DSI to investigate the BMA bribery allegation

Samak

DSI deputy director-general Tharit Pengdit will head the fact-finding panel to probe the allegation. Tharit said the panel would have the right to officially launch an investigation only after the Special Litigation Commitee rules to accept the case as a special case since the incident happened before the DSI Act took effect.

Charnchai Issarasenarak, deputy chairman of the House committee on anti-graft said he would fly to Japan as part of a fact-finding mission to dig for truth in the bribery allegation.

He will consult with deputy Attorney General over the extradition treaty and invite public prosecutors to join his team to Japan.

He said his committee would invite Samak and Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin to give statements over the bribery allegation on Wednesday.

Bangkok City Clerk Pongsak Semsan will on Monday report the Bangkok City Council on whether there were any irregularities in the project.

Apirak last week ordered officials to probe the bribery allegation after former executive of Nishimatsu Construction has told Japanese prosecutors that the Japanese firm had paid 400 million yens (Bt125 million) to Thai government officials in return for awarding the water tunnel project.

Deputy Bangkok City Clerk Somsak Klanpoj said he found that the project was carried out in accordance to law but he has yet to receive information from the Japanese Embassy and the Foreign Ministry.

Samak on Sunday denied that there were irregularities in the project saying the Administrative Court had ruled that the project was transparent after a Thai construction firm sued the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and a Japanese firm as violating the law for collusion to win the government's project.