Public Health Inspector admitted ambulances are not of best quality

Chairman of an executive committee examining the ambulance procurement affirmed that its examination complied with the contract but admitted that the ambulances are not of the best quality. However, their specifications are approved by the Industry Council.

Inspector of the Ministry of Public Health and Chairman of the examining committee Md Kittisak Klabdee (กิตติศักดิ์ กลับดี), called a press conference after the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) had found that specifications of many ambulance equipments are different from those stated in the contract. The inspector denied the accusation and affirmed that the committee had strictly complied with the procurement contract in examining such equipments. It even checked with experts from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology North Bangkok before accepting the ambulances. The chairman admitted that although the ambulance equipments are not of the best quality, they are approved by the Industry Council.

Md Kittisak said further that the alleged corruption scandal is being investigated; so, any effort to identify the wrongdoers should be halted until OAG has finished inspecting the irregularities.

If it finds that these ambulances contains doubts, the committee will make sure that any ambulance procurement in the future meets the international standard requirment.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 November 2006

I did not know the government had any ambulances.

The only ones I have ever seen belong to private hospitals or

the pick up trucks of the voluntary organisations like Sawang Pathep.