up the chain, then they get sacked.

 

[ezzra]

What's the worst that can happen, ask himself the would be errant official looking around and seeing his mates living it up on tainted money, disiplinat, slap on the wrist, move to inactive post, fired from the job? not much chance for jale time, Meh, i can live with that, with a bunch of millions stashed somewhere safe comparing to the meager salary i get.... and so the rorts continue to flourish unabated....

[Damrongsak]

58 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Hmm, I wonder what the findings will reveal...

 

Nah, just kidding...we all know what the outcome will be. 

 

Warnings all round chaps. 

Warnings and a bit of income redistribution.  "That was my job!"   I once tipped a guy to speed up my wife's Thai passport application.  Another guy was on vacation and that's what he said when we went to pick up the passport.

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

one or two officials might have engaged in corruption

This has to be one of the biggest understatements of the year.  Every state department; customs/land office/police/immigration only functions when bribe money is paid.

[worgeordie]

"He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. " 

no mention of prison then,the Japanese say they paid the bribe,but Thailand are very

slow in taking any action,been fired,is no punishment,those that accepted the bribe

have at least 20 million,why would they worry,that's why corruption will continue to

thrive here.

regards worgeordie

[robblok]

Just fired, should be fired and criminal investigation and money confiscated. Fired is nothing, if they can keep the money. 

[generealty]

Absolutely dreadful system when poor people face prison for picking mushrooms, or betting on a football match or even bringing attention so some criminal act- yet the connected seem to be exempt from everything, even murder. Will never change until they alter the moved to inactive post is done away with. Should face the same judge and sentence as any other member of society. Thailand 3rd World at its best

 

[Blow Up]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Marine officials transferred in case of alleged Bt20m bribery

Alleged?

Alleged?

Idiots!

[lanista]

In the military all money starts at the top and some trickles down to the lower ranks and maybe a few social functions for the enlisted men.

In the police force most money starts at street level (except gov  budget)   and rookies and other low cops have to send the money up and it keeps going up to the captain who pays millions for his station posting or commission.

The more money you send up the faster you get promoted.

This story about the ports is nothing more than a breakdown  of the  corrupt payments system.

Bribe monies must be paid up through the system  or people will be punished.

The ports and airport freight division are totally corrupt which explains why free trade is a joke. Exporting to Thailand is fraught with dangers. Thai gov doesnt care. Thailand loves exporting only.

Edited August 1, 2018 by lanista

[gk10002000]

Maybe if using other piers had reasonable prices, reasonable service times, no big labor union problems, no bribes needed to get stuff unloaded and transported, etc. 

[AhFarangJa]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The probe has found one or two officials might NOT have engaged in corruption.

There.....Fixed that sentence for them....

[klauskunkel]

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning and 50% of the bribe.

Edited August 1, 2018 by klauskunkel

[300sd]

Crooks policing crooks works good if you're a crook

[AsiaHand]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...“If we get additional evidence, we will launch a disciplinary probe against implicated officials,” he said.

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning..."

 

"IF, IF, IF"

 

Rarely have I heard such a weaselly statement from a public official.

 

Anyone want to bet that they receive a warning (if that) and then all is forgotten?

 

Until the Thai government starts treating these criminals like criminals, then nothing will ever change.

 

 

Those I"IF.,IF,IF"s mean there is 20,000,000 baht out there someplace that we want our share of for a slap on the wrist."

[DM07]

“If we get additional evidence, we will launch a disciplinary probe against implicated officials,” he said.

 

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning"

 

...and IF my grandma had wheels and honked, she would be a bus!

[seajae]

in any other country taking bribes/graft would equate to jail time as well as being fired with any money taken being recovered through seizures of property/bank accounts etc. Here they usually just transfer the guilty party to an inactive post or as in this case fire them( a rare happening) because those higher up the chain do not want to suffer the same treatment when they are caught. Graft/corruption is rife in Thailand because its encouraged by the way the law is imposed if at all, way too many people are involved, it has become entrenched in everyday life here and can be seen constantly from infrastructure being done way under the quality required or allowed for with the original allowance, govt officials demanding bribes to do what they are supposed to do, police, customs officials etc all demand payments and nothing is done about it. Corruption rules in Thailand, if you can pay for something to be done it is, its that simple

[Chris Lawrence]

Didn't see that coming. How could you mistaken so much cargo being unloaded. And who were involved.

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2018 by Chris Lawrence

[overherebc]

8 minutes ago, DM07 said:

“If we get additional evidence, we will launch a disciplinary probe against implicated officials,” he said.

 

He added that if the officials were found guilty of taking bribes, they would be fired. 

 

“But if they just allowed a ship bigger than legal limits, their penalty may only be a warning"

 

...and IF my grandma had wheels and honked, she would be a bus!

According to the headline

it's in case there are allegations.

Jumps on grammar horse and rides into the sunset, yeehaa.

[DM07]

4 minutes ago, overherebc said:

According to the headline

it's in case there are allegations.

Jumps on grammar horse and rides into the sunset, yeehaa.

Oh..."in case"...got it!

?

[neeray]

Nobody commented on “watchgate”. 

As I was reading the editorial, I saw much rhetoric that made me think about the man with the two dozen watches. 

[ratcatcher]

19 minutes ago, seajae said:

in any other country taking bribes/graft would equate to jail time as well as being fired with any money taken being recovered through seizures of property/bank accounts etc. Here they usually just transfer the guilty party to an inactive post or as in this case fire them( a rare happening) because those higher up the chain do not want to suffer the same treatment when they are caught. Graft/corruption is rife in Thailand because its encouraged by the way the law is imposed if at all, way too many people are involved, it has become entrenched in everyday life here and can be seen constantly from infrastructure being done way under the quality required or allowed for with the original allowance, govt officials demanding bribes to do what they are supposed to do, police, customs officials etc all demand payments and nothing is done about it. Corruption rules in Thailand, if you can pay for something to be done it is, its that simple

Your world must be quite small. Thailand ranks 101st out of 176 countries listed on a corruption perception scale.

Certainly nothing to be proud of when looking at the company they keep down there at 101st.

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

[sammieuk1]

Sounds like muddy waters on the dock of that bay.?

[oldrunner]

Thai official (what military rank, by the way) taking a bribe? This is slanderous, and only 10,000,000 Baht each? Pier torn down, no evidence of wrong doing. I really love Thailand.