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"In the past, you might argue that you didn't know the deal was mired with so much corruption. But now that the probe comes to this point and you still want to pay, does this mean you think the contract for the deal is legitimate?" Kaewsan said.

He was speaking in response to reports that Deputy Bangkok Governor Vallop Suwandee was preparing to pay Bt743million as the second instalment to the Austrian supplier Steyr Daimler Puch.

An AEC sub-panel, headed by Prasert Boonsri, earlier concluded there were grounds to believe fire former and incumbent officials acted corruptly in preparing the fire-vehicle-deals that is estimated to have cost the country Bt1.9billion damage.

They are former interior minister Bhokin Bhalakula, his deputy Pracha Maleenont, his assistant secretary Somsak Khun-ngern, former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej, BMA senior official Police Maj-General Atilak Tanchukiat.

"If you are confident that you should pay the second instalment, you must be ready to take the consequences," Kaewsan said yesterday.

AEC has already told the Prasert-headed subcommittee to review its probe into the scandalous deal to determine whether more officials were involved.

Kaewsan said the subcommittee must look into the counter-trade agreement, which was supposed to be parts of the fire-vehicle purchase deal.

"We have to check whether Austria has bought agricultural produce from Thailand in accordance with the counter-trade agreement," he said.

Yuthapong Jarassathien of Democrat Party has said the countertrade agreement, inked by CP Merchandising Co and Foreign Trade Department, was not about export to Austria but about the export of cooked chicken meat to various other countries.

Meanwhile, incumbent Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin Sunday insisted that the purchase contract for the fire vehicles remained effective and thus the second instalment must be paid.

The deal's value is Bt6.68billion.

"If the final ruling concludes that the deal is mired with corruption, the purchase contract will become invalid. We can then cancel the contract and get the full refund of what we pay," Apirak said.

He said BMA had already sent the letter to the supplier stating BMA reserved the right to take the money back.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Panich Wikitset said BMA had already deposited Bt743million in a bank account that the Bangkok Bank, which has prepared the letter of credit for the deal, could use to pay the supplier.

"So far, the bank has yet to transfer the money to the supplier," Panich said. The Nation