BMA invites state agencies to inspect stadium

Meanwhile, the Department of Special Investigation is looking into the possibility of corruption.
Deputy Bangkok Governor Chumpol Samphaopol met with representatives from the DSI, the Government Budget Auditing Bureau and the Sports Authority of Thailand at the stadium yesterday.
BMA spokesman Wasant Meewong said the city administration admitted it had failed to complete the construction in time because of last year’s flood crisis.
He said he hoped the public and local MPs would understand and realise that the stadium was in fact ready to host the just-concluded Futsal World Cup competition.
“We insist that the stadium was ready to host the competition as per Fifa’s requirements even though the construction was not fully completed.
“We are not worried if some people choose to use this to discredit others politically, though we hope the Election Commission will look into it,” Wasant said.
Meanwhile, deputy DSI chief Pol Colonel Yanphol Yingyuen said his agency would look further into the project to see if there was any corruption involved and if the materials used were according to the specifications, particularly the iron beam and structure.
However, he said, the task would require consultation with engineering experts.
“At the moment, nobody has filed any complaints with the DSI demanding an investigation into the construction, but the BMA has expressed its intention to be transparent and is calling on many agencies to scrutinise the project.
“Fifa didn’t use the stadium because they didn’t want to take the risk along with the BMA,” Yanphol said.
Meanwhile, the BMA has renamed the stadium Bangkok Arena Nongchok.