Bangkok Fire-Truck Scandal: NACC Files Charges Against Apirak

[webfact]

FIRE-TRUCK SCANDAL

NACC files charges against five

By The Nation

Former Bangkok governor Apirak among accused

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday called on the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders to take action against five former top officials and an Austrian company for their roles in a fire-vehicle purchase scandal.

The Bt6.68-billion deal is said to have caused massive damage to Thailand.

Apirak Kosayodhin, a prominent member of the Democrat Party and a former Bangkok governor, is among the defendants.

The five others are former interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula, former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont, former deputy commerce minister Wattana Muangsook, the former head of the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department Atilak Tanchukiat and the Austrian supplier Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG.

"The Supreme Court will convene to assign nine judges to look into the case before any decision is formed," NACC lawyer Sittichok Srijaroen said yesterday.

He was speaking after he officially lodged complaints against the six defendants on behalf of the NACC. Five thousand sets of documents and evidence have been submitted to substantiate the case.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders will decide whether to rule on the case on August 24.

This case reaches back to 2004, when Bhokin and the then Austrian ambassador to Thailand signed an agreement of understanding for the purchase of new fire vehicles for the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, which is part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

According to the NACC, Bhokin, Pracha, Wattana, Atilak and the Austrian supplier corruptly arranged the multi-billion-baht deal. Apirak has been accused of negligence for his decision to sign a Letter of Credit for the deal despite knowing that the project was mired with irregularities.

The signing of the Letter of Credit is widely blamed for giving the purchase contract full effect and committing Thailand to pay the supplier, which was later found to have sold the fire trucks and fireboats to the BMA at highly inflated prices.

However, the office of the Attorney General (OAG) has a different opinion from that of the NACC.

It says Wattana, Apirak and Bhokin should not be held responsible for the damage done. The OAG points out that at the time of signing the agreement of understanding, Bhokin was not shown documents that were annexed to the deal later, Wattana at that time was not serving as the deputy commerce minister, and Apirak was legally obliged to open the Letter of Credit.

Former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej - not Apirak - signed the purchase contract for the deal.

Because the NACC does not agree with the OAG's opinion, it has assigned its own lawyers to handle the case.

-- The Nation 2011-07-26

[AlanJones]

Everyone knows Samak signed the deal, without reading it or understanding it. This case should have been resolved long ago.....<BR>

[SomTumTiger]

I'd be curious to know if the firetrucks are STILL sitting in the dockyards. Anyone know?

[RedNIvar]

Blasphemer, how dare the NACC ever link any Dem to any form of graft. They should be tarred and feathered.

[SomTumTiger]

Blasphemer, how dare the NACC ever link any Dem to any form of graft. They should be tarred and feathered.

No one ever said the reds were corruption free - they were just smarter at hiding it then your crowd 555

[animatic]

However, the office of the Attorney General (OAG) has a different opinion from that of the NACC.

It says Wattana, Apirak and Bhokin should not be held responsible for the damage done. The OAG points out that at the time of signing the agreement of understanding, Bhokin was not shown documents that were annexed to the deal later, Wattana at that time was not serving as the deputy commerce minister, and Apirak was legally obliged to open the Letter of Credit.

At least the OAG sees the trees as trees

and not as one big forest in flames.

Don't know much about Bhokin, but Apirak, it has been said many times, legally had no choice but to sign the letter of credit, and no report EVER has said he profits from this in any way.

Also Apirak fell on his sword and resigned when charged, so as not to reflect poorly on the PM's intentions of running a cleaner government if possible. Interesting when Apirak is being mooted as a possible new leader of the Dems and this suddenly pops up again into headlines. Too coincidental IMO.

Edited July 26, 2011 by animatic

[webfact]

Apirak proclaims his innocence in fire vehicle purchase

BANGKOK, 26 July 2011 (NNT) - Former Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin proclaimed his innocence in the fire vehicle purchase, citing he was ready to fight the case in court.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Monday filed a lawsuit against Mr Apirak and others involved in the illegal purchase of fire apparatus in 2004.

The defendants are alleged of malfeasance and corruption as well as signing false documents in their acquirement of fire trucks and boats from an Austrian company while they were in office in 2004.

In response, Mr Apirak said the purchase agreement was signed before he took office as Bangkok Governor. He added the National Counter Corruption Commission that time had scrutinized the agreement during the reign of the late Governor Samak Soonthoravej and found that Mr Apirak was not involved.

He explained that although the fraud case was not connected to him, he had resigned in 2008 to show responsibility and let the committee work freely.

As Mr Apirak is among top candidates for the Democrat Party Secretary-General position; he said the issue would not affect the selection process.

-- NNT 2011-07-26

[taff33]

Dose any one think that justice will be done,e.g.jail term,or will be the rich boys be closing ranks and looking after each other?.

[Richard4849]

I can think of a few instances were Minister-level faces ended up in jail -- but they are unfortunately few and far between. This particular deal really stinks, though. If only they could put the Austrians in jail with the rest of them, as they're just as guilty.

[webfact]

FIRE TRUCK SCANDAL

Apirak ready to prove innocence in court

By ATTHAPHUM ONGKULNA

THE NATION

Says fire-engine scandal should not affect candidacy for party post

Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday vowed to defend his name and said he would not give up his chance to serve as secretary-general of the Democrat Party because of the Bangkok fire-engine scandal, which prompted him to step down as Bangkok governor in 2008.

"I am ready to prove my innocence," Apirak said, adding that he had already showed his responsibility by resigning from his post as Bangkok governor on November 19, 2008.

Apirak was speaking at a press conference a day after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) lodged a complaint against him and five other defendants with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, for their alleged roles in the scandal.

The five others are former interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula, former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont, former deputy commerce minister Wattana Muangsook, the former head of the BMA's Fire and Rescue Department Atilak Tanchukiat and the Austrian supplier Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG.

Bhokin, Pracha and Wattana have been accused of corruption, while Apirak has been accused of negligence for opening a Letter of Credit for the Bt6.68-billion deal despite knowing it was mired in irregularities.

Investigations showed the Austrian supplier sold the fire vehicles to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration at highly inflated prices.

Apirak said yesterday that the BMA had instructed a bank to open the Letter of Credit for the deal on August 31, 2004 - before he became the Bangkok governor.

"I am ready to prove my innocence. I am ready to fight to the end," he said.

He has already assigned Bandhit Siriphan, head of the Seni Pramoj law firm, to prepare his defence.

Apirak said the NACC took over the fire-vehicle purchase case from the now-defunct Assets Examination Committee, which did not find him guilty. He also pointed out that the Office of the Attorney-General agreed he should not face legal action.

He said the NACC's move should not affect his expected nomination for the post of secretary-general of the Democrat Party. The party is expected to select both a new secretary-general and a new leader on August 6.

"The fire-vehicle purchase case and the nomination are two separate issues," Apirak said. The current party leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, would nominate qualified persons for the post and it depended on the party's members who would get the job, he said.

Asked whether he would decline the post if selected, Apirak said, "I think the nominations are well thought out and the final decision rests with all members present at the meeting".

He denied any suggestion that he planned to turn down the secretary-general's post until his name was cleared.

"The scandal broke a long time ago. All party's executives have known it all along. It's not something that just happened," Apirak said, "Besides, I am ready to prove my innocence in court".

Commenting on Apirak's candidacy for the Democrat secretary-general's post, Bangkok MP Boonyod Sooktinthai said his selection depended on a decision of the party's general meeting.

"Apirak is still qualified," Boonyod said.

Another candidate, Wittaya Kaewparadai, who was also sued when he was public health minister, is still qualified as well, Boonyod said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-27

[Gary A]

It seems fairly simple to me. Just follow the money. 3.5 BILLION baht is hard or impossible to hide. That's a LOT of money to steal with just one crooked deal. If no one goes to jail for this, there is little hope to slow the government corruption. All politicians should be investigated for financial irregularities. I know where my money comes from, even though my pittance is not hard to keep track of. They should know where their money came from and be able to explain why they are so wealthy with no obvious source of a huge income. Even sending money offshore can be uncovered no matter how slick they think they are. The old "You don't tell on me and I won't tell on you" system is obsolete in this computer age.