Procurement unsettles anti-corruption network

“The Anti-Corruption Network has sent a letter to Prime Minister Yingluck asking for details of flood-prevention projects. So far she has not yet replied to us,” Pramon Sutivong, chairman of the network, said yesterday.
The private sector and the public are worried about special procurements announced by the Yingluck Shinawatra government that will skip over normal procedures, he said.
The government plans to spend Bt17 billion on short-term projects for flood prevention and more of the Bt350-billion budget for long-term measures.
The government can implement special procurement procedures in case of emergencies, such as severe flooding, but it has to disclose information related to any project, for example the budget, contractors and reference cost, he said.
Next week another letter will be sent to Yingluck asking again for more information.
The network will also next week kick off a “watchdog” project aimed at training 1,000 volunteers nationwide to fight corruption. The network will work with the National Anti-Corruption Com-mission and Office of the Auditor-General.
The latter office recently raised the question of excessive government spending to repair damaged roads.
Sompol Kiartpaibul, chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, has voiced his concern over weak enforcement of laws against graft, which cannot bring wrongdoers to justice.