No damage was caused to parliament over procurement of faulty digital clocks: NLA president

[webfact]

NLA president insists no damage was caused to the parliament over the procurement of faulty digital clocks



BANGKOK: -- The National Legislative Assembly president has defended that no financial damage has been rendered to the parliament following the removal of all over 200 digital clocks from the parliament after they have stopped functioning.

Asked to comment on the removal of the overpriced digital wall clocks by the contractor, Equipment Company, last week, NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholachai said that the parliament had not paid the contractor of the 14.8 million baht worth of digital clocks and, hence, no damage was done to the Office of the Secretary-General of the Parliament which ordered the purchase of the clocks.

Mr Pornpetch said that the purchase occurred before he assumed the presidency of the NLA.

The NLA president however said that officials who were placed under investigation for involvement in the procurement of the digital clocks said to be overpriced could appeal their case to the appeal committee.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/156113


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-22

[EyesWideOpen]

I don't believe this for one second that the contractor was not

paid. Of course he was paid, this is just a bit of face saving

for two problems. One is the fact the clocks were way over

priced, so some brown envelopes were slipped into

somebody's pocket. The fact they failed just makes it

funnier. Am assuming they were Chinese crap clocks...

[jamesbrock]

I don't believe this for one second that the contractor was not

paid. Of course he was paid, this is just a bit of face saving

for two problems. One is the fact the clocks were way over

priced, so some brown envelopes were slipped into

somebody's pocket. The fact they failed just makes it

funnier. Am assuming they were Chinese crap clocks...

As far as I recall, they were startlingly similar to computer monitors that displayed the time - of course there was some bull... about them being synchronised to baffle the peasants asking why they paid 14.9 million baht for them...

[LannaGuy]

the problem was the clocks were set to "Thai Time" and so ten minutes became one hour and the clocks gave up

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed.

[jamesbrock]

The clocks in question. 240 Bodet Cristalays Ellipse clocks—that retail for 25,000 baht each—purchased and installed for 62,000 baht a piece.

Of course, there's no mention of the 89 new microphones *cough* "costing" 145,000 baht each, or the air conditioner in the garbage collection storeroom...

[leeneeds]

A stich in time in this case cost 14.9

Miss bad luck should have to wear one as the reminder of her time.

[Langsuan Man]

Wasn't there also a scandal on the purchase of a sound system a couple of years ago ?

There have been so many of these stories of waste and fraud it is hard to keep up

[worgeordie]

No damage to Parliament,just the Thai taxpayers taking the hit.......again.,

regards Worgeordie

[bheard]

Ha ha, who can believe it. no financial damage.

There was certainly a lot of reputational damage - once again the govt looks to be totally inept.

[Lupatria]

If you legalize corruption, it becomes a habit to millions.Voila!

btw. if he is wearing a wig he is lucky, because he can return it to the shop.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Lupatria

[robblok]

There we go again.. we cancelled the deal so no damage was done. I have heard that excuse a few times in the news when its about fraud (we paid it back so all is well). That is like saying when a bank robber pays the money back the crime is forgiven. Just crazy and not true but used as an excuse.

[tuanku]

Time, like honour and integrity, are very flexible concepts in Thai Government circles.

[Pimay1]

If you legalize corruption, it becomes a habit to millions.Voila!

btw. if he is wearing a wig he is lucky, because he can return it to the shop.

I'm not so sure about that. It appears to be glued to his head.

[jamesbrock]

There we go again.. we cancelled the deal so no damage was done. I have heard that excuse a few times in the news when its about fraud (we paid it back so all is well). That is like saying when a bank robber pays the money back the crime is forgiven. Just crazy and not true but used as an excuse.

Except the clocks were removed to be repaired because they haven't worked properly since the middle of last year, not because their procurement was found to be mired in corruption... I wonder if these guys believe their own lies??

[Robm579]

So corruption and ineptitude are illegal then?

Who would have thought that...!

[robblok]

There we go again.. we cancelled the deal so no damage was done. I have heard that excuse a few times in the news when its about fraud (we paid it back so all is well). That is like saying when a bank robber pays the money back the crime is forgiven. Just crazy and not true but used as an excuse.

Except the clocks were removed to be repaired because they haven't worked properly since the middle of last year, not because their procurement was found to be mired in corruption... I wonder if these guys believe their own lies??

I get real tired of all the corruption here, its amazing. But seems to be so ingrained nothing will ever be done. Its just a stick to hit the political opponents with. Not perfect but at least some of them get punished.

I am against corruption on any side.

[phoenixdoglover]

According to the article, they bought the clocks from a vendor named "Equipment Company".

Really?

[Eric Loh]

Time, like honour and integrity, are very flexible concepts in Thai Government circles.

Defination of corruption is different with the junta government As long as no money transacted or money returned, the acts are not considered as corruption. They will be proud to quote you 2 recent examples.

[Srikcir]

There we go again.. we cancelled the deal so no damage was done. I have heard that excuse a few times in the news when its about fraud (we paid it back so all is well). That is like saying when a bank robber pays the money back the crime is forgiven. Just crazy and not true but used as an excuse.

"cancel the deal so no damage was done" does seem to be the practice

Last August an NGV operator sued Pol General Aek Angsananont, in his capacity as chairman of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority board, and another eight defendants for allegedly rigging bids for the purchase and maintenance of 489 NGV-fuelled buses. Just this month BMTA responded by cancelling the purchase and plans instead to renovate the 20-year old NGV buses from top to bottom from their engine to gear system, keeping only the bus chassis.

The issue of government bid collusion seems to have been forgotten.

[robblok]

There we go again.. we cancelled the deal so no damage was done. I have heard that excuse a few times in the news when its about fraud (we paid it back so all is well). That is like saying when a bank robber pays the money back the crime is forgiven. Just crazy and not true but used as an excuse.

"cancel the deal so no damage was done" does seem to be the practice

Last August an NGV operator sued Pol General Aek Angsananont, in his capacity as chairman of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority board, and another eight defendants for allegedly rigging bids for the purchase and maintenance of 489 NGV-fuelled buses. Just this month BMTA responded by cancelling the purchase and plans instead to renovate the 20-year old NGV buses from top to bottom from their engine to gear system, keeping only the bus chassis.

The issue of government bid collusion seems to have been forgotten.

Yea its a bad thing, just because the deal did not go through does not mean the intent and planning for corruption was not there. Might be harder to prove. Thailand got a long way to come fighting corruption.

[pookiki]

Article 44 to the rescue -- just in time!

[joebrown]

No damage to Parliament,just the Thai taxpayers taking the hit.......again.,

regards Worgeordie

Whatever do you mean by "Thai taxpayers taking the hit"? The money ceased to belong to the taxpayers and became a gift to the government to do whatever they wanted with it. You fail to understand that Thai citizens lose control of their hard earned money once it gets into the coffers of these unaccountable politicians.

[phoenixdoglover]

Does this rubber stamp NLA need clocks?

[tomacht8]

Am wondering here about the jurisdiction of the authorities.
Normally it is the jurisdiction from the Office of the National Anti-Corruption commission (NACC) to look into corruption cases.

[Kasset Tak]

The clocks in question. 240 Bodet Cristalays Ellipse clocks—that retail for 25,000 baht each—purchased and installed for 62,000 baht a piece.

Of course, there's no mention of the 89 new microphones *cough* "costing" 145,000 baht each, or the air conditioner in the garbage collection storeroom...

Sorry to say but those are Bodet Opalys Date clocks and yes the price is 25,000 Baht each, then comes mounting brackets that starts from 10,000 Baht, synchronizing units at 7,000 Baht each, electrical installation and so on but these prices are not including tax or import duties!

[Torrens54]

SUPPOSE IT COULD BE SAID THAT:

"Time Ran Out for Yingluck's Clocks."

[dominique355]

The clocks in question. 240 Bodet Cristalays Ellipse clocks—that retail for 25,000 baht each—purchased and installed for 62,000 baht a piece.

Of course, there's no mention of the 89 new microphones *cough* "costing" 145,000 baht each, or the air conditioner in the garbage collection storeroom...

and don't forget the 6 times overpriced flatscreen TV ... oh but that was in the government house. Not in the parliament.

All tax payer's money, though.