Published on August 30, 2005

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday dismissed insinuations that he has spent the city’s money to woo votes.

“In more than a year in office, I have been working under the scrutiny of people inside and outside the city administration and it is not possible that I could have appropriated off-budget money without detection,” he said.

Apirak was reacting to PM’s Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva’s call for Bangkok MPs to closely monitor the city’s spending.

Suranand said he suspected certain expenditures might be veiled attempts to boost Apirak’s image rather than improve or increase city services.

But, Apirak said all allocations of city funds are vetted by city councillors, Parliament, the Interior Ministry and the Office of the Auditor General.

An independent panel is also responsible for checking into city spending every three months, he said.

Khunying Nathanon Thavisin, the city clerk, said the annual budget is prepared in accordance with laws and regulations.

The disbursement of city funds was strictly checked and there was no reason to suspect budgetary malfeasance, Nathanon said.

Post your comment to this story here