Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday voiced support for an investigation into the fire-trucks scandal which subjected government officials to civil compensation, saying the issue could be solved and his predecessor Apirak Kosayodhin's self-imposed political restrictions could be taken off.
The government recently set up a committee to look into the wrongdoings and corrupt acts by members of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s officials to subject them to compensatory duties. The panel has 60 days to complete the task.
"The investigation results will make everything about the fire-trucks scandal clear and enable the BMA to go ahead with utilising the [confiscated] fire trucks," he said. He added Apirak would be uneasy about taking on a ministerial post in the future.
The BMA bought hundreds of fire trucks and fire-fighting equipment from Austrian manufacturer Steyr Daimler Puch several years ago, but the contract was made invalid and vehicles confiscated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which ruled that the vehicles were overpriced and indicted many TRT ministers and BMA officials over corruption.
To pursue the matter through an arbitrary board, he said the BMA had submitted a list of members to a mediating panel, without giving further details.
"All I can tell is they are not Thai, Austrian, French or American," he added.