Prayuth Spared From Pricey Microphone Investigation
By Khaosod English


Panadda dismissing the allegation of the corruption in the purchase of 145,000 baht microphones during a press conference at the Government House, 4 September 2014

BANGKOK — Thailand’s anti-corruption agency has spared junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha from its inquiry into the government's 67.9 million baht purchase of unusually expensive microphones and other equipment last year.

The 192 microphones, which cost 145,000 baht each, were purchased for the Cabinet conference room in the Government House last September, days before Gen. Prayuth and his Cabinet ministers moved into their offices. The newly-installed military government also ordered a 520,000-baht television screen, 19,000-baht TV wall mount, and 110,000 LED lamps for the room.

The unusually high price tag of the equipment caught the attention of media agencies and critics of the government, who speculated that corruption lay behind the deal. Suspicions were further raised after the Thai supplier of the microphones, Bosch, changed the price of the equipment from 99,000 baht to 199,000 baht several days after criticism started to mount.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1424840201

-- Khaosod English 2015-02-25

'However, top executives like Prayuth and Panadda Diskul, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, will not be investigated because they merely "approved" the purchases, Vicha said'

The hypocrisy of the fools in charge at the moment is outstanding. Their time will come and history will not look kindly at these morons!

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

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The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

You and your glaring double standards

Kind of sounds like this is opening a nice big wide door for Yingluck and others to slip through ... i.e. they didn't actually "do" the things that they are accused of, they merely "approved" of them ... therefore it's someone else's fault, and the underlings will take the fall, not the higher ups again.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

How thick do you have to be to believe in the idiot currently trying to run destroy this country, or is it a racial defect inherrited from birth. It is one thing to take sides but another if you cannot see the forest for the trees. Your self esteem must be zero if you get off on receiving all the negative comments you do everyday.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I thought the whole justification for the PDRC street mobs and the coup(s) was ridding Thailand of corruption? The Junta has failed the most basic of tests.

The best thing about this article is it exposes the "Junta lovers" for the wilfully blind, double standard, unthinking idiocy that a fool (as only fools support the Junta) must suffer from to cheerlead this egregious trampling of human rights!

One law for the microphone scam and another for the rice scheme

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

No the future of Thailand depends on the fact that certain people immunity to all investigations should be ended, but it is obvious that with him who claims to weed out all corruption, nothing has changed.

The microphones "doubled" in price after speculation ???

Would have thought they'd have "halved" after speculation.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I HONESTLY believe after that comment that you are a deluded individual of extremely low intelligence and bias if you cannot see clearly based on what was written that this was a suspicious deal.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

Congratulations.

This post tops everything ever written by Djjamie, Rubl and Halloween.

You are the winner (Chitpas will be around to pin the medal at her earliest convenience).

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I HONESTLY believe after that comment that you are a deluded individual of extremely low intelligence and bias if you cannot see clearly based on what was written that this was a suspicious deal.

Whoosh!

(It's called sarcasm)

Here's what the end result will be: a few low ranking govt officials will become the fall guys for their bosses' greed, lack of integrity, and denial of responsibility.

Wasn't it Prayuth who cancelled the microphones when he found about them ?

What was it he said, 'we don't need them my voice is loud enough'

When can we expect investigations into the expensive digital clocks, the 2 air conditioners in the garbage room and the antique coffee tables

Kind of sounds like this is opening a nice big wide door for Yingluck and others to slip through ... i.e. they didn't actually "do" the things that they are accused of, they merely "approved" of them ... therefore it's someone else's fault, and the underlings will take the fall, not the higher ups again.

No reason why yingluck defense team can't use this as a prime example of why she cannot be responsible for the nasty little deeds of her underlings.

Prayuth is his wisdom, gave the people the funds to do something for the country. The people took advantage of that.

Yingluck in her wisdom , gave the people the funds to do something for the country. The people took advantage of that.

Prayuth did nothing wrong.

Therefore -----

Same same but different. ????

One law for the microphone scam and another for the rice scheme

68 million vs. 700 billion baht. I can see a little difference.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

In case you missed it, Thaksin is in exile and is not coming back.

The former PM Yingluck is under house arrest.

Both have been very quiet and their former political party has also been quiet.

The microphone fiasco is the responsibility of the current military administration. The administration could have cancelled the transaction.

The military administration could have also refrained from the additional expensive purchases.

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

Kind of sounds like this is opening a nice big wide door for Yingluck and others to slip through ... i.e. they didn't actually "do" the things that they are accused of, they merely "approved" of them ... therefore it's someone else's fault, and the underlings will take the fall, not the higher ups again.

No reason why yingluck defense team can't use this as a prime example of why she cannot be responsible for the nasty little deeds of her underlings.
Prayuth is his wisdom, gave the people the funds to do something for the country. The people took advantage of that.
Yingluck in her wisdom , gave the people the funds to do something for the country. The people took advantage of that.
Prayuth did nothing wrong.
Therefore -----
Same same but different. ????

I'd like to think things would turn out like that. but the Junta thrives on sticking 2 fingers up at the Laws of Irony

I agree that the microphones are needed, politicians dont speak from the mouth so their voices are muffled by the seat of their pants from where they do speak.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I HONESTLY believe after that comment that you are a deluded individual of extremely low intelligence and bias if you cannot see clearly based on what was written that this was a suspicious deal.

Whoosh!

(It's called sarcasm)

Shinawatra lovers have such a low IQ that they don't understand sarcasm

The more important part of the article is

" NACC spokesperson Vicha Mahakhun announced yesterday that ten officials from the Department of Public Works, including the department's director Monthol Sudprasert, will be investigated over the purchases.

"They are connected to the calculation and bargaining of the price that [could have] violated bureaucratic regulations and benefited certain private companies," Vicha said. "

Edited February 25, 201511 yr by Gunna

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I thought the whole justification for the PDRC street mobs and the coup(s) was ridding Thailand of corruption? The Junta has failed the most basic of tests.

The best thing about this article is it exposes the "Junta lovers" for the wilfully blind, double standard, unthinking idiocy that a fool (as only fools support the Junta) must suffer from to cheerlead this egregious trampling of human rights!

Well the PDRC didn't want Prayut as PM. PDRC is not this government.

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

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I HONESTLY believe after that comment that you are a deluded individual of extremely low intelligence and bias if you cannot see clearly based on what was written that this was a suspicious deal.

alt=facepalm.gif> alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

Whoosh!

(It's called sarcasm)

Shinawatra lovers have such a low IQ that they don't understand sarcasm

Maybe its Junta Clique sarcasm ? But to be fair he comes out with so much sycophantic, Jackboot Juntaesque Rhetoric it could just be crass nonsense from someone who supports the suppression of Democracy. I know what I'd put my money on

One law for the microphone scam and another for the rice scheme

68 million vs. 700 billion baht. I can see a little difference.

There is no difference from a legal perspectives. If there was rule of law, both issues would be treated the same, and the amounts involved would be used to determine appropriate penalties once guilt was established.

Of course, that would imply that equal application of the law was actually happening.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

Please spare me of all that rubbish and concentrate on your efforts to reform Thailand and get rid of the cancer called Siwanatras.

I thought the whole justification for the PDRC street mobs and the coup(s) was ridding Thailand of corruption? The Junta has failed the most basic of tests.

The best thing about this article is it exposes the "Junta lovers" for the wilfully blind, double standard, unthinking idiocy that a fool (as only fools support the Junta) must suffer from to cheerlead this egregious trampling of human rights!

Well the PDRC didn't want Prayut as PM. PDRC is not this government.

A great majority of pdrc members are in key positions of government right now. Once the election does come certain parties will have a distinct disadvantage . There will only be one major party left to vote for. How many of the appointed senate and committees in charge will be pdrc members. This government and the pdrc are from the same tarnished brush

George Orwells "Animal Farm" springs to mind on so many levels with regard to Thailand and their citizens.

JAF

Wasn't it Prayuth who cancelled the microphones when he found about them ?

What was it he said, 'we don't need them my voice is loud enough'

When can we expect investigations into the expensive digital clocks, the 2 air conditioners in the garbage room and the antique coffee tables

He didn't cancel them. He "suspended" the order (even though they already had them) and had them removed from the office pending an "investigation".

The KEY POINT you are missing is that he did this AFTER the public went crazy. It was such a clear cut case that he had no choice. He didn't stop the order on his own volition.

The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens.

>deleted< me! Are you deadly serious? Or do you miss Chalerm so much that you need to make ridiculous comments on a weekly basis to keep readers amused?

Let's read that again, shall we; "The future of Thailand depends on the purchase of the microphones and TV screens."

Classic!

Same same different players is all. Better hope they don't find out about that gold toilet in the break room.

One of these news sources is wrong. Either Khaosod or Thailand today. I noticed Khaosod put a couple of words in red to emphasize their fair and balanced reporting.

http://www.thailandtoday.in.th/politics/elibrary/article/721

From the article:

Setting a positive example, Prime Minister Prayut cancelled a contract last week to install new microphones and video conferencing equipment at Government House after the media questioned the cost and procurement process. Newspapers reported that the price paid for the equipment was several times higher than the listed price, and that the equipment had been installed before the price was settled upon and the contract finalized.

The Prime Minister had the microphones and equipment removed and set up a panel to investigate the purchase. “I want all of you to calm down and wait for the accurate information,” Prayut said to reporters after the Cabinet meeting. He did not rule out buying the system, however, if investigators find the contract was appropriate. He stressed, however, that the purchase and the process must be transparent.