First lot of 35 scandal-plagued fire trucks ready to be delivered for use end of September

[snoop1130]

First lot of 35 scandal-plagued fire trucks ready to be delivered for use end of September

 

 

The City Hall is expected to deliver the first lot of 35 fire trucks bought over a decade ago from an Austrian company to the Office of Public Disasters Prevention and Mitigation for use around the end of this month, Deputy Bangkok Governor Pol Gen Asawin Kwanmuang disclosed on Wednesday.

 

Repairs for 18 Mitsubishi fire trucks by the City Hall’s workshop have been completed with two more to be ready for delivery soon, said the deputy governor, adding that, by the end of September, altogether 35 fire trucks will be ready for delivery for use.

 

The city administration bought altogether 315 fire trucks and 30 fire-fighting boats from Austrian firm – Steyer-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG – about a decade ago.

 

But the 6.6 billion baht deal was embroiled in corruption scandal resulting in a legal battle between the city administration and the Austrian firm which eventually went to the Geneva-based Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. The court ordered Steyer to pay the city hall €20.49 million or (820) million baht on condition that the city hall must accept delivery of the truck and boat fleet.

 

In the course of the legal battle, the fire trucks and boats have been left to rot in two separate private warehouses in Nonthaburi and Laem Chabang, Chon Buri, incurring hundreds of million baht in rental fees which are yet to be settled.

 

Pol Gen Asawin admitted that the City Hall’s workshop has limited capacity and cannot maintain the other 105 fire trucks which have different specifications and require special spare parts which have to be imported.

 

He said the city administration was in the process of finding a contractor to undertake the repairs for the rest of the trucks which are expected to be completed in March next year at a total cost of about 153 million baht.

 

The city hall is yet to settle a dispute over the rental fees of a parking lot in Nonthaburi with Namyong Terminal. The company has agreed to reduce the fees

from 926 million baht to 427 million baht but the city administration can afford to pay not more than 300 million baht.

 

An out-of-court settlement is due on Friday.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/first-lot-35-scandal-plagued-fire-trucks-ready-delivered-use-end-september/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-09-21

[tomwct]

Has anybody gone to prison over this corruption?

[ChrisY1]

4 minutes ago, tomwct said:

Has anybody gone to prison over this corruption?

 

Oh...come on.......nobody in high positions in Thailand goes to prison over corruption........the rip is done.....the detectives move in and sometimes find major faults.....but nobody is accountable...ever!

The fraudulenty obtained gains by the suspects are never ...ever returned........why??

Hi-so people are above the rule of law......and it seems always!

[jamesbrock]

Is this in addition to the 176 fire trucks that reports from late August said were being repaired? Or have the numbers changed?

 

In August, reports said officials will check the roadworthiness of 176 trucks before a company is hired to repair them with a budget of 181 million baht. They also said that an initial check found 52 of them were in driving condition, but the rest "must have their tyres replaced," according to the city's Finance Department.

 

Now this story says all up 140 trucks have been or are being repaired - and the budget is now 153 million baht...

[Reigntax]

10 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

Is this in addition to the 176 fire trucks that reports from late August said were being repaired? Or have the numbers changed?

 

In August, reports said officials will check the roadworthiness of 176 trucks before a company is hired to repair them with a budget of 181 million baht. They also said that an initial check found 52 of them were in driving condition, but the rest "must have their tyres replaced," according to the city's Finance Department.

 

Now this story says all up 140 trucks have been or are being repaired - and the budget is now 153 million baht...

 

Just shake your head and smile. Everyone knows maths works differently in gagaland to the base10 system we are used to.

[ratcatcher]

24 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

Is this in addition to the 176 fire trucks that reports from late August said were being repaired? Or have the numbers changed?

 

In August, reports said officials will check the roadworthiness of 176 trucks before a company is hired to repair them with a budget of 181 million baht. They also said that an initial check found 52 of them were in driving condition, but the rest "must have their tyres replaced," according to the city's Finance Department.

 

Now this story says all up 140 trucks have been or are being repaired - and the budget is now 153 million baht...

Repairs on 176 trucks estimated cost of 181 million baht or in excess of 1 million baht per truck. 

[jamesbrock]

Just now, ratcatcher said:

Repairs on 176 trucks estimated cost of 181 million baht or in excess of 1 million baht per truck. 

 

To apparently just replace tyres... 

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, tomwct said:

Has anybody gone to prison over this corruption?

 

500B fines...

 

and transferred to inactive posts

[worgeordie]

They should put some of these trucks on prominent display around the

country,with signs on them detailing how much of the taxpayers money

has been wasted on just one scheme, over the years,and there have been

so many more,the contract on these trucks was signed on the last day in

office,of the then Governor of Bangkok.so many millions for parking fees

in a field?,some where not even under cover.

regards worgeordie

[Brer Fox]

As usual just about every Thai commercial deal, international or otherwise is mired in government corruption, kick-backs cover-ups, waste of taxpayer money, intrigue and this one has all the ingredients.

However according to PM Prayut people have only 19 years and 11 months and two weeks to wait before corruption is completely eradicated in Thailand. Hang in there folks!

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, jamesbrock said:

 

To apparently just replace tyres... 

 

Don't forget there is a service charge for putting air in those tyres.

[jamesbrock]

With these trucks, and the 160 million baht they spent on those 20 Polaris mini-trucks, Bangkok is shaping up to have the most well-equiped, expensive fire truck fleet in the world...

 

The Polaris Ranger 6x6 that those mini-trucks are based on start at US$12,599 (442,000 baht), but the BMA paid 8,000,000 baht a piece for them. I recall Sukhumbhand arguing that it was worth it because they each had a pump, small water tank and two fire extinguishers fitted... 

[NCC1701A]

I am sure my Thai neighbor here in Hua Hin has one of these trucks converted into a mobile bar...

 

It has a fold down bar on the sides, mega bass sound system and LED lights running all around it.

 

During Songkran they turn the water pump on.

 

So buying these trucks was not a total waste.

[tifino]

 

hang around for a tyre fire sale  - NOT 

 

 

Luckily there was at least one so called expert available, to have warned them of the long term shelf storage life

- that tyres do not enjoy

 

Otherwise, would have made for some plentiful unexplained accidents - on the way to any fire.

 

What about all those expired or dehydrated spolit batteries?

 

and possibly dead electrical systems that have had no energy supply available, for sooo long...

 

 

and the trucks themselves must be really old fashion by now 

[Xircal]

They look a bit on the small side for fire trucks. Do they just carry a couple of buckets of water in the back?

 

[tifino]

13 minutes ago, Xircal said:

They look a bit on the small side for fire trucks. Do they just carry a couple of buckets of water in the back?

 

 

more than likely the transport of the hiso scrambled-eggs-on-cap types, to get their photos taken at the scene

[webfact]

BMA

Ten years after procurement, 176 fire trucks to enter service

Tanatpong Kongsai
The Nation 

 

THE BANGKOK Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is preparing to finally commission 176 |fire trucks

 

BANGKOK: -- Due to a decade-long legal dispute surrounding the controversial purchase, the desperately needed vehicles had been locked up in a warehouse, and are now in need of substantial repairs and maintenance.

The Mechanical Engineering Division of the BMA is now working to repair 71 of the fire trucks. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Ten-years-after-procurement-176-fire-trucks-to-ent-30295889.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-09-22

[Thian]

Stored in a warehouse? I saw them standing on a field overgrown by weeds.

[PatOngo]

Pathetic!

[SABloke]

Is this in addition to the 176 fire trucks that reports from late August said were being repaired? Or have the numbers changed?

 

In August, reports said officials will check the roadworthiness of 176 trucks before a company is hired to repair them with a budget of 181 million baht. They also said that an initial check found 52 of them were in driving condition, but the rest "must have their tyres replaced," according to the city's Finance Department.

 

Now this story says all up 140 trucks have been or are being repaired - and the budget is now 153 million baht...

Oi...back in your box, you. Why are you bringing up the past. Move on with your life...there's a good sheep..Good boy.

[RichardColeman]

God - or Buddha - help anyone trapped on the third story and above with those ladders ! 

[TheFishman1]

TIT

[dieseldave1951]

9 hours ago, tifino said:

 

hang around for a tyre fire sale  - NOT 

 

 

Luckily there was at least one so called expert available, to have warned them of the long term shelf storage life

- that tyres do not enjoy

 

Otherwise, would have made for some plentiful unexplained accidents - on the way to any fire.

 

What about all those expired or dehydrated spolit batteries?

 

and possibly dead electrical systems that have had no energy supply available, for sooo long...

 

 

and the trucks themselves must be really old fashion by now 

you forgot the wire eating rats chomping away at the electrics  ummmmm tasty 

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, Xircal said:

They look a bit on the small side for fire trucks. Do they just carry a couple of buckets of water in the back?

 

Maybe water trucks are an extra accessory. Otherwise all the fire truck needs is a big pump to connect with a water source.

[halloween]

Can anybody explain why a winch is needed on a city fire-truck?

[Retiredandhappyhere]

When I read this update on the fire engines saga, I can't understand why the words aircraft carrier and submarines kept coming into my head.

[PatOngo]

5 hours ago, halloween said:

Can anybody explain why a winch is needed on a city fire-truck?

 

They do dental extractions on the side!

[williamgeorgeallen]

surprising the thai people dont get angry over the miss use of public funds. guess the majority of thais dont pay taxes so dont really care.

[mike324]

5 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

When I read this update on the fire engines saga, I can't understand why the words aircraft carrier and submarines kept coming into my head.

 

those aren't too bad, don't forget the spy blimp!

[hansnl]

13 hours ago, Brer Fox said:

As usual just about every Thai commercial deal, international or otherwise is mired in government corruption, kick-backs cover-ups, waste of taxpayer money, intrigue and this one has all the ingredients.

However according to PM Prayut people have only 19 years and 11 months and two weeks to wait before corruption is completely eradicated in Thailand. Hang in there folks!

 Was Mr Prayut prime minister 10 years ago?

How is it possible to eradicate corruption existing since 60-80 years in two years.

Twenty years is a good goal.