PROCUREMENT

PROCUREMENT

Apirak: Faces Supreme Court

High court to hear fire truck case

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions yesterday accepted for consideration a case against five former top officials and an Austrian company for their roles in alleged corruption in the purchase of fire boats and trucks for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 2004.

Named as defendants in the case filed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in July are former interior minister Pokin Polakul, former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont, former commerce minister Watana Muangsook, former head of the BMA's Disaster Prevention and Relief Department Pol Maj Gen Athilak Tanchukiat, the Austrian supplier Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG, and former Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin.
The former officials have been charged with malfeasance in violation of Article 157 of the Criminal Code and the Anti-Price Collusion Act in connection with the procurement of fire trucks and boats and other disaster relief equipment worth 6.7 billion baht for the BMA.
The NACC's probe found that the 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats were procured at an inflated price.
The NACCs action came after the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) decided last year not to indict Mr Apirak, Mr Pokin and Mr Watana, citing insufficient evidence.
The NACC disagreed. In its lawsuit, the NACC claimed Mr Apirak, now a Democrat list-MP, was aware of irregularities in the purchase scheme.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the first hearing for the defendants, except for the Austrian supplier, for Nov 2. The Austrian supplier is scheduled to give statements in court on Jan 30 next year.