Multi Billion Baht Projects Cancelled After Alleged Corruption Scandal

[Jai Dee]

BANGKOK GOVERNOR SCRAPPED 9 MULTI-BILLION BAHT PROJECTS AFTER ALLEGED CORRUPTION SCANDAL

Bangkok Governor Aphirak Kosayothin (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน) has ordered cancellation of 9 projects under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration after corruption in the projects were confirmed.

After 7 days of investigation and questioning of 22 people, the BMA's investigative committee for the alleged corruption in 16 projects chaired by BMA Deputy Permanent-Secretary Ratthaphol Meethanathaworn (รัฐพล มีธนาถาวร) found corruption in 9 out of the 10 projects that already underwent auction. As for the 9 projects that have yet to proceed with the auctioning process, the Bangkok governor has ordered a temporary halt to the projects and ordered that responsible persons be sought out within 30 days.

In the meantime Prime Minister's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva (สุรนันท์ เวชชาชีวะ) has called for the Bangkok governor to reconsider the appointment of Police General Pratin Santipraphob (ประทิน สันติประภพ) to lead the investigation into the BMA scandals.

Mr. Suranand reasoned that Pol. Gen. Prathin was involved with the unrest in front of Government House last week and also had close ties to figures within the Democrat Party.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

AN ACADEMICIAN VIEWS THAT DISCLOSING CORRUPTIONS IN BANGKOK'S PROJECTS IS POLITIC CONFLICT

Mr. ASDANG PANIKABUTR (อัษฎางค์ ปาณิกบุตร), an academic, expressed his view on the Bangkok’s projects corruption case, saying it was a political dispute, aimed at defaming the Democrat Party.

He spoke about corruption problems in Bangkok and stated that corruptions took place regularly. However, he said the Bangokians have shown little interest in this issue, and he would like to see more people to pay attention to them.

He notified that the government had disclosed this issue because it wanted to reduce public confidence towards the Opposition. However, he suggested that Bangkok Governor APHIRAK KOSAYOTHIN (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน) should designate a team of committee to observe and verify the matter, as it would display his honesty in solving the problem.

He also said that the government should set up a committee which composed of public representatives to help inspect corruptions Thailand.

Source: ThaiSNews.com ประจำวันศุกร์ที่ 20 มกราคม 2549

[Jai Dee]

GENERAL PRATIN BELIEVES INVESTIGATION INTO BMA'S CASE WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN 30 DAYS.

Head of an investigation team probing the irregularities in the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) projects Police General Pratin Santiprapob (ประทิน สันติประภพ) expressed confidence that the investigation will be completed within 30 days.

Police General Pratin said that today (Jan 24), the team will invite Mr. Jim Pantumgomol (จิม พันธุมโกมล), director of BMA’s Public Works Department, Deputy director of the Department, Pattarut Tantaranon (ภัทรุตม์ ทรรทรานนท์), and deputy city clerk Yon-choke Sukmak (ยลโชค สุขมาก) for questioning. He said that tomorrow, two construction firms will testify on accusations that the BMA’s bidding process was not transparent. He assured that the investigations will be completed within 30 days.

The former Senator also said that his discussion with deputy city clerk Ratapon Meetanataworn (รัฐพล มีธนาถาวร) has helped him obtain more information, adding that his team will look into the BMA’s reasons for closing the bidding quickly so that it can get the government’s budgetary support on December 31. He said that the investigation will be done in a straightforward manner.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

THAI RAK THAI FOUND DOCUMENTS OF COMMISSION REQUESTS BY BMA OFFICIALS IN THE 16 PROJECTS SCANDAL

The Thai Rak Thai Party has found documents pointing to commission requests worth about four billion baht by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials in projects under the BMA.

Police General PRATHIN SANTIPRAPHOB (ประทิน สันติประภพ), the head of the BMA's investigative committee for the corruption within Bangkok's 16 multi-billion baht projects, has called for committee members to meet twice a day in order to foster rapid work. He expects a clear work criterion to be yielded within 2-3 days.

In the meantime, Thai Rak Thai Deputy Leader SUDARAT KEYURAPHAN (สุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธ์) said that the government possess documents of commission requests by BMA officials worth four billion baht, and has handed them to the Department of Special Investigation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 January 2006

[OldAsiaHand]

This all follows a long and well established business practice here.

Bribes are paid in advance. Ergo, when corruption is discovered -- "I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED, you hear!" -- the contracts are cancelled and new 'bids' are solicited. That, of course, requires a new round of bribes to be paid, usually to the group that 'discovered' the corruption in the first deal. Some big projects (circa, the airport) are real cash cows, good for dozens of rounds of cancelled deals and fresh bribes to new players.

And so it it, and so it has always been.......

Edited January 24, 2006 by OldAsiaHand

[Jai Dee]

DEMOCRAT PARTY HAS BEEN CALLED UPON TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BMA'S CORRUPTION CASE.

Executive members of Thai Rak Thai party called on the Democrat party to show responsibility for the irregularities in the biddings of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) 16 projects.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Adisorn Piengkait (อดิศร เพียงเกษ), as executive member of the Thai Rak Thai party, said that the Democrat party should show its responsibility in the collusion allegation in the BMA’s mega projects worth 20 billion baht, as all sides have seen that the management of the BMA is linked with the Democrat party . He said that the government has received information from the Department of Special Investigation for a long time, adding that the opposition should monitor its members for fairness in the same way that it scrutinizes the government. He also asks that the president overseeing corruption cases of the opposition, Alongkorn Polabut (อลงกรณ์ พลบุตร) look into the case.

Mr. Adisorn added that the technologies used in investigation are advanced, adding that the culprits will be found. He said that if the suspects are not guilty, the investigation results will also clear them of the charges.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 January 2006

[BKK90210]

In Thailand, there are numbers of social constraint force like corruption, cronyism, and complacency shape the normal cultural norms and determine the way businesses should run or are run. These forces were directly or indirectly responsible for most part for the country’s economic collapse in the first place. I think many projects that never should never have left the drawing board in the first place, but though cronyism many of these did. In addition there are the growth of speculative investments that became more rapid with collusion between some people in the authority sector, some financiers and tycoons. Permits were being issued and regulations being too relaxed in exchange for bribe of any form or so called - gratitude money. These behaviors benefis certain businesses and fatten the pockets of many those involved, including many officials. Which results in the country became not only reckless but uncompetitive! This is the country where the playing field is not level, and the rules were rewritten to one’s advantage. The former tycoons who stand to lose the most will attempt to stall any progressive change in the process.

These socials norms are the problem in which they are deeply embedded social forces opposing change in Thailand

[Jai Dee]

KHUNYING SUDARAT INDICATES THAT CORRUPTIONS OVER BANGKOK'S PROJECTS HAVE AFFECTED SOLVING BANGKOK'S TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Deputy Thai Rak Thai Leader and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister KHUNYING SUDARAT KEYURAPHAN (คุณหญิงสุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธุ์) has indicated that corruptions on Bangkok’s 9 projects have affected Bangkok’s traffic congestive improvement because the government allocated the 20 billion baht to the Bangkok City to solve the traffic woes.

Following the inspection of the corruption, KHUNYING SUDARAT viewed that the government will implement to solve the problem in-line with law processes which the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is observing the matter.

She also informed that Thai Rak Thai party also designated a team to inspect the subject as well. She, however, said that her party’s observation is based on transparency. Meanwhile, the government is very upset that the allocated budget did not use for really tackling Bangkok’s traffic congestion as the government had counted on its expectation.

As Pol. Gen. PRATIN SANTIPRAPHOB (ประทิน สันติประภพ) is the president of inspecting the corruption over Bangkok’s projects, she said that society has to keep a close eye on the matter that whether he will give justice to the suspended people.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันอังคารที่ 24 มกราคม 2549

[Jai Dee]

POLICE GENERAL PRATIN FOUND CLUES LEADING TO THE IRREGULARITIES OF BMA'S BIDDING PROJECTS.

President of an investigation team into the irregularities in the Bangkok Metropoltian administration’s (BMA) projects, Police General Pratin Santiprapob (ประทิน สันติประภพ) indicated that there are many suspicious issues in the case, saying that he will focus his probe on the BMA’s cancellation of tendering of prices.

Police General Pratin said after city clerk Khunying Nattanon Taweesin (ณฐนนท ทวีสิน) submitted urgent information yesterday that the new information showed many irregularities in the bidding process, adding that the proposals were canceled many times. He added that the E-auction process was also cancelled; and therefore, he will focus his investigation on those issues. He added that he will question those alleged of involvement in setting the grading criteria for projects, while following up on information on complaints by Boonsob (บุญสพ) Construction Company.

Police General Partin also called director of the Public Works Department of the City Administration, Jim Pantoomkomon (จิม พันธุมโกมล) to explain the charges immediately after meeting with Khunying Nattanon. He said that the information received from different individuals will be compared and used in the investigation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

BMA OFFICIAL HAS DENIED COLLUSION CHARGES.

Secretary of Attorney for special cases, Watcharin Phanurat (วัชรินทร์ ภานุรัตน์) indicated that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) public work official has denied charges of colluding in the BMA’s 16 projects, adding that the suspect requested to gather more information before coming back for additional interrogation.

Mr. Watcharin said that Class-8 officials overseeing Public Works for BMA, Uthai Pankaew (อุทัย ปันแก้ว) came to testify yesterday, adding that he acknowledged but denied all the charges. Mr. Uthai has asked to go back and gather more evidence before coming back for more interrogation. However, he did not indicate when he will next meet investigating officials.

Mr. Watcharin said that after investigation, the investigators and the attorney for special cases will jointly deliberate the related laws and evidence. Then, the case will be forwarded to the National Counter-Corruption Commission.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

ACM KONGSAK: THERE IS NO NEED FOR INTERIOR MINISTRY TO SET UP COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE FRAUDULENT IN BMA’S PROJECTS

Interior Minister KONGSAK WANTANA (คงศักดิ์ วันทนา) said that there is no need for his ministry to establish a committee to investigate the alleged corruption of 16 bidding projects which belong to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) as related agencies and Department of Special Investigation (DSI) are already working on the matter.

He stated that the decision not to set up a special committee is not related to political issues since the Interior Ministry will have to wait for the information from the BMA. In addition, the Permanent-Secretary to the Interior Ministry will take care of the matter.

ACM KONGSAK, however, insisted that the BMA has to go along with the E-Auction system and follow the rules and regulations for the transparency of all projects.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

PRATIN REVEALS A FEW OTHER BMA OFFICIALS INVOLVED IN COLLUSION SCANDAL.

Head of the investigation team probing irregularities in the bidding process of Bangkok’s city works projects, General Pratin Santiprapob (ประทิน สันติประภพ) has revealed that other officials are involved in the scandal.

General Pratin stated after questioning a C-8 Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) engineer, Manusak Binyafal (มนูศักดิ์ บินยะฟัล) and other people involved in the case, that yesterday’s investigation gave him knowledge on the BMA’s criteria on grading bids as well as the officials involved. He added that a few suspects who were not involved in the bidding process were working in a committee to grade projects. General Pratin said that he will continue investigating the matter based on the information he has received.

In addition, General Pratin said that the information received from the 3 directors of the Public Works Department did not correspond. He said documents will be needed to confirm their testimonies.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 January 2006

I think I'll move this to the News Forum for some more discussion...

[Jai Dee]

MR. TEIWAN ASSERTED THAT THE CONCLUSION OF CORRUPTIONS INVOLVING 16 BMA PROJECTS IS ABOUT TO BE ISSUED

The House Committee on the prevention and suppression of corruption has affirmed that the result of the case concerning the alleged price collusions of the 16 Bangkok projects will be revealed soon.

Chairman of the committee TEIWAN LIPTAPANLOP (เทวัญ ลิปตพัลลภ) said the House of Committee has invited officials of the Public Works Department of Bangkok to clarify facts about this case.

He also said that he will call in Bangkok Governor APHIRAK KOSAYOTHIN (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน), Bangkok Deputy Governor SAMART RATCHAPOLSIT (สามารถ ราชพลสิทธิ์), and Bangkok Permanent-Secretary NATTANOND TAWEESIN (ณฐนนท ทวีสิน) for further explanation on the corruption charges relating to the 16 BMA projects on February 1st.

Additionally, he said that some of them have to be responsible for the matter.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 January 2006