Anutin rejects Chuwit’s claims about Bangkok’s mass transit Orange line and Bhumjaithai’s odds

[webfact]

Whistleblower Chuwit Kamolvisit made his presence felt outside Government House on Wednesday as his anti-corruption campaign took aim at the Orange line infrastructure project in Bangkok overseen by the Ministry of Transport and which is already the subject of an Administrative Court lawsuit related to the bidding process for the western segment of the line. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking later to reporters, described the comments made by Mr Chuwit suggesting irregularity and monies diverted from the project were targeted at the Bhumjaithai Party which oversees the key ministry with Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob being the party’s Secretary-general.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

Chuwit arrived at Government House on Wednesday and waved the Thai flag before being invited inside to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha. His latest revelation comes as his campaign has begun to pivot more and more towards examining officials in government after his campaign led to the smashing of a Chinese triad network in Thailand which has raised corruption to the top of the political agenda just before the economy.

Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, on Saturday, campaigning in Phatthalung, played down claims by Mr Chuwit Kamolvisit that the Bhumjaithai Party will not win seats in Bangkok in the forthcoming General Election after earlier in the week suggesting that allegations of graft linked with the Bangkok mass transit Orange Line were an indirect attack on his party as it oversees the Ministry of Transport.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin, on Thursday last, put it up to whistleblower extraordinaire Chuwit Kamolvisit to back up claims made by the activist suggesting impropriety in the bidding process for a ฿140 billion mass transit project connecting Bangkok’s Thailand Cultural Centre with the Bang Khun Non sub-district of Bangkok Noi on the west of the city as part of the Orange line in the city’s mass transit plan.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/02/25/anutin-plays-down-chuwit-corruption-claims-orange-line-bangkok/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-02-27

 

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[spidermike007]

There is alot of room for a whistle-blower here. The extent of the likely corruption and rot under Anutin, Cha Cha and the toxic Thai army would likely boggle the mind. Exposing them can only be good for the nation. It requires alot of nerve, of which Chuwit does not seem to be lacking. 

[zzaa09]

33 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There is alot of room for a whistle-blower here. The extent of the likely corruption and rot under Anutin, Cha Cha and the toxic Thai army would likely boggle the mind. Exposing them can only be good for the nation. It requires alot of nerve, of which Chuwit does not seem to be lacking. 

Even though it's a bit of a show, hopefully something positive might come of it.

The boulder growing substantially - if more get behind the movement. 

 

Off with all the rascal's heads

[rwill]

It seems pretty obvious to me Chuwit is a puppet for someone more powerful.  Where is he getting all his information?  Why is he not already in court on defamation charges?  Why has he not mysteriously disappeared?

[SuperSilverHaze]

He has a right to his opinion but as health minister why does he feel compelled to comment other than CYA and possible run for prime minister...?

 

Chuwit track record pretty good

[SuperSilverHaze]

3 minutes ago, rwill said:

It seems pretty obvious to me Chuwit is a puppet for someone more powerful.  Where is he getting all his information?  Why is he not already in court on defamation charges?  Why has he not mysteriously disappeared?

I'm not so sure. He's pretty much lived his life on the underbelly of Bangkok. I'm sure he's still wired in tight.

[zzaa09]

1 minute ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

I'm not so sure. He's pretty much lived his life on the underbelly of Bangkok. I'm sure he's still wired in tight.

Oh yeah.

Bet on it. 

[tomacht8]

State tenders, proof of the use of money and budget control should actually be public. Thailand lacks independent control institutions. That 30 billion baht can be sucked off so easily, actually unimaginable but TiT.

[mikebell]

20 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

30 billion baht can be sucked off so easily,

But it must go somewhere.  I thought the law of 'being/becoming unusually rich' was meant to stop this.  All senior figures should be forced to reveal their assets; that includes officials in the police/armed forces; politicians; the Business world and Prawit.

[bamnutsak]

3 hours ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

He has a right to his opinion but as health minister why does he feel compelled to comment other than CYA and possible run for prime minister...?

He's defending his party, BJT, and his fellow party member Saksayam Chidchob, the minister of transport.

 

Some would argue that NOT pilfering from the MoT budget would be cause for dismissal based in incompetence.

[The Alien]

Soon there’ll be fight between Chuwit and Sondhi Lim as the latter is staunch supporter of Anutin’s party. Sondhi uses FB, YouTube, Podcast and his own App to attack anyone who is against Anutin’s party. 

[ikke1959]

There was a party last week of 7 days in a temple for a ordination of a monk with the music so loud that we couldn't hear ou own tv, while the temple is 500 meters away... My partner said it is a rich family we can't do anything about it...... and we met a person who is working at a high position in the local government here and she said , that she was also very annoyed with the loud music, but they couldn't do anything... I wonder how much the organizer had paid as he is rich and it seems they have all rights..... Just a example of corruption, as even government officals can't interfere, while a whole neighbourhood is being terrorized by this family

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

suggesting that allegations of graft linked with the Bangkok mass transit Orange Line were an indirect attack on his party as it oversees the Ministry of Transport.

Interesting! I wonder who were the eventual contractors for the Orange Line - Sino Thai by any chance??

[bamnutsak]

2 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Interesting! I wonder who were the eventual contractors for the Orange Line - Sino Thai by any chance??

BEM (Bangkok Expressway and Metro PLC) won the bid over Italian-Thai, by bidding quite a bit LESS than Ital-Thai.

 

Shenanigans are possible through the usual routes, mostly kick-backs and overcharges and delays. But on this one it may be the land/property buy-back that is "curious", and has caught Chuwit's attention?

 

 

 

 

[Forza2002]

16 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Interesting! I wonder who were the eventual contractors for the Orange Line - Sino Thai by any chance??

It looks like Sino Thai were indeed awarded a number of Contracts on the Orange Line. Who would have thought? https://mrta-orangelineeast.com/en/consultants 

[Burma Bill]

29 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

BEM (Bangkok Expressway and Metro PLC) won the bid over Italian-Thai,

Many thanks for answering my question.

[bamnutsak]

20 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Many thanks for answering my question.

I was referring to the new western section. Which is what, I think, Chuwit is talking about.

 

The eastern section, which is nearing completion, is what Forza2002 posted about.