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Thai Anti-Graft Agency Stalls Over 'Pricey Microphones' Inquiry


A 27 million baht sound system was installed into the Cabinet room in the Government House in September 2014.

BANGKOK - Thailand's national anti-graft agency says it needs more evidence to determine whether the military government's purchase of microphones that cost 145,000 baht each constitutes as corruption.

Sansern Poljiak, sec-gen of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), said that the Commission has collected all the relevant evidence regarding the purchase of the extraordinarily expensive microphones, but officials are still conflicted about whether the government's action is in violation of any laws.

"The officials have completely collected all the evidence in this case and already submitted it to the Commission," Sansern explained, "But we think that the information does not adequately answer the big questions. Some issues are still vague. So we ordered the officials to [collect more evidence]."

He added, "We expect that we will have a conclusion soon."

The 192 microphones, which cost the Thai taxpayers a total of 27 million baht, were bought by the Thai military government in September for the Cabinet conference room in the newly-decorated Government House.

The decoration was completed just in time for the appointment of junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha as Prime Minister by the national interim lawmaker body, whose members were all handpicked by Gen. Prayuth himself shortly after he seized power on 22 May 2014.

According to the information about the renovation published on the government's website, in addition to the 145,000 baht-microphones, the military regime also ordered a 520,000-baht television screen, 19,000-baht TV wall mount, and 110,000 LED lamp for the Cabinet room.

Gen. Prayuth told reporters at the time that he approved the purchases of the new teleconference system because of its superior quality.

"My voice is loud enough. I don't need a microphone. I don't want it. But I think we will need one in the future anyway, at least for a coordination with all the natural disasters centers, we will be able to see each other's face in the video conference," Gen. Prayuth said on 14 October, "But since there seems to be a problem, you're welcomed to investigate it."

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1422259710&section=11&typecate=06


-- Khaosod English 2015-01-26

[peptidebomber]

It's not corruption if the military or the Democrats are involved. Why can't people understand this?

[iReason]

"The officials have completely collected all the evidence in this case and already submitted it to the Commission," Sansern explained,

"But we think that the information does not adequately answer the big questions. Some issues are still vague. So we ordered the officials to [collect more evidence]."

We need to completely collect more than all.

Big questions?

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1410263490&typecate=06&section=

[Costas2008]

At least compared with the 600 Billion Baht, Yingluck costed to the taxpayer, this is a needle in the haystack.

But if somebody did get a commission for that, it will be proper to be punished.

Large or small money, corruption has to stop in this country.

[Tatsujin]

Well, someone, somewhere got a reasonably large kickback for this ... I guess they are just waiting to see who's gonna volunteer to take the hit, before telling someone who it's going to be ...

There must be an ex-PT politico somewhere along the lines they can pin it on, surely? lol

[rubl]

Almost five months ago the news already seemed to imply the involvement of Government Officials. That's those people who run the government organisations independent of the government of the day. Those guy tend to have picked up some bad habits, like seeing their budgets as THEIR budgets.

A possible conflict in information provided by those officials should therefore not surprise. Pity someone has to run the government organisations, so sacking them all isn't really an option. I still think decimating the top layers as in shooting 1 in 10 should be contemplated. Just to encourage the others.

[smedly]

rather extravagant to say the least, somewhere there is a persons name on some papers that sourced these items - the fact they are expensive in not a crime in itself but if they paid a highly inflated price for the items then that must surely be worthy of scrutiny

The TV is huge so probably no issue there, modern video conference equipment price and installation is expensive so we are really focusing on the microphone cost of 145k baht each

[klauskunkel]

"We have all the evidence, but we need more. Can somebody make some and leave it where we can collect it?"

[smedly]

http://www.touchwindow.com/c/Samsung82touchscreen.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/283001-REG/Anchor_Audio_LM_618_LM_618_Gooseneck_Microphone.html

the microphone were likely wireless but I still cannot find anything close to that price

Edited January 26, 2015 by smedly

[oneday]

Wow, what a surprise!

[Fat Haggis]

At least compared with the 600 Billion Baht, Yingluck costed to the taxpayer, this is a needle in the haystack.

But if somebody did get a commission for that, it will be proper to be punished.

Large or small money, corruption has to stop in this country.

Your last sentence should have been your first sentence, fraud and graft is every bit the same if it's for 100, or 1000000 baht, the same laws apply.

Is anyone really surprised that transparency doesn't "see through khaki" very well

[Snig27]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

At least compared with the 600 Billion Baht, Yingluck costed to the taxpayer, this is a needle in the haystack.

But if somebody did get a commission for that, it will be proper to be punished.

Large or small money, corruption has to stop in this country.

Your last sentence should have been your first sentence, fraud and graft is every bit the same if it's for 100, or 1000000 baht, the same laws apply.

Is anyone really surprised that transparency doesn't "see through khaki" very well

Costas is one of those in these forums who is rather selective in his approach - the generals can do no wrong, the billions that they have lost the country since they took over are a nothing - the unexplained vast millions that are in the leader's personal accounts and that of his brother are perfectly ok and so on ...

I dislike hypocrisy. You are right, raud and graft is every bit the same if it's for 100, or 1000000 baht.

[tbthailand]

At least compared with the 600 Billion Baht, Yingluck costed to the taxpayer, this is a needle in the haystack.

But if somebody did get a commission for that, it will be proper to be punished.

Large or small money, corruption has to stop in this country.

but then nearly $1 million in microphones is not an agricultural subsidy program, is it.

[Litlos]

Sometimes things are not what they originally appear and it pays to be wary of incomplete journalism. These microphones are talked about in http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760917-pm-prayuth-orders-suspension-of-conference-av-system-installations/page-2?hl=microphone#entry8395628 where after the public outcry the price was dropped to Bt94,250.

So was the price bumped back up to Bt145,000 or is this an ongoing inquiry on the original pricing after they were discounted? Interesting the issue has not quietly died as was usually the case under the previous government.

Cheers

[Emster23]

I would guess all the evidence they collected would lead a rational being to conclude there was corruption. Hence, more evidence is required. Perhaps consult with shaman's, astrologers.... must be some way to steer away from the truth. And you can bet they will find it.

[chotthee]

Sometimes things are not what they originally appear and it pays to be wary of incomplete journalism. These microphones are talked about in http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760917-pm-prayuth-orders-suspension-of-conference-av-system-installations/page-2?hl=microphone#entry8395628 where after the public outcry the price was dropped to Bt94,250.

So was the price bumped back up to Bt145,000 or is this an ongoing inquiry on the original pricing after they were discounted? Interesting the issue has not quietly died as was usually the case under the previous government.

Cheers

Sorry, the deal did not go through.

No wrong were made, hence no corruption possible.

Yingluck case was a lot more damaging. Why not just focus on her; nothing to see here.

[chainarong]

At a 145,000 Bhat each one would assume that either the purchaser is dumb or doesn't know the night market sells them for the job that they have to do @ 20 Baht each, if you want echo on the mic that will cost a sound unit which still wouldn't cost the price of a mic, check the money trail it might prove interesting.

[rubl]

At least compared with the 600 Billion Baht, Yingluck costed to the taxpayer, this is a needle in the haystack.

But if somebody did get a commission for that, it will be proper to be punished.

Large or small money, corruption has to stop in this country.

but then nearly $1 million in microphones is not an agricultural subsidy program, is it.

Absolutely, at nearly 27 million Baht it's not even an agricultural self-financing scheme

[Prbkk]

Obvious that Yingluck is behind this somehow and she should be prosecuted for it. It is suspected that one of her relatives/friends/cronies owned a company supplying microphones and that proper procedures for purchasing were ignored, ie corruption , negligence.

[bangrak]

At first it appeared the microphone sets were priced more than 50% above the price the same could be had from a basic retail shop, with a possible extra quantity discount of 20%.

And public was later told, in an attempt to avoid the questions, that the 'order' had been placed without the price/piece of the items being set yet, which was still to be 'discussed', while most of the system had already been installed... Nothing being said at all either about costs of installation, service and maintenance...

When this does not smell like graft, with the same stench as the 'gold plated' clocks before it, the NACC investigators should make an urgent appointment with a good ORL, because their sinusses seem to be seriously clogged...

Maybe Yingluck had the bad taste to put much too much Chanel 5 Perfume on, and that's why they were still able to smell and find her...

The more evident the matter, the harder it seems to conclude and get culprits nailed here! 'The book of Thainess', Part 1: 'Influential people', Chapter 1: 'The Elites'???

[harada]

Same trough, different snouts.

[Fat Haggis]

Sometimes things are not what they originally appear and it pays to be wary of incomplete journalism. These microphones are talked about in http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/760917-pm-prayuth-orders-suspension-of-conference-av-system-installations/page-2?hl=microphone#entry8395628 where after the public outcry the price was dropped to Bt94,250.

So was the price bumped back up to Bt145,000 or is this an ongoing inquiry on the original pricing after they were discounted? Interesting the issue has not quietly died as was usually the case under the previous government.

Cheers

Sorry, the deal did not go through.

No wrong were made, hence no corruption possible.

Yingluck case was a lot more damaging. Why not just focus on her; nothing to see here.

The deal did go through, otherwise Bose gave them for free, as they're still there.

next time try looking through a lesser tinted colour of spectacles.

[CiaranO]

If YS had done it thy would be in court by now - i guess the military rules does not apply to them.

[Lupatria]

In other words- sorry but it looks like we reached the wrong level in the food chain.

[jcisco]

"The officials have completely collected all the evidence in this case and already submitted it to the Commission," Sansern explained,

"But we think that the information does not adequately answer the big questions. Some issues are still vague. So we ordered the officials to [collect more evidence]."

We need to completely collect more than all.

Big questions?

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1410263490&typecate=06&section=

The correct term from an appropriate lexicon is expand their investigation.

[jcisco]

And for the cost of these things, these are video conferencing phones, I would bet there is at least a few million bhat of server side equipment associated with these, you'd hope so at least if they were to be worth that price.

Edited January 26, 2015 by jcisco

[wanderir]

I can clear this up in about 30 minutes, publish the RFP, show us the justification for the purchase, case closed. Right....never happen.

I wish I could see the model number or at least the company. I took a look around the web and couldn't find anything like the once pictured, which most likely means they are made someplace in Asia, if not Thailand.

I've installed high end phone systems and very complex high end networks, it doesn't cost anywhere near these prices or if it does, I'm changing businesses.

Hypocrisy? Thailand? Never!

[rametindallas]

we will be able to see each other's face in the video conference

Typically, the conferees in a video conference are not in the same room/city so, technically speaking, there could never be a video conference where everyone is in the same room and it's not like he would forget what his cabinet officers look like. There is no excuse for this extravagant spending of the taxpayers's money and the excuses/justifications are as lame as can be. As I wrote, when the story first surfaced, Prayut (he was Prayuth at the time) will be judged by his honest, effective treatment of this scandal. Prayut is supposed to change the SOP of the way government operates (stop them from using their positions to enrich themselves). The government mafia is in more need of fixing than the private mafia, IMO. I am very disappointed and wonder if the media, under duress, is hiding even more egregious behavior by the current government. I would also love to know what kind of quid pro quo the government got for awarding the huge rail contract to China in a no-bid situation. Will Thailand never improve?

[surangw]

probably paid much more for the high volume air cond system to dissipate all the hot air generated there.

[Ulic]

A big to do about nothing. This equipment is very expensive. Probably a special order and sold at full list price. By the time you add the import taxes

that the government collects back anyway a 145k per microphone is what it is. You can't compare to internet prices in the USA where prices really are rock bottom

and no sales tax. Look at computers and TV's, much cheaper in the USA.