"The NCCC would have to suspect an unexplained asset movement involving Surayud if it is to launch the graft probe," NCCC chairman Panthep Klanarongran said yesterday.

Today's ruling will be based on four factors - unusual increase in wealth, suspicious asset accumulation, sudden drop in assets and suspected ill-gotten gains while holding office, he said.

If the NCCC found probable cause to suspect one of the four factors after examining Surayud's vacation home at Khao Yai Thieng, Nakhon Ratchasima, then it will activate the graft proceedings, he said. In a separate development, the NCCC has appointed a panel to raise public awareness on the fight against corruption as a national agenda. The panel is led by NCCC member Klanarong Chantik. The awareness campaign is expected to commence in March and will last for a year, coinciding with the celebrations for His Majesty the King's 80th birthday. - The Nation.

Fire trucks set to be turned away

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will probably refuse to accept a second delivery of fire trucks from Austrian manufacturer Steyr Daimler Puch pending the results of an investigation into alleged corruption in the authority's Bt6.68-billion fire-safety project. A BMA source said Steyr had insisted on delivering an undisclosed number of fire trucks despite an initial BMA statement saying it would not accept the vehicles when they arrive in Thailand on March 26.

A panel appointed by the Interior Ministry, which oversees the BMA, is investigating allegations that certain BMA and ministry officials illegally benefited from highly inflated prices for vehicles. - The Nation.

Abhisit's new book analyses coup

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the coup served to "make people hate politicians" as he launched his book on the September 19 military takeover.

"Kan Muang Thai Lung Ratthaprahan" (Thai Politics after the Coup) expresses his feelings towards the first military coup in 16 years.

"I want coups to be a thing of the past, because they affect the country. They also make people hate politicians, no matter whether they committed an offence or not," he told a press conference held to launch the book at party headquarters.

Solutions proposed include avoiding non-democratic actions like controlling and manipulating the media; avoiding incidents of violence, which depends on the government and Council for National Security (CNS) presenting the truth; and drafting a new constitution fairly.

He said the government and the CNS should not seek to restrict the movements of ousted Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, but rather it would be better to use the truth in resisting him. - The Nation.