Apirak Suspends 16 Construction Projects Worth Bt20 Billion

[george]

Apirak suspends 16 construction projects worth Bt20 billion

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin Wednesday ordered the suspension of 16 mega-projects of the city administration worth some Bt20 billion following allegations of irregularities in term of reference.

Abhirak said he set up a committee headed by Bangkok deputy city clerk Ratthapol Meethanathavorn to review the projects and determine if they were irregularities as complained.

He said biddings for ten of the projects had been held but the city administration had not signed contracts with the bidding winners yet. Biddings for the six remaining projects have yet to be held, he said.

He said he asked the committee to review the projects as soon as possible and the review should be finished within seven days.

Apirak said the committee would review from the stage when the projects were designed and planned, the stage when qualifications of the projects were set and when the terms of reference were made.

He said he had received complaints that the terms of reference were drafted to allow only a handful of companies to be eligible to participate in bidding.

The 16 projects included three road tunnel projects, and several road constructions and expansion projects.

--The Nation 2006-01-11

[george]

City orders probe into e-auctions

Apirak puts freeze on BMA's megaprojects

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin has put the city's 16 megaprojects under the e-auction system on hold and ordered an investigation into alleged corruption following complaints over bidding collusion. Mr Apirak said he set up an investigation panel after getting complaints from certain bidders regarding the projects, valued at 20 billion baht, which came under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) Public Works Department.

The investigation team, chaired by deputy city clerk Ratthapol Meethanathavorn, would check on all the procedures and question everyone involved, including a deputy governor in charge of public works. It will work closely with the Department of Special Investigation which had also received the complaints. Results of the inquiry are expected on Jan 18.

All the complaints involved the bidding terms, which were allegedly written in favour of some construction companies, making it impossible for others to join the bidding.

The governor said new rounds of auctions must be opened to find new contractors for projects found lacking transparency. Those that had received budgets would have to be reprocessed, he said.

A BMA source said all the suspended projects came under the supervision of Deputy Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte, who was in charge of the city's Public Works Department and that the complainants were the firms CPSA Joint Venture, Boonsaha Korsang and Seafco. Another BMA source said transparency of the 16 projects had been questioned by the House anti-corruption committee, chaired by Thai Rak Thai MP Thewan Liptapanlop, as well as Thai Rak Thai city councillor Visoot Tangsamretvanich.

Meanwhile, Mr Samart said he had received complaints regarding an alleged lack of transparency in the projects, saying he would check on the Public Works Department and delay the hiring of contractors under the projects in question.

''I'm an executive, so I don't look at details but provide policy on transparency. I don't think it's an attempt to discredit someone politically but a joint effort to monitor work and save state money,'' he said, denying allegations he was involved in the irregularities in a bid to serve some influential people in the Democrat party.

According to one BMA source, the 10 projects in which bidding had been completed and contractors chosen are:

The 1.02-billion-baht Charan Sanitwong-Boromratchonnanee underpass project, won by Ch Karnchang Plc;

The 969-million-baht Charan Sanitwong-Phran Nok underpass project, won by Napa Korsang Partnership Ltd;

The 1.15-billion-baht Taksin-Ratchadaphisek underpass project, won by Promwiwat Korsaeng Co;

The 1.97-billion-baht reconstruction of the Phatthanakan-Udomsuk section of Srinakarin road and the construction of the Srinakarin-Udomsuk underpass, won by Unique Engineering & Construction Co;

The 365.77-million-baht extension of Phatthanakan road from Sukhumvit 77 to Sukhumvit 103, won by Seafco Plc;

The 1.36-billion-baht Suwinthawong elevated road project, won by Ch Karnchang Plc;

The 2.28-billion-baht Krungthep Kritha-Rom Klao road project (first phase), won by Unique Engineering & Construction Co;

The 2.17-billion-baht Krungthep Kritha-Rom Klao road project (second and third phases), won by Sino-Thai Plc;

The 1.04-billion-baht Phran Nok-Phutthamonthon Sai 4 road (first phase), won by Italian-Thai Development Plc;

The 16.46-billion-baht Phahon Yothin-Rattanakosinsompote road project, won by Krungthon Engineering Co;

The remaining projects in which the bidding process had yet to start were:

The Hathairat (Suwinthawong-Sai Mai) road project;

The Ramkhamhaeng-eastern ring road overpass project;

The Phatthanakan-Onnuj parallel road project;

The Sakae-ngam road project;

The Phutthamonthon Sai 1 road project;

The Si Ayutthaya-Rama VI underpass project

--

--Bangkok Post 2006-01-12

[stoneman]

If these contracts were awarded to friends of the ruling TRT party, I think Mr. Toxin may be a little upset...

[penzman]

More material for Sondhi to look at. The man found a gold mine in Thaksin and his cronies.