Receipts for the delivery of water to 1,859 recipients were suspected of having been forged, so the contractor could still be paid, he said. The DSI said a second project worth Bt15.6 million concerned ICT systems and computers for 150 schools. The computers were delivered to the schools before they had even been paid for.

As a result, the schools received overpriced computers operated by pirated software. They were unable to bargain or even shop around for the best deals, the DSI said.

In another project, worth Bt14.97 million, to buy books and teaching materials for 519 schools, the bidding criteria had been manipulated to favour certain suppliers, Piyawat said. The final case subject to a corruption probe is an Bt8 million scheme to survey and design 30 rural roads.

Bangkok : Local elections set for July 29

The Election Commission yesterday named July 29 as the date for both Bangkok municipal and district council elections.

Current councillors saw their terms end last week and an election had to be set within 45 days.

Municipal candidate registration was set for July 19-23 at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre while district hopefuls can register at each district. Only 36 districts will have elections as 14 district representatives have already been chosen. Campaign spending is capped at Bt800,000 per candidate.

Pathum thani : Gas explosion kills three

Three people were killed, one a pregnant woman, and two others lost their legs when an oxygen tank exploded yesterday at a garage in Pathum Thani's Sam Khok district.

Four vehicles parked near the Sor Karnchang garage were damaged and the repair shop was completely destroyed. Police quoted witnesses as saying the explosion occurred after garage staff took the tank off the back of a motorcycle and into the garage. The tank was part of an oxyacetylene assembly.