Bangkok governor seeks PM's advice on controversial fire vehicles

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra Monday discussed with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva the city's 6.7 billion baht purchase of a fleet of Austrian fire vehicles and what action could be taken to have the contract cancelled.

Until a solution is found, the vehicles - both fire engines and boats should not be put to use, Sukhumbhand said.

The city has asked for advice from the Office of the Attorney General as Sukhumbhand seeks alternative ways to cancel the controversial contract. Sukhumbhand said it was highly likely existing evidence could support a cancellation, but as a decision has not yet been made he did not wish the fire vehicles to be used in case it meant the city accepted the contract to be in effect.

-- The Nation 2009-01-26

Bangkok governor seeks PM's advice on controversial fire vehicles

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra Monday discussed with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva the city's 6.7 billion baht purchase of a fleet of Austrian fire vehicles and what action could be taken to have the contract cancelled.

Until a solution is found, the vehicles - both fire engines and boats should not be put to use, Sukhumbhand said.

The city has asked for advice from the Office of the Attorney General as Sukhumbhand seeks alternative ways to cancel the controversial contract. Sukhumbhand said it was highly likely existing evidence could support a cancellation, but as a decision has not yet been made he did not wish the fire vehicles to be used in case it meant the city accepted the contract to be in effect.

-- The Nation 2009-01-26

I don't understand this - have the vehicles been delivered already? If so, how can the contract be cancelled. If not, how can they be used?

Having no fire engines is a great excuse for many casualties in fires in BKK discos. I can just read it now by the owners of the discos "It is not my fault that so many people died - there were no fire engines to put the fires out".

What's this all about? Why would they want to cancel these trucks?

It's part of Samaks shady deals from his time as a wannabe-despot in Bangkok. The same deal that forced his successor to step down last month over accusations of not having tried hard enough to stop they payments [that was carried out per the signed contracts].

What's this all about? Why would they want to cancel these trucks?

Apparently the trucks were at least partly manufactured in Thailand, shipped to Austria for further work, and then shipped back. The allegations are the price is inflated because they were not entirely made in Austria, and that certain people pocketed the difference.