Thai Tourism permanent secretary, three others transferred over procurement

[webfact]

Tourism permanent secretary, three others transferred over procurement
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- FOUR TOP OFFICIALS at the Tourism and Sports Ministry were moved to inactive posts on Friday by the junta over an alleged link to equipment purchases at inflated prices.

"The overpriced deal [judging from market prices] for the equipment has now caused damages of more than Bt3.2 billion, perhaps reaching Bt5 billion," a ministry source said yesterday. The source said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) transferred the four officials to inactive posts.

They were Suwat Sithilaw, permanent secretary; Patanachart Kridiborworn, director-general of the Physical Education Department; Niwat Limsuknirun, deputy director-general of the Physical Education Department; and Anupap Kasornsuwan, director-general of the Tourism Department.

According to the NCPO's statement, at least 20 other key officials from various ministries including Interior, Finance, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Environment have also been removed.

The source said the four officials had been under investigation since last year when the military took over the country's administration. They had been suspected of setting high prices for procuring equipment and tools for the ministry's tourism and sport offices across the country. Another representative of the Tourism Ministry said more officials were involved in the scandal and faced charges. They might be probed soon for making special deals with tourism and sport equipment suppliers to quote higher prices than the market.

The junta claims the Tourism Department marked up contracts from Bt300 million at market prices to Bt1.7 billion while the Physical Education Department quoted Bt1.5 billion, up from Bt500 million. Their losses total Bt3.2 billion.

"The National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor-General's Office are continuing to search for further corruption at the Tourism and Sports Ministry. They are speculating there is another loss of Bt1.8 billion," the source said.

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul on Sunday issued a media release saying the ministry had appointed an acting permanent secretary and acting directors-general of the Physical Education and Tourism departments.

"The sacked persons are under investigation by other authorities," she said in the ministry's statement.

All tourism work remains on track despite the corruption issues, she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Tourism-permanent-secretary-three-others-transferr-30260403.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-19

[shirtless]

Throw them in jail this is theft , this is what makes Thailand 3rd world,

[redandyellow]

"All tourism work remains on track despite the corruption issues, she said."

So they are A okay with the amount of tourist road deaths then, tourist jumpers, tourist murders, etc.?

All they care about are warm tourist bodies - the cold, dead ones can go home in a body bag, my bpen rai, or be cremated quickly..NEXT.

Signed,

Bean Counters

[ratcatcher]

"They were Suwat Sithilaw, permanent secretary;..."

Looks like permanent isn't permanent anymore. Stupid title anyway.

[z42]

These sorts should be strung up. Pure greed and thievery. Appalling that they are merely transferred and not arrested

[Manbing]

why send them to inactive posts?

Sling them in jail then start investigating.

That's the right message to send to others of their tainted ilk.

[Lupatria]

Now hit me as a Thai basher when I say this kind of crime is already tradition here for those in high positions.

[Dogmatix]

Good move but the juntas crack down on corruption is far too slow and selective and will not have any lasting effects. A hard hitting purge of police and military criminals with a raft of 30 year sentences for generals would be a good start. The main problem is that corrupt officials always assume they can pay off corrupt police, if things get hot. Time to shock them into believing it's not worth the risk. Seeing some of their mates in prison, assets confiscated and families devastated is the only way.

For now they continue to send their brats to posh schools in the UK and US on salaries of 50,000 baht a month and no one says anything. Making it a crime to own assets or spend money they can't account for, as in Hong Kong, would also help.

[quandow]

Throw them in jail this is theft , this is what makes Thailand 3rd world,

It's technically not 3rd world, but it sure seems they're doing their best to GET there!

[quandow]

Is THAT what this article was about?

Tourism operators praise Thai govt for shepherding industry from crisis to growth

[Robby nz]

why send them to inactive posts?

Sling them in jail then start investigating.

That's the right message to send to others of their tainted ilk.

That's the story jail them before they have a chance to defend themselves in court.

Guilty till proven innocent right.

[Robby nz]

why send them to inactive posts?

Sling them in jail then start investigating.

That's the right message to send to others of their tainted ilk.

That's the story jail them before they have a chance to defend themselves in court.

Guilty till proven innocent right.

[jackanapes]

this is a case of out with the old and in with the new slowly slowly catchee monkey obviously the government are intent on clearing the decks or should I say all the departments under the old regime will be removed .

[Baerboxer]

Now hit me as a Thai basher when I say this kind of crime is already tradition here for those in high positions.

You're sort of right.

Corruption like this in procurement is a major problem. The US, UK and EU have all beefed up their anti-bribery laws over the last 20 years including recently. Still cases come to light.

The difference is in other countries people caught doing this are prosecuted and if convicted punished, usually severely. Here, might be transferred, swept under the carpet to keep face, slapped on the wrist; but in most cases they don't even have to give up what they gained.

The tradition here is everyone does it, so the "punishments" aren't really serious.

In 2011, at a ADB conference someone openly stated that 20-30% of project budget spend in Thailand went on graft. That person was warned not to ever make that comment whilst in Thailand itself.

As you say, just becomes the accepted way of doing it.

[MobileContent]

If some small guy goes to Tesco and steals a pack of milk he might not get bail and certainly will end up in jail if he can't pay the fine.

When government officials steal from the people they just get a transfer.

[Johnny S]

"The sacked persons are under investigation by other authorities," she said in the ministry's statement.

All tourism work remains on track despite the corruption issues, she said.

Again I have to ask: Where the he11 did they dig her up for that job ... Perhaps her husband (a general) had something to do with it ...

Even in the Land of Stupidity its hard to find an incompetence like The Minister of Tourism and Sports

[smedly]

my god where does it end

anyone that thinks the past government and its ministers are not complicit in these crimes is a fruit cake

People here are debating about elections charters and democracy in Thailand when the whole thing is rotten beyond belief, I said it before and I will repeat - it would not bother me one bit if the current government was to stay in office for the next 5 years if they continue to expose these thieves seize their assets and lock them up and put in place tough penalties and laws to deal with them going forward and empower independent agencies to hold future governments accountable - oh wait that's what they doing isn't it

3rd world is correct and abuse of power and corruption revealed/uncovered by the current administration is just a shocking read on a daily basis - I wonder were Thailands corruption rating would be now if all this had been properly exposed in the past, surely it must be near the top if not right there already

[jpduggan]

Seem the Permanent secretary isn't so permanent after all!!

[Ulic]

That's OK my bank account is fat with tax free cash, a transfer to a non active post will allow me

to enjoy my ill gotten gains more fully.

[Beng]

why send them to inactive posts?

Sling them in jail then start investigating.

That's the right message to send to others of their tainted ilk.

[halloween]

this is a case of out with the old and in with the new slowly slowly catchee monkey obviously the government are intent on clearing the decks or should I say all the departments under the old regime will be removed .

No, not all, just the criminals. "All" is just a close approximation.

[NongKhaiKid]

"The sacked persons are under investigation by other authorities," she said in the ministry's statement.

All tourism work remains on track despite the corruption issues, she said.

Again I have to ask: Where the he11 did they dig her up for that job ... Perhaps her husband (a general) had something to do with it ...

Even in the Land of Stupidity its hard to find an incompetence like The Minister of Tourism and Sports

i agree with you in all but the idea of incompetence as it's very easy to find here, LoS isn't exactly a meritocracy.

As you said her husband is a general so that's qualification enough.

[jcisco]

500M thb inflated to 1.5B this is hardy petty corruption either, they are operating entirely for themselves and the nation second. And the other example 300M thb to 1.7B thb absolutely outrageous level of graft, Thievery of the highest calibre.