Rolls-Royce ‘kickbacks’ to PTT to be probed

[webfact]

Rolls-Royce ‘kickbacks’ to PTT to be probed

By THE NATION

 

 

NACC names team to investigate $11m bribes to execs of national oil company.

 

BANGKOK: -- THE COUNTRY’S top anti-graft officials have been appointed to investigate alleged corruption in the 2000-2013 procurement of multi-billion-baht Rolls-Royce industrial equipment by PTT plc and its subsidiary, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP).

 

Pol General Watcharaphol Prasarnrachakit, chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (NACC), said yesterday three of six procurement projects by the state-owned PTT and PTTEP during the period would be scrutinised by a subcommittee headed by Supa Piyachitti, Surasak Kirivichien and Pol General Staporn Laothong.

 

According to documentary evidence provided by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the US Justice Department, more than US$11 million (Bt368 million) was paid in bribes to PTT, PTTEP and other state officials in return for the energy companies purchasing Rolls-Royce’s products from 2000 to 2013.

 

Dozens of top executives from PTT and PTTEP, as well as members of the two companies’ procurement committees, are among people accused of receiving the bribes from Rolls-Royce.

 

Watcharaphol said preliminary fact-finding inquiries saw grounds to pursue further investigations into dubious procurements related to the three projects, so the NACC decided the three commissioners would take charge of the case.

 

Previously, a total of 26 former ministers and top executives of state-owned Thai Airways International (THAI) were accused of receiving kickbacks from the UK-based Rolls-Royce in return for purchasing a large number of aircraft engines for the national-flag carrier’s fleet.

 

Watcharaphol said the anti-graft agency would also seek cooperation from counterparts at the US Justice Department while working on the PTT-PTTEP/Rolls-Royce case.

 

In the case of THAI, its previous president, Charumporn Chotikas-athien, has set up an in-house committee to look into the allegations.

 

The NACC also proceeded with its investigation of the THAI case with a focus on a former transport minister, a deputy minister, THAI’s board of directors and its long-term investment subcommmittee. 

 

Together, they approved a multi-billion-dollar deal to buy six aircraft with Rolls-Royce engines in 2004 and 2005 when Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister.

 

In January this year, Tewin Wongwanich, the current CEO of PTT, said the state-owned oil and gas firm had also launched an internal investigation into the alleged kickbacks from 2000 to 2013.

 

During the period, Tewin’s CEO predecessors were Pairin Chuchot-taworn and Prasert Boonsamphun. 

 

According to Tewin, representatives of the German firm Siemens were also asked to provide information relevant to the allegations since Siemens purchased Rolls-Royce businesses in late 2014.

 

While documentary evidence from both UK and US authorities regarding PTT’s and THAI’s procurement is substantial and specific, efforts to bring wrongdoers to justice have been relatively slow.

 

In addition, the statute of limitations for some incidents have expired after a period of 20 years. In most cases, anti-graft authorities may still pursue criminal actions against those involved in receiving kickbacks.

 

Documents from UK and US authorities have also implicated |top officials in Indonesia, Malaysia, China and India regarding procurement of aircraft engines for national carriers.

 

Rolls-Royce has agreed to pay a huge fine of $808 million to settle the case after it cooperated with UK authorities on an investigation regarding bribe payments and related wrongdoing.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30321580

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-24

[ChrisY1]

Another face saving media release.....and of course, another waste of public funds....we can all pretty much reckon the outcome.

[gwynt]

Nothing done not even this farce "Investigation" until the UK& US get involved and bring it to light

[retarius]

gwynt...yes farce indeed. No one will be prosecuted even if there is massive bribery by RR. RR will be indicted or blamed for giving the bribes....but you know RR wasn't the only one. Any investigation will show that even the purchaser of paperclips got a backhander.

[worgeordie]

I believe RollsRoyce has already been found guilty in this case and paid a large fine,

here it will be, nobody took brides,bribes what bribes, it was the same with the Bomb detectors,

the seller is in UK prison,and admitted paying bribes,nothing happened here.

 

regards worgeordie

[YetAnother]

backroom payments will flow from this

[Cadbury]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

US$11 million (Bt368 million) was paid in bribes to PTT, PTTEP and other state officials

So the purchase of RR engines is going to be scrutinised by a sub-committee. This is all for show and nothing much will come of it because of the involvement of "state officials". Those names will certainly never come to light.

The matter will have been already been decided through diplomatic channels and a diplomatic agreement reached where the UK will be asked not to release those particular names. Then Thailand will have the convenient excuse that the UK wouldn't give up this information and so the "scrutiny" will be narrowed accordingly. 

Of course there will have to be a few sacrificial lambs and I suspect those names have already been decided from within PTT and PTTEP.

[trainman34014]

Ah; more 'Committee's', 'Sub-Committee's', 'Panels' etc doing 'Probes'.     This country is the biggest 'Hub' of useless Committee's and Probes that lead to nowhere, meaning the country is going nowhere either when it comes to real progress !

[wavemanwww]

I've just returned from a 7 day ban on this web site. Penalty was due to critisizing directly the Thai Govt authorities more so in relation to Red Bull heir DHead. I will continue with that critisism. Also banned for calling the Thai authority,  in a disrespecture nature!.. again with regards to Red bull. I accept that,

 

BUT after reading this item maybe corruption is totally global! Rolls Royce caught out for bribing at an international level. Well my simple question to the Pomms has any news been heard in England about this as nil in Australia has been raised in the media or has that been covered  and smothered by UK? So called political bullshit? If the accusations are true why has not the CEO or director  of Rolls Royce responsible been charged by UK law? Why no news internationally on them giving bribes to increase profits? Thus life and big business continues in UK as in Thailand , and without no international boundaries  and recognition of its own laws nor enforcement?

[candide]

Let me guess....during this period the NACC will investigate 2000-2005, then 2007-2008, and finally 2012-2013! 

Edited July 24, 2017 by candide

[Dave67]

Farangs tainting Thailands reputation/image again

 

 

[The Old Bull]

Old news how about addressing todays ongoing graft. What ever happened to those busses? seems to have disappeared from the news.

[trainman34014]

14 hours ago, wavemanwww said:

I've just returned from a 7 day ban on this web site. Penalty was due to critisizing directly the Thai Govt authorities more so in relation to Red Bull heir DHead. I will continue with that critisism. Also banned for calling the Thai authority,  in a disrespecture nature!.. again with regards to Red bull. I accept that,

 

BUT after reading this item maybe corruption is totally global! Rolls Royce caught out for bribing at an international level. Well my simple question to the Pomms has any news been heard in England about this as nil in Australia has been raised in the media or has that been covered  and smothered by UK? So called political bullshit? If the accusations are true why has not the CEO or director  of Rolls Royce responsible been charged by UK law? Why no news internationally on them giving bribes to increase profits? Thus life and big business continues in UK as in Thailand , and without no international boundaries  and recognition of its own laws nor enforcement?

You must have been hibernating for some time.  It was Britain's Serious Fraud Office that brought this to light some 4 years or so ago and it was in the International news.  They reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement in January this year, details of that you will have to look up yourself but i recall RR have paid massive fines.

[wavemanwww]

2 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

You must have been hibernating for some time.  It was Britain's Serious Fraud Office that brought this to light some 4 years or so ago and it was in the International news.  They reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement in January this year, details of that you will have to look up yourself but i recall RR have paid massive fines.

ok thanks. I assumed this was only a recent matter.

[anon789561]

kick backs were all a part of doing business back then. they still are now to a certain extent. the proof is right there. should anyone be prosecuted for just doing a deal? not sure. they got the deal done so maybe just give them a pat on the back and move on

[anon789561]

what the police and lawyers in this case have given themselves is a job for life. that minor rolls Royce deal as they know was the tip off the iceberg. so let them head to bae systems and detica and all the other deals in the middle east. why pick on that deal? not ready to take on the bigger players just yet I guess

[NeoDinosaw]

22 hours ago, wavemanwww said:

I've just returned from a 7 day ban on this web site. Penalty was due to critisizing directly the Thai Govt authorities more so in relation to Red Bull heir DHead. I will continue with that critisism. Also banned for calling the Thai authority,  in a disrespecture nature!.. again with regards to Red bull. I accept that,

 

BUT after reading this item maybe corruption is totally global! Rolls Royce caught out for bribing at an international level. Well my simple question to the Pomms has any news been heard in England about this as nil in Australia has been raised in the media or has that been covered  and smothered by UK? So called political bullshit? If the accusations are true why has not the CEO or director  of Rolls Royce responsible been charged by UK law? Why no news internationally on them giving bribes to increase profits? Thus life and big business continues in UK as in Thailand , and without no international boundaries  and recognition of its own laws nor enforcement?

I believe the CEO of RR recently got a large bonus for his superb leadership of the company .........

[CharlieH]

Post containing all CAPS has been removed.

[CantSpell]

We can expect GREAT Results...

About as great as the results of the lawsuit against King Power... 

[maewang99]

they are going after Yingluck's bank accounts... are they not? her situation is political..... 

but what seems to be about to just happen with her personal bank accounts.... really is something new.

is it not?

and since the payments involved here were to individuals.... not to difficult to trace shadow entities....

or so it seems from the article and prosecutions made abroad....

 

so on this...

give the junta a chance to do it right. huh?