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Published on September 14, 2007

Amnuay Thantara, who heads the AEC panel probe into the CTX scandal, said he found the documents translated so far to be very useful because they gave the

complete picture of those who were behind the scenes and those who fronted the deal.

"The US documents show from the first step right up to before the CTX contract was signed,'' he said.

The AEC had asked the Immigration Bureau to check the travel records of people mentioned in the email between the Thai side and

GE InVision, the manufacturer.

The email indicated the meeting and lobbying that took place before the purchase. Many Thai people were involved, as well as a Singaporean company, Amnuay said.

He said Worapoj Yasadatt, director of Patriot Business Consultants, a contractor of the airport for the CTX scanner purchase, was both in front and behind the scenes in the deal.

"After the man who sent the email testified to us, Worapoj called him immediately,'' he said.

The panel is also checking the financial transactions of Airports of Thailand executives.

A total of 38 people suspected to be involved in the alleged corruption have been formally notified of the charges they face.

Amnuay was speaking after meeting yesterday between AEC members, including Auditor-General Jaruvan Maintaka, and high-ranking Foreign Minis-

try officials over the problem of quickly translating

documents from English to Thai.

The meeting agreed to set up a joint panel of specialists from Office of the Auditor-General, the AEC and the Foreign Ministry to translate English documents in all cases that the AEC is probing.

Meanwhile, Wiroj Laohapan, a member of an AEC panel probing alleged tax evasion in the Shin Corp share sale, said Pranee Wetchapruekpitak, a close aide of Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, had postponed hearing the charges against her citing illness, and sent a lawyer to represent her.

However, the AEC insisted that she must hear the charges in person.

The Nation