Published on January 18, 2006

President suspended pending graft inquiry

An official committee being set up to investigate alleged graft at the Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) is expected to finalise its inquiry within 30 days and the outcome could range from criminal charges to simple disciplinary action against officials.

Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, president of the PWO board, said yesterday the board would appoint a team within a week to investigate him, two vice presidents, and eight other officials. The investigating committee will comprise government, legal officials and others qualified to take part in the investigation.

The PWO’s vice president and acting president, Sermsri Roongsakul was dismissed from the acting president position yesterday because of her involvement in the alleged graft, Parnpree said. Another vice president, Nattira Leewaroongpan, has been appointed to fill the role of acting PWO president.

Parnpree said that although he is under investigation, he remains president. However, he has been suspended pending the results of the investigation.

Although officials in other departments were allegedly involved in breaking the rules when awarding contracts to four rice surveyors last year as part of the government’s rice-pledging programme, the panel will only investigate PWO officials, according to Parnpree . “It depends on the other departments whether they investigate the role of their officials, because we have no authority over them,” he said.

Parnpree said the PWO investigation was also unable to cover two of the four companies contracted to survey rice because only the National Counter Corruption Commission has authority over private companies.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will meet with PWO officials this morning to hammer out a restructuring plan for the organisation aimed at ensuring greater transparency in its dealings.

Meanwhile, 10 companies have been selected to become rice surveyors for this year’s harvest, including one of the four companies involved in the job last year.

A source said the ministry had adapted its regulations to select enough rice surveyors to inspect white rice from the pledging programme.

The companies include Bell Survey, Control Union World Group (Thailand), Asia Pestcontrol and Inspection, C.P.S. Inspection and Fumigation, Unity Agri Inspection, K.P.S. Inspection, Thai Fumigation, Inter Trading Services (Thailand), T.V.Y.Supplier, and Asia Inspection.

Five of the 10 companies will sign contracts and deposit guarantee money with the PWO today. The guarantee required of white rice surveyors is Bt1.7 million per 50,000 tonnes. To inspect jasmine rice, the companies must deposit guarantees of Bt1.7 million per 20,000 tonnes.

Under their contracts, the rice surveyors will be paid Bt15 per tonne of rice inspected and also receive Bt34 for rice quality preservation.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

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