Bangkok Governor Denies Fresh Charge In Skytrain Case

[webfact]

Sukhumbhand denies fresh charge in Skytrain case
By Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday denied a new charge filed against him and other city officials by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) in relation to the expansion of the Skytrain system, saying he would sue the department if it tried to bully him.

Sukhumbhand, his two deputies Jumpol Sampaothong and Amorn Kitchawengkul, and another accused, Prapanpong Vejjajiva, met with DSI special-cases officer Pol Lt-Colonel Thawal Mangkhang to hear the additional charge of conspiring to conduct business relating to rail infrastructure without the authorisation of the Interior Minister.

The charge relates to the expansion of two Skytrain routes: the Silom Line extension from Saphan Taksin Station to Wongwian Yai Station and the Sukhumvit Line extension from Bang Chak Station to Baring Station.

At the time of the alleged offence, Jumpol was chief of the Transport Division at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Traffic and Transport Office; Amorn was managing director of Krungthep Thanakom (KT); and Prapanpong was a KT committee member with authority to sign contracts.

Prior to yesterday's meeting, Sukhumbhand said he viewed the appearance at the DSI as a waste of his working time. Amorn said the additional charge was just more of the same and denied any wrongdoing. He affirmed he could explain everything from a legal and technical point of view and voiced suspicion that the charge was politically motivated.

Thawal later told reporters that Sukhumbhand had denied the charge, adding that the governor claimed that DSI investigators were bullying him and was considering suing them for abuse of authority. Thawal insisted the case was not an attempt to bully anyone.

Two more suspects - Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) chief executive officer Khiree Kanchanaphak and chief operating officer Surapong Laoha-Unya - are scheduled to hear an additional charge against them this morning(May 3), Thawal said.


-- The Nation 2013-05-03

[whybother]

I thought this was going to die a slow death after they failed to stop Sukhumbhand from getting elected.

[rubl]

So, the BTS extentions which are very appreciated by the Bangkok citizens are illegal? Started by BMA as the government under a certain PM called Thaksin didn't like Democrats having a Bangkok governor and kept on postponing financial help?

Imagine what the traffic chaos would be without the BMA being somewhat pro-active

[Locationthailand]

More of the same politically motivated rubbish. DSI should be looking into PTP and not doing the bidding of PTP to discredit Sukumband. This is just wasted energy and time.

[NongKhaiKid]

More of the same politically motivated rubbish. DSI should be looking into PTP and not doing the bidding of PTP to discredit Sukumband. This is just wasted energy and time.

Why doesn't the DSI get this over with by declaring all Democrat officials and MP as " Enemies of the State " and act accordingly ?

[indyuk]

I thought this was going to die a slow death after they failed to stop Sukhumbhand from getting elected.

Unlikely because the DSI are investigating a factural negligance of a provincial organisation to seek the approval of Goverment when committing to contracts that are binding on the sovereign state without approval. The govenors office appears to have comitted 195 Billion Baht without reference to the government. If every Thai Governor's Office were guilty of committing Goverment funds without approval I doutb that the Thai economy could absord the consequences. I understand that The Bangkok Govenor's office has also been facing accusations of misappropriating government funds from other projects during his previous term in office.

[seajae]

Maybe they should get yellow shirts to sit outside the dsi and protest, paybck is a xxxxx

[PREM-R]

_{Maybe they should get yellow shirts to sit outside the dsi and protest, paybck is a xxxxx}

Well they certainly have 'previous', Government House and the Airports spring to mind as venues for their 'Thailiban' invasions.

[bri1guy]

Sue the Dept for bullying, this is how politics works...

What about a train between to two airports??

[billd766]

"Prior to yesterday's meeting, Sukhumbhand said he viewed the appearance at the DSI as a waste of his working time. Amorn said the additional charge was just more of the same and denied any wrongdoing. He affirmed he could explain everything from a legal and technical point of view and voiced suspicion that the charge was politically motivated.

ONLY Thaksin and the Red Shirts are allowed to claim that charges against them are politically motivated.

Any charges against the BKK Governer, Abhisit, Suthep or the Democrats are absolutely correct.

Sarcasm IS intended.

[cup-O-coffee]

the additional charge of conspiring to conduct business relating to rail infrastructure without the authorisation of the Interior Minister.

So instead of wasting everyone's time, why not have the interior minister get off his ass and sit down and conduct business relating to rail infrastructure, and then approve it?

Maybe people are tired of waiting for all the bureaucratic red tape and want to get something done.

Maybe the interior minister should demonstrate that he was available all the time this "conspiring" (lions and tigers and bears... Oh my!) was going on, to show that they did this with malice and intent to conspire.

These people sure do have an alacrity for taking even the simplest of tasks and figuratively corroding that task like a bunch of monkeys F'ing a football. Working together and being mature enough to overlook certain things, instead of shooting your wounded, can go a lot farther in proving why one is worthy of office.

Edited May 3, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[metisdead]

Off topic posts removed.

[rubl]

Sue the Dept for bullying, this is how politics works...

What about a train between to two airports??

Waiting for approval from the Minister of Interior maybe