Plodprasob Ties To Firms Probed: Isra News Agency

[webfact]

Plodprasob ties to firms probed: Isra

The Nation

Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadi has been questioned over a possible conflict of interest in relation to companies in which his wife, son and associates are shareholders, according to Isra News Agency.

The firms have won over Bt200 million worth of contracts as consultants to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry since 2003.

Plodprasob's wife Tanya formerly owned 27.7 per cent of shares in Tesco Capital, which was registered on August 18, 2009. She also owned a 9.1-per-cent stake in Retech Energy Co Ltd, registered on November 15, 2004, and 15 per cent in Thai-German Energy Co Ltd, registered on February 23, 2009.

There are cross-shareholdings among the companies.

Tanya transferred the Retech and Tesco Capital shares to the couple's eldest son, Pinsai, on July 1, 2011, before the election, the report said. The Thai-German Energy shares were transferred back-and-forth between Tesco Capital, Retech and ASFE Biogas GmbH in October, after Plodprasob took the science minister's post.

To prevent conflict of interest, ministers and their spouses are prohibited from holding over 5 per cent of shares in a company.

Plodprasob is a former director-general of the Forestry Department. He was permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry from 2002 to 2004 and vice minister at the same ministry in 2005.

Atchara Wongsaengchan, a former secretary of Plodprasob when the latter was Forestry Department director-general, also owns shares in the three companies. She is now a director in the Marine and Coastal Resources Department.

From 2003 to April 2011, nine agencies within the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry hired Tesco as a consultant under 39 contracts worth Bt163.8 million. Four of the projects were under the Forestry and Marine and Coastal Resources departments.

-- The Nation 2012-01-02

[Buchholz]

No wonder 1,000 Boats To Control A Flood Plodprasob is the richest Cabinet Minister. Richer in declared assets, of nearly a Billion Baht, than even Yingluck.

.

[pimay11]

Here we go. Déjà Vu all over again. I wonder if he transfered the shares to his secretary. Or maybe maid, cook, gardner, driver.........

[trogers]

Thai justice had accepted the reason of 'an honest mistake'. This is just another...

[Misterwhisper]

Seems he's pulling a "Shinawatra"...

[geriatrickid]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayamail.com/612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

[slapout]

Look at the era of his rapid climb within the Thai political/consultant business, positions held, and the role model can be assumed????. Wonder how much his companies received for work on the CM Night Safari project as well as the boat propulsion of river flow ? He may not be the sharpest scientific brain in the trough but his Thai business sense would indicate he is head and shoulders above the majority of his cohorts.

[Phatcharanan]

I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

Gosh............really?

[pimay11]

I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

Gosh............really?

I doubt it. Just business as usual.

[OzMick]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayama.../612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

And there's never been a politician who took his back-hander in shares.................? Perhaps he has receipts, and bank transfers to match.

I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet due to his piss-poor performance, corruption would just be the icing on his ineptitude, but this is PTP and I'm afraid we'll both be sadly disappointed.

[EyesWideOpen]

I always wondered how this guy , who is clearly not the sharpest tool in the drawer, amassed a billion baht. Now it is abundantly clear......

[sbk]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayama.../612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

You need to re-read the law gk.

To prevent conflict of interest, ministers and their spouses are prohibited from holding over 5 per cent of shares in a company.

Please do try to keep it in the topic of conflict of interest as a shareholder (or wife as a shareholder) in companies while holding a Ministerial post, cheers

[jayboy]

I always wondered how this guy , who is clearly not the sharpest tool in the drawer, amassed a billion baht. Now it is abundantly clear......

I don't know enough about his record to comment on his intellect, but I too would like to know exactly how a relatively poorly paid civil servant amassed such a huge fortune.It's actually quite important to know.

Trouble is a huge number of politicians, officials and senior military officers have a similar back story if not usually on the same jaw dropping scale.So omerta rules.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There are a couple of issues with this article:

1. the article states the limitation on MINISTERS and their wives not owning more than 5% share in a company... But...based on the article's account, all of his and the wife's ownership seems to have been prior to the election when he became a minister... Before that, he was in various government positions, but not a minister.. Perhaps those lesser positions have some similar restriction, but the article doesn't say so..

1a. Or, is what's really at issue here is whether the pre-election ownership transfers to the eldest son were just sham/fake transactions similar to those done previously by Plod's mentor and hero? Pinsai, dear, can you just hold onto these shares for us until your father ends up getting fired from the government? Thanks so much...

2. Plod was questioned by WHOM???? The police? The NACC? The Dems in Parliament?

3. What the heck is Isra News Agency??? I've never heard that name before.

PS - BTW, I wouldn't make any bets on the likelihood of the guy getting fired for incompetence any time soon. In the circles in which he travels, that particular trait is considered an asset... not a fault or failing.

Edited January 2, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[bigbamboo]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayama.../612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

You need to re-read the law gk.

To prevent conflict of interest, ministers and their spouses are prohibited from holding over 5 per cent of shares in a company.

Please do try to keep it in the topic of conflict of interest as a shareholder (or wife as a shareholder) in companies while holding a Ministerial post, cheers

Ouch! The Geriatrickid gets a lesson from Mistress Whiplash!

Edited January 2, 2012 by bigbamboo

[Buchholz]

3. What the heck is Isra News Agency??? I've never heard that name before.

It is the Thai Press Development Foundation.

Homepage = http://www.isranews.org/

This is the OP's original article (in Thai) on the asset hiding Cabinet Minister Plodprasob:

http://www.isranews....2%E0%B8%99.html

btw, there's' also another interesting related article there regarding the many luxury autos owned by Yingluck's Cabinet Ministers, eg. Plodprasob has 13 while Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk has 17:

http://www.isranews....8%E0%B8%87.html

.

[moe666]

Those cars must be gifts from Big T for continuing and unwavering support and kissing up to the boss. As a friend of mine often said if you want to get ahead donot leave the bosses behind

[OzMick]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayama.../612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

You can also read about him here:

Hans-Dieter Westphal - Nordsee-Zeitung

trauer.nordsee-zeitung.de/11598236/gallery?... - Translate this page

Hans-Dieter Westphal : Obituary notice. (22nd September 2011)

[sparebox2]

Be careful before making unfounded statements.

ReTech is an authorized representative (one of many) for Oilon Oy, the Finnish company. The managing director and registered owner is German, Hans Dieter Westphal. Read about him here; http://www.pattayama.../612/who.shtml. This is a legitimate business.

ASFE Biogas GmbH a related industry to ReTech, providing the industrial plant and expertise in respect to Biogas applications. It too is a legitimate business.

I believe Tesco Capital is the holding company for the investments in these two small companies.

If the assets were properly declared in accordance with the applicable Thai laws, then there is no impropriety. However, if there was an attempt to conceal the ownership, this is wrong and the minister should resign. I anticipate he will be removed from the cabinet at the next shuffle unless he clears this up.

legitimate business?

AIS, ThaiAirAsia, ITV, ShinSat, SC Asset, etc are also all legitimate business, until Thaksin is caught stealing tax payer money / or using tax payer to subsidisy his business directly or indirectly.

[jayboy]

3. What the heck is Isra News Agency??? I've never heard that name before.

It is the Thai Press Development Foundation.

Homepage = http://www.isranews.org/

This is the OP's original article (in Thai) on the asset hiding Cabinet Minister Plodprasob:

http://www.isranews....2%E0%B8%99.html

btw, there's' also another interesting related article there regarding the many luxury autos owned by Yingluck's Cabinet Ministers, eg. Plodprasob has 13 while Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk has 17:

http://www.isranews....8%E0%B8%87.html

.

All this is quite interesting but many urban Thais own several expensive cars even in my pissy muubaaan.What would be really encouraging to see would be some "drill down" solid analysis by the Thai press of (in the first instance) politicians' wealth and how it was accumulated.

[sparebox2]

3. What the heck is Isra News Agency??? I've never heard that name before.

It is the Thai Press Development Foundation.

Homepage = http://www.isranews.org/

This is the OP's original article (in Thai) on the asset hiding Cabinet Minister Plodprasob:

http://www.isranews....2%E0%B8%99.html

btw, there's' also another interesting related article there regarding the many luxury autos owned by Yingluck's Cabinet Ministers, eg. Plodprasob has 13 while Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk has 17:

http://www.isranews....8%E0%B8%87.html

.

All this is quite interesting but many urban Thais own several expensive cars even in my pissy muubaaan.What would be really encouraging to see would be some "drill down" solid analysis by the Thai press of (in the first instance) politicians' wealth and how it was accumulated.

A politians wealth should or should not be judged by the number of expensive cars he/she owns?

I bet none of the cars are registered under his/her name.

[sparebox2]

According to the side web site

These 4 MPs don't have cars. Looking at their surname, I don't believe them

ในจำนวนนี้รัฐมนตรีที่แจ้งว่า ไม่มีรถยนต์ คือ

1.นายวิรุฬ เตชะไพบูลย์ รัฐมนตรีช่วยว่าการกระทรวงการคลัง

2.นายสันติ พร้อมพัฒน์ รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงการพัฒนาสังคมและความมั่นคงของมนุษย์

3.นายเผดิมชัย สะสมทรัพย์ รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงแรงงาน

4.นายฐานิสร์ เทียนทอง รัฐมนตรีช่วยว่าการกระทรวงมหาดไทย

Edited January 3, 2012 by sparebox2