Raisom to respond to fraud charges
The accused in a Bt138-million involving Raisom Co will submit its response to the charges of fraud to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in the next few weeks, said a source who asked not to be named.
NACC member and spokesman Klanarong Chantik told The Nation that according to Pakdee Pothisiri, the NACC member in charge of the case, many of those allegedly involved had been informed of the accusation. Once they have clarified the situation, in person or in written form, the sub-committee in charge would then report to the NACC, the spokesman said.
However, Pakdee is currently abroad.
Investigative journalist Prasong Lertratanawisute has criticised the NACC on his website over its slow progress in the case, which has dragged on for four years.
A source among the accused, who asked not to be named, said the NACC had informed them about the members of the investigation panel and asked if they would oppose the appointments. The agency recently notified the accused of the charge.
The accused will acknowledge the allegation within the next few weeks, the source said.
In 2007, a fact-finding committee chaired by Pol General Prathin Santipraphob found that Raisom had failed to pay Bt138 million to MCOT, as required in its contract.
Prathin said the panel had probed documents relating to the Raisom-MCOT contract for 2005-2006 concerning advertising revenue, for which an MCOT internal examination had already found evidence that Raisom had neglected to pay Bt138 million.
The contract, he said, stated that the 30-minute "Kui Kui Khao" news talk show on Modernine TV was allowed to air five minutes of commercials, with revenue divided equally between Sorrayuth's firm and MCOT.
However, the firm oversold commercials under its quota, he said.
Although Raisom eventually forwarded Bt138 million to MCOT in 2006, Prathin insisted the firm should still face fraud charges.
