Bangkok’s multi-billion-baht fire truck scandal still burning after 2 decades

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

A long-smoldering corruption case has reignited after the Supreme Administrative Court recently ordered the heirs of late Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej to pay 587 million baht in compensation for his role in procuring a fleet of firefighting vehicles.

 

The 587 million baht is 30 percent of 1.95 billion baht – the difference between the equipment’s market price and the amount paid by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to the Austrian supplier.

 

The other 70 percent is to be collected from former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and ex-BMA Fire and Rescue Department chief Pol Maj-General Athilak Tanchukiat. Pracha and Athilak – who were convicted for their roles in the deal by the Supreme Court in 2013 – are on the run.

 

The Supreme Court did not rule on Samak because he died in 2009. Samak also served briefly as prime minister from January 29 to September 9, 2008.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkoks-multi-billion-baht-fire-truck-scandal-still-burning-after-2-decades/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-27

 

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[JoePai]

Dream on !

[ChrisY1]

That these trucks have been parked up for 2 decades...regardless the corruption involved...is testament to the idiocy that prevails in Thailand!

As for getting money back fro families...as Joepai says..dream on!

[bdenner]

Never ends. Fleets of busses, 2nd hand trains etc. - can't be any real estate left in Lam Cha Bang!!

We had quite a number of fire fighting appliences delivered to the rice paddies about 2 years after the initial delivery. To a wheel they are in a shocking state but still on the road = pity help us.

Edited June 27, 2022 by bdenner

[steven100]

I just read an article about this that was in the paper on 2017 ....

This scandal has had more court cases, lawsuits and court rulings than Donald Trump.

It appears Steyr had to pay 820Mil baht to BMA. 

[userabcd]

Govt has probably spent more than that holding enquiriies, meetings and investigations.

[sammieuk1]

They need more swamp draining trucks now ????

[off road pat]

...."The other 70 percent is to be collected from former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and ex-BMA Fire and Rescue Department chief Pol Maj-General Athilak Tanchukiat. Pracha and Athilak – who were convicted for their roles in the deal by the Supreme Court in 2013 – are on the run."....

Any chance they are in the vicinity of the Red Bull Heir ????

[Geordieabroad]

That amount will seem like a drop in the ocean when the Chinese submarines arrive and are parked up for 20 years ????

[Sydebolle]

Samak got dethroned over a ridiculous remuneration for a cooking show on TV while the law stipulated, that he was not allowed to attend to any other work. 

Common sense in Thailand explained and for the lukewarm attempt to get a single Baht back from that heist of almost 2 billion ........ dream on is indeed the theme! 

If the BMA as well as any other government agency would have to publish their needs, their applications and the people's right to query an expense, the city halls of Thailand would be most likely empty. The corruption is sooooooo rampant and there is apparently absolutely nothing, the Thai people want to undertake to stop getting skinned alive. It is modern looting and the looted victim just watch it happening. 

Only once the electorate understands, that these crooks are going to town with the taxpayers money, that the government is not earning a single cent, only then there is light at the end of the tunnel which is not the headlight of an engine racing against them. 

Keep on dreaming, yes, but the day will come and the dam will burst. Certain cracks are already in the dam's wall but the bloody wall is very thick and high; lets hope for the best! 

[stoner]

everyone making snide comments is just jelly. 

 

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

2 hours ago, off road pat said:

Any chance they are in the vicinity of the Red Bull Heir ????

No, he drove, they ran....

[Iamfalang]

In a former life I got convinced of swindling 1.4 billion baht.

I had to pay back 800 million baht, which I did.  

You do the math.......I've living big now under a new name!!!!

Don't do the crime if you can't pay the fine, and there ain't no time.

all about that pay day!!!  

[steven100]

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

but the day will come and the dam will burst

certainly not in my life time and I very much doubt in yours,  usually someone high up is being paid off monthly to turn a blind eye.  Normally the perpetrators die from old age or statue of limitations is invoked making it useless to pursue 

[Phil1964]

High ranking Thai officials make our tory government look massively competent, honourable and ethical.

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

The 587 million baht is 30 percent of 1.95 billion baht – the difference between the equipment’s market price and the amount paid by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to the Austrian supplier.

 

The other 70 percent is to be collected from former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and ex-BMA Fire and Rescue Department chief Pol Maj-General Athilak Tanchukiat. Pracha and Athilak – who were convicted for their roles in the deal by the Supreme Court in 2013 – are on the run.

A right ole mess!

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

They need more swamp draining trucks now ????

Thailand has a bigger swamp than DC.

[Sydebolle]

23 hours ago, steven100 said:

certainly not in my life time and I very much doubt in yours,  usually someone high up is being paid off monthly to turn a blind eye.  Normally the perpetrators die from old age or statue of limitations is invoked making it useless to pursue 

The bottle neck is on top of the bottle ...... let's see. But having said that, it is up to the gifted voters to get through the maze and yes, I for one cannot put a timeline on all this just yet ????