BT350-BILLION PROJECT
Court denies injunction to suspend bidding
PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- The Central Administrative Court last night rejected the Anti-Global Warming Association's request for court injunction to suspend the government's Bt350-billion water and flood management and infrastructure mega-project.

However, the court agreed to review the case filed by the association's president, Srisuwan Janya, against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and three government-appointed water-related committees responsible for the mega-project.

In effect, the court decision, issued at about 8 pm, has allowed the government to go ahead with its ambitious plan and the contenders to submit their final plans in the bidding for the project.

The court said there was insufficient ground or evidence to designate any measures to alleviate possible damages expected to be caused by implementation and operation of the mega-project.

Water and Flood-Management Committee’s secretary Supoj Towijakchaikul said yesterday that the government was ready to go ahead with the bidding process and has given the five contenders until 4pm today to submit their final plan.

The agency will spend a month studying the plans and selecting an eligible contender.

Supoj spoke to reporters after attending a three-hour-long special session at court to hear the government’s legal procedures to operate the bidding. Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee and his legal team. The court session was held at the request of Srisuwan, who questioned irregularities about the project.

Srisuwan said the court was concerned about the local people’s participation and the government’s representatives had not provided clear answers about that concern. "The government only said it had organised an exhibition at Central Lat Phrao department store to let the public know about project," he said.

Meanwhile, water experts and senior engineers are worried that construction firms may not sign a contract with the government to for the Bt350-billion project even if they win the bid.

The government, meanwhile, has issued a green paper explaining the legal procedures of the bidding for the public.

However, Seri Suparathit, director of Rangsit University’s Centre on Climate Change and Disaster, said the huge financial risk stemming from the project would possibly scare the five contenders.

"Private companies will be afraid to shoulder the risk and damages caused by unclear details on the project," he said.

He was speaking at the "Bt350-billion water and flood-management project: suspend or move forward" seminar held at the Thai Journalists’ Association.

"We still don’t know what is the best way of handling the massive floods, so how dare the government sign contracts with winning contenders for this project," he said.

He also advised the government to put the plan on hold and spend a year drawing up a road map before putting the project up for bidding.

"We need to find the best answer and see if the public agrees before the government puts the project up for bidding," he added.

Former president of the Engineering Institute of Thailand Tortrakul Yomnak said a big foreign company will most probably win the bid.

"The technical expertise and experience of the other contenders is not enough for them to win the bid. A close friendship with an influential person would be important for this competition," he said.

He also called for the government to reveal its criteria for selecting eligible contenders.

In related news, National Anti-Corruption Commission member Wicha Mahakhun said the agency had set up a fact-finding panel to inspect the project so NACC can decide whether the case needs further investigation.


-- The Nation 2013-05-03

"The technical expertise and experience of the other contenders is not enough for them to win the bid. A close friendship with an influential person would be important for this competition," he said.

HHHMMMMMM Wonder who's friendship is required to win this contract??

Regardless of who wins the contract , International fraud prevention systems will scare off this government , it's therefore possible someone from China will win the contract.

"... A close friendship with an influential person would be important for this competition," he said."

Doh, not again...

Are the government going to accept THIS decision in stead of ignoring the courts?

Double standards once again.