OFFICE OF THE EDUCATION COUNCIL
Sacked official threatens lawsuits
Supinda na mahachai
The Nation



Sasithara sacked for her role in overpriced purchase

BANGKOK: -- OFFICE OF THE Education Council (OEC) secretary general Sasithara Pichaichannarong yesterday threatened to file criminal and civil lawsuits against six senior officials who voted to have her employment terminated in relation to her role in the purchase of overpriced instruction material for eight vocational colleges. The 2011 purchase allegedly cost the state more than Bt31 million in losses.

The decision to have the C-11 official formally sacked was made on Tuesday by an OEC panel after a four-hour meeting, said a statement from caretaker Minister Chaturon Chaisang, who chaired the meeting.

The panel has 12 members but only eight were present, of whom six cast a "yes" vote, while the other two abstained. This 12-strong panel acted upon the recommendation of a ministry disciplinary investigation panel that had earlier found Sasithara guilty of wrongly approving the payment of Bt31.5 million despite the fact that documents needed for this deal had been lost.

In a statement on Tuesday, Chaturon said Sasithara - then secretary-general of the Office of Vocational Education Commission - went ahead with the payment despite her deputy's opposition. She also did not order a hunt for the lost documents.

Sasithara said yesterday that according to a 1998 Finance Ministry regulation, she would have been held responsible if the documents were misplaced after the payment was made. However, she said, this regulation did not apply because the documents were lost before she sent through the payment. Initially she had claimed that the two key documents were present, while those lost were not essential to the deal.

She then said that the four documents misplaced were a request for the approval of the purchase, a bidding announcement, a memorandum about the bidding announcement addressed to five government agencies that would advertise the

bidding and papers about the scope of the job. She insisted that the two key documents - the contract and the terms of reference - had not been lost.

Yesterday, Sasithara claimed that the disciplinary investigation process had violated regulations by not completing the mandatory fact-finding required. She said she had lodged a police complaint against the six unnamed officials, as well as against the person who issued the order to have her sacked. She said she was also taking the case to the Administrative Court before filing civil and criminal lawsuits.

When asked on Tuesday why she did not follow the rules, Sasithara insisted that the original copy of the contract, an attachment and a copy of the terms of reference - all of which were essential to the deal - had been intact before she approved the payment of Bt31.5 million to the contractors.

The disciplinary panel said it had found that there were two copies of the terms of reference, which contained different details. This resulted in the equipment purchased having different specifications from what was originally decided upon.

Sasithara's decision resulted in the ministry paying Bt3.9 million per piece of equipment to the contractors even though the median price stood at Bt125,000 per piece as estimated by an appraiser, Chaturon's statement said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-27

Any Thai government official involved in government procurements during the last twenty years should be investigated with a fine tooth comb. After investigations, those found to be "clean" should be eligible to be appointed for office again. This would be a great start to reform in Thailand. Examine government procurement corruption and seriously prosecute where discovered.

“I always tell the truth. Even when I lie.”

Encouraging news!

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I know that a leading university in BKK bought computers worth 20m (about five years ago).

Around 12m was spent, and 8m 'disappeared'.

In addition, a large quantity of a certain textbook was "bought". The book was totally unsuitable for its target market.

Say no more. It is shameful when half of the kids upcountry have only a basic education, if that.

All of these deals should be checked and rechecked.

Eddy

looks like she has been leading a healthy well fed lifestyle, no wonder shes trying to hang on to her job

And all good Buddhists!

This isn't just skimming a bit of cream off the top, this is stealing the whole cow!

Thai bureaucracy - more corrupt than the politicians & don't need to contest elections.

Not just moved to an "inactive post" but actually "sacked", must be a first in Thailand?

Good riddance.

Circuitous logic if I have ever heard it:

Sasithara said yesterday that according to a 1998 Finance Ministry regulation, she would have been held responsible if the documents were misplaced after the payment was made. However, she said, this regulation did not apply because the documents were lost before she sent through the payment. Initially she had claimed that the two key documents were present, while those lost were not essential to the deal.

You gotta ask how an earth documents are lost?

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Any Thai government official involved in government procurements during the last twenty years should be investigated with a fine tooth comb. After investigations, those found to be "clean" should be eligible to be appointed for office again. This would be a great start to reform in Thailand. Examine government procurement corruption and seriously prosecute where discovered.

I like you angle , but unfortunately when the investigation gets too close to home everything go's silent , eg, The luxury imported car parts investigation, Hi DSI

I'm sure she wasn't able to buy that Cartier Phantere watch from her official salary.

You gotta ask how an earth documents are lost?

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Agree....but if you ever have to go to an Government office...anywhere in Thailand....there are mountains of paperwork lying around everywhere....the systems used are so antiquated and labour costly, they'll lose anything.

Plus of course....important paperwork often conveniently disappears.

This person appears, on the surface, to have done quite nicely out of her purchasing schemes.....

Maybe.....anti corruption processes are beginning to take hold....let's hope so

I'm sure she wasn't able to buy that Cartier Phantere watch from her official salary.

Good pick.....I think you're right...around THB150K+

"OFFICE OF THE Education Council (OEC) secretary general Sasithara Pichaichannarong yesterday threatened to file criminal and civil lawsuits..."

If she is a product of the Thai education system, I hope she is able to spell all the words correctly in her lawsuit.

Encouraging news!

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It is ... but would be better if she was checked too for profiting of the deal and stuff.. maybe made liable for the loss.

Nice watch she's wearing.

I'm sure she wasn't able to buy that Cartier Phantere watch from her official salary.

Very observant.:-)

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I'm sure she wasn't able to buy that Cartier Phantere watch from her official salary.

Very observant.:-)

Now, now, it could be a cheap copy that lies about the time ......... all the time.

Tip of the Iceberg. A reasonable start but so, so far to go before you could even say a 'clean up' has begun, Merely the 'beginning of the beginning.'

I'm sure she wasn't able to buy that Cartier Phantere watch from her official salary.

Very observant.:-)

Now, now, it could be a cheap copy that lies about the time ......... all the time.

Is it a wind up

Or really loss a face?

She's been clocked !

Consdering the outcomes of the educational system it was as effective when taught free in monastery with no paid teachers nor procurement corruption.

The next generation will learn the technology via apps online and could learn about virtue and the sufficiency economy at the monastery,Wat's not to like,there's rice in the deals and whiskey in the water.

People like her are why Thai education is in the state its in. Sadly, there are many.

It's irrelevant as to what documents were or were not missing or when they existed or didn't exist, an experienced purchasing agent should know that paying Bt3.9 million per piece of equipment to contractors for equipment worth about Bt125,000 per piece was criminal. But did this OEC official raise any alarm or question the billing? Obviously not and that leaves a serious question as to this person's integrity. Unless further evidence points to he rinnocence, Kudos to her firing.

Wonder if she will also be including kick backs when calculating lost income.

Thailand government needs to get rid of a lot more like her, so lets get rid of those responsible for the rice pleading and the dodgy contracts with the Chinese that cost the country a hell of a lot more than 31m THB.

Can we spell C O R R U P T I O N? How much went into her bank account or her family members?

Any Thai government official involved in government procurements during the last twenty years should be investigated with a fine tooth comb. After investigations, those found to be "clean" should be eligible to be appointed for office again. This would be a great start to reform in Thailand. Examine government procurement corruption and seriously prosecute where discovered.

Should lead to a lot of new job opportunities too.