5 double-track rail projects halted for ‘lack of transparency’ 

By The Nation 

 

 

Five controversial double-track railway projects worth of Bt99 billion have had their bidding processes put “on hold”, possibly causing a delay in their launches.

 

The move came after the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) held a meeting on Friday to revise the projects’ specifications following an order invoked by junta chief Prayut Chan-o-cha after he received numerous complaints about the projects’ lack of transparency for bidding and procurement. 

 

Anon Luangboriboon, recently appointed acting SRT governor, said before the meeting that the board would revise the projects’ terms of reference.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30307957

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-04

the word transparency does not exist in the vocab. of modern day thailand.

12 minutes ago, localczar said:

the word transparency does not exist in the vocab. of modern day thailand.

 

Yes,, not many parents will admit their sons are practicing ladyboys.

I suspect the requirement for transparency will be as selective as the fight against corruption. For example, I don't expect to see any push for transparency in the military budget.

so predictable.

 

and sad for the Thai people who just want a frickin' train.

These infrastructure developments were needed twenty years ago. If Prayut wants to really justify his autocratic powers should create a statutory infrastructure body  with non Thai auditors from KPMG or something and a CFO from an accounting firm abroad.

 

Cannot put 4 billion US into the hands on Thai rail managers and expect it go where stated. 

 

Quote

He ordered the transfer of SRT governor Wutthichat Kalayanamit and the agency’s entire board in response to alleged irregularities. 

 

He knew damn well that there would be underhandedness. Why didn't he preemptively structure the process. He's got absolute power!

25 minutes ago, jerojero said:

He knew damn well that there would be underhandedness. Why didn't he preemptively structure the process. He's got absolute power!

The backhander revenues perhaps?

what a sad bunch of people you are

 

Having read the whole article I can see very plainly that the PM did indeed act and put in place sensible solutions and sack a lot of people - a bold move to say the least

 

any of you experts that have been first posters on this topic care to put forward  your own suggestions as to how you would have handled this and what solutions you would have dreamed up from your 4/4 bedsit do please share, either put up or shut up

 

no didn't think so

 

and just to add - probably for the first time ever I actually agree with something heybruce said - this arrangement must also apply to military procurement or all military procurement be removed from the military and brought under civilian government control and oversight - no exceptions

So no trains, only to be expected, mind you we will have some subs or just one old relic

Economically the nation can not actually afford it anyway.

Were the complaints from those where the gravy train was not stopping at their Station? 

6 hours ago, jerojero said:

He knew damn well that there would be underhandedness. Why didn't he preemptively structure the process. He's got absolute power!

Because he lacks the abilities to govern and believes Thais do not need any help from the outside world.  That is probably changing now.

 

He is probably beginning to understand that his legacy will determine how he might live in the future.  If he makes some monumental mistakes, he will become a laughing stock at home and abroad.

From the "story":

 

The SRT had been set to announce the names of the companies that had qualified for bidding.

 

Hmmm.

 

 

The Junta, and its many, many, many "groups" (like the Superboard) have been in charge for over two years. These rail projects have been harped upon by the Junta ad nauseam. 

 

Now they getting around to sacking the board, and replacing it?

 

Perhaps the old board wasn't sharing, or directing the work, to the "good people"?
 

 

 

Thailand desperately needs to improve it's rail service. It is antiquated, and compared to so many other countries, it is an abomination. Whatever it takes to do this. Transparency is a good objective. It is easy to accomplish. The project does not need to be halted. He just needs to select some intelligent people to watch over it. Something he has had a very hard time doing to date. 

22 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Thailand desperately needs to improve it's rail service. It is antiquated, and compared to so many other countries, it is an abomination. Whatever it takes to do this. Transparency is a good objective. It is easy to accomplish. The project does not need to be halted. He just needs to select some intelligent people to watch over it. Something he has had a very hard time doing to date. 

yes and no past elected government would ever even have made an issue of this let alone share it with the public because they would have been up to their necks in the corruption and stuffing their pockets 

Well, let's see now….. What else could be halted because of lack of transparency? 

21 minutes ago, smedly said:

yes and no past elected government would ever even have made an issue of this let alone share it with the public because they would have been up to their necks in the corruption and stuffing their pockets 

While this is probably true, we should also admit that things don't get done in present-day Thailand without grease money. Any government operating in this environment has to strike a balance between actually accomplishing policies and being seen as too corrupt.

 

For a middle income country such as Thailand, growth and development is probably more important than eliminating corruption. Of course it needs to be gradually phased out by developing transparency, accountability, and un-politicized independent oversight, but at the end of the day, people are going to ask what their government is doing for them. If the answer is "not a whole lot," they aren't going to be happy.

His cut is not enough so a new process must be followed to increase the tea money to the statutary 30%. But lets be serious the real problem is the money needed for these projects. These projects is supposed to be financed directly by government but that is turning into a massive problem. Instead of losing face they are now spinning the delay as an anti corruption move. 

Many companies with rtd Army Gen at the helms are involved and most if not all have foreign partners or consultants as I am aware having been involved on a diff project with a big co also bidding for part of that Rail project.

All having " special arrangements " ?

I applaud the PM  here for duch action but I hope he will not halt or delay the bidding process. 

There's no substance to anything in this article. What complaints? What revisions to specifications? How are the two connected? How are the public to get any clear and verifiable information on what is happening?

 

It's all blather. Just window-dressing to make it look like the junta is actually doing sometime to counter corruption. Don't forget who controls the news. Behind the scenes, it's business as usual.

1 hour ago, debate101 said:

While this is probably true, we should also admit that things don't get done in present-day Thailand without grease money. Any government operating in this environment has to strike a balance between actually accomplishing policies and being seen as too corrupt.

 

For a middle income country such as Thailand, growth and development is probably more important than eliminating corruption. Of course it needs to be gradually phased out by developing transparency, accountability, and un-politicized independent oversight, but at the end of the day, people are going to ask what their government is doing for them. If the answer is "not a whole lot," they aren't going to be happy.

 

I cannot wait for the day the Thai people start asking what is their government doing for them, why are they doing so little, why are we getting so little, and why are we constantly getting short changed by the creeps in power? 

I also think they need to work out how these projects are to be funded. A bit of a delay is no doubt in order.

Next news headline: "Tourism Halted due to lack of prostitution" ....after major military assault using invisible underground submarines.

15 hours ago, smedly said:

what a sad bunch of people you are

 

Having read the whole article I can see very plainly that the PM did indeed act and put in place sensible solutions and sack a lot of people - a bold move to say the least

 

any of you experts that have been first posters on this topic care to put forward  your own suggestions as to how you would have handled this and what solutions you would have dreamed up from your 4/4 bedsit do please share, either put up or shut up

 

no didn't think so

 

and just to add - probably for the first time ever I actually agree with something heybruce said - this arrangement must also apply to military procurement or all military procurement be removed from the military and brought under civilian government control and oversight - no exceptions

Hey Smedly, go take a Valium will you, you seem to think that you are the resident expert.  When have you seen Prayut doing anything right unless it is to put more money in his pocket along with his little Generals?

Good move.
More transparency, why not.
This makes an economy more dynamic in any case.

IMO forget the Chinese subs, & (for the time being) forget the high-speed rail project, just give the nation a double line, & lots more Sprinter trains that (almost) run on time...As Jeremy Clarkson always states..  "How hard can it be"?

 But for once the Gen may just have seen the big picture of rail-linked corruption forming before his final go-ahead.