Fire vehicles panel must spill the beans

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) sub-panel looking into a multi-billion-baht deal for fire vehicles will have a lot to explain - no matter what decision it makes.

The sub-panel has been asked by the main committee to review why former Bangkok city clerk Nathanon Thavisin was let off the hook.

The committee wants to see further digging, too, into circumstances surrounding a letter of credit that put the deal with an Austrian supplier into effect.

Although the AEC has not named Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin as a suspect, it is widely known Apirak opened that letter of credit.

The sub-panel, headed by Prasert Boonsri, earlier concluded there were grounds to believe five former and incumbent officials acted corruptly in preparing the deal that is estimated to have cost the country Bt1.9 billion.

They are Bhokin Bhalakula, Samak Sundaravej, Police Maj-General Atilak Tanchukiat, Pracha Maleenont and Somsak Khun-ngern.

The fire deal dates back to 2004 when Bhokin, in his capacity as interior minister, signed an agreement of understanding with the Austrian ambassador to Thailand to buy fire engines, fire boats and other fire-fighting equipment for the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department - a unit of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The Interior Ministry oversees the BMA.

Bhokin's then-deputy Pracha Maleenont - and assistant secretary Somsak Khun-ngern - helped prepare the agreement.

Former Bangkok governor Samak signed the purchase agreement just before his term ended. Austrian company Steyr Daimler Puch is the supplier. Atilak, who heads the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, was also involved.

When Apirak succeeded Samak as Bangkok governor, he publicly questioned the deal.

But when the Interior Ministry insisted the letter of credit be opened, Apirak did so. 

Now, Sittichoke Rodkrutha - who once sat on the Prasert sub-panel - feels Apirak should be responsible for his part in the deal.

Sittichoke said Apirak allowed the deal to take effect despite knowing it was probably illegal.

Sittichoke was removed from the sub-panel. He has now decided to complain to AEC chairman Nam Yimyaem.

After news of this hit the newspapers, the AEC asked for Prasert and his panel to rethink the matter.

If the sub-panel backtracks from its conclusion that there are grounds to suspect just five people, it will have to explain why.

Prasert must explain, too, why he ignored a majority vote to include the city clerk in the beginning.

But, if the sub-panel stands by its conclusion, it will have to clarify why Nathanon and Apirak get off.

Is there clear evidence they did nothing wrong? Or is the evidence too weak? Or do they have special ties with someone that can influence the probe?

While with the BMA, Nathanon was in a position to know a lot about the deal. She had seen it all from the Samak administration to when Apirak took the helm. Nathanon has now retired.

Apirak is serving Bangkok governor and a deputy leader of the country's oldest political party, the Democrats.

But rumours he is ready to quit the party beg the question of the support he may receive from it in warding off these allegations.

Some Democrats are even questioning if Apirak indeed played a role in this fiasco.

Political Desk

The Nation