Thai officials accused in fungicide-procurement scam

[webfact]

Bueng Kun officials accused in fungicide-procurement scam
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe has found some 10 high-ranking provincial officials were involved in a corruption scandal in which an outbreak of para-rubber disease was allegedly declared without proper grounds in order to receive a budget allocation.

The reported disaster zone covered Bueng Kan province's eight districts from September 21-30 last year, DSI deputy chief Pol Lt-Colonel Wannapong Kocharak said on Wednesday.

He said officials in Si Wilai, Phon Charoen, Bueng Khong Long, Muang, Pak Khat, Seka, Bung Khla and So Phisai districts were also involved, while two limited-partnership firms named in a contract were also suspected to be in on this scam. Wannapong put the damage to the country at Bt48 million, adding that the DSI would forward the case to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The emergency declaration was eventually deemed groundless because the Nong Khai Para-Rubber Research Centre, which oversees 20 northeastern provinces including Bung Kan, received no reports of such an outbreak. It led to the spending of Bt48 million to purchase of 50-per-cent Benomyl fungicide for distribution to farmers.

The DSI found that 25,371 boxes of fungicide were procured at Bt1,920 each, when its market price was Bt400-Bt600. A random test found that some boxes didn't contain 50-per-cent Benomyl as claimed, Wannapong said.


-- The Nation 2013-08-08

[theblether]

You have to admire the brass neck and ingenuity.

[GentlemanJim]

The DSI found that 25,371 boxes of fungicide were procured at Bt1,920 each, when its market price was Bt400-Bt600. A random test found that some boxes didn't contain 50-per-cent Benomyl as claimed, Wannapong said.

This information has been emailed to all MP's who can read it on their Government ipads procured at 27 000 baht that only cost 25 000 baht in the shops. Some of the MP's may also like to be reminded of the fleet of 1000 new mini-buses procured for schools throughout the country that cost 200 000 baht more per vehicle than the normal showroom sale price. Will the DSI be checking out those cases also I wonder?

[rkidlad]

Are the people who came up with this scam piss poor? Were they going to use the money to help their community?

It's shocking how greedy people can be.

[Thai at Heart]

Are the people who came up with this scam piss poor? Were they going to use the money to help their community?

It's shocking how greedy people can be.

You think they just came up with this last year? Probably been going on for years.

[tomyummer]

Blah, blah, blah....slap on the hand....blah, blah.......next project!

[LuckyLew]

Greed knows no bounds

Thailand well on it' way to breaking into the top 10 corrupt countries

Then again .... if they ask for money and people just give it to them

without looking into the reasoning for the request ... what do you expect?

[NongKhaiKid]

Are the people who came up with this scam piss poor? Were they going to use the money to help their community?

It's shocking how greedy people can be.

When Thai Airways were in financial trouble years back cost cutting ideas included all the free travel some were eligible for. An example was a gentleman who used free 1st Class fights 54 times in a year simply because he could, says it all.

[noitom]

A Thai procurement fraud? Hard to believe.

[Mampara]

It never stops, doesn't it, or is it in the jeans? lying, corruption, stealing, murdering, gambling, extortion, fraud. prostitution, cheating.

[Tatsujin]

What a surprise . . . next!

[aussieinthailand]

PIG'S caught with their snout in the trogh that is the public's money but they think it's theirs or just should be.

[Thai at Heart]

I have a Thai acquaintance who has made millions selling 3m safety equipment to the Bangkok government and health ministry for years at inflated prices. Masks, gloves, coveralls.

He dreams of bird flu outbreaks, dengue spraying and oil spills. Everything they buy is 2 or 3 times overpriced.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[moe666]

Good news for the usual here gives the boys something to carry on about

[Payboy]

It never stops, doesn't it, or is it in the jeans? lying, corruption, stealing, murdering, gambling, extortion, fraud. prostitution, cheating.

Cattle rustlers, all of them!

[laurentbkk]

Are the people who came up with this scam piss poor? Were they going to use the money to help their community?

It's shocking how greedy people can be.

welcome in Thailand

[trainman34014]

You have to admire the brass neck and ingenuity.

I've never admired any form of criminality....but there again i've never admired any country's 'law enforcement' that talks about 'exposing' people but never actually does if they are 'high ranking' public officials. We from the outside know that they are all in it together; which makes it twice as bad, so they may as well just keep their mouths shut and get on with the thieving between them because it's a bit more than upsetting for us all to have it rammed down our throats daily. To have to stand by and watch a country as beautiful as this being raped by it's own kind is a disaster but the ordinary people have been brainwashed to such a degree that all hope for a less corrupt future is futile. Very sad indeed.

[klauskunkel]

It never stops, doesn't it, or is it in the jeans? lying, corruption, stealing, murdering, gambling, extortion, fraud. prostitution, cheating.

Yes, entertaining, isn't it?

[SOTIRIOS]

....with absolute power.........and absolute corruption....the possibilities are endless.....

[Baerboxer]

You have to admire the brass neck and ingenuity.

Aye, but they forgot to pay the gratuity to their new rulers.

[Hoedy Ho]

One or two, whatever, but the way they all collaborate together to scam and steal.... Just so Thailand.

[yougivemebaby]

If the Thai government spent a quarter of the time they use scamming their own people on actual real problems, Thailand could have amazing potential!

[H1w4yR1da]

It never stops, doesn't it, or is it in the jeans?

Levis, Diesel or Wrangler?

[MikeOboe57]

It shows once again that whatever stunt you pull, make sure that it is adequately backed up by the "connections" you have. Otherwise DSI will show up and provide a newspaper headline. Good news is that this is all that happens.

[Thai at Heart]

It shows once again that whatever stunt you pull, make sure that it is adequately backed up by the "connections" you have. Otherwise DSI will show up and provide a newspaper headline. Good news is that this is all that happens.

They are catching less than 0.1% of all the corrupt deals in any time frame. The local tessaban just spent 40mn baht re-building a fence around the office.