DSI to investigate BMA's fire extinguisher purchase deal

DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said yesterday it would take the case as a special one as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is alleged to have violated the bidding collusion law, which comes under DSI’s responsibility, to look into alleged substandard fire extinguishers and unfair bidding.
Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit filed a complaint with the DSI yesterday asking it to investigate the case after “many” BMA fire extinguishers had exploded in five districts in the capital. They include Phasi Charoen, Don Muang, Sai Mai, Dusit and Chatuchak.
Prompong quoted an initial investigation by the House Committee on Corruption Preven-tion and Suppression that claimed BMA had purchased 99,797 fire extinguishers with a Bt124 million budget solely from a company called B and B.
The BMA received all the fire extinguishers in April.
He said an in-depth inquiry found the factory said to make them had a maximum capacity to produce only 5,000 pieces – which was not enough for BMA’s order of more than 90,000.
“About 60,000 pieces of the total amount were found to have been imported from China, and they were checked [to find out] if their quality met the required standards. Moreover, the terms of reference stated that each fire extinguisher had to be filled with 20 pounds of gas. But the company said each extinguisher [had a capacity of ] only 9.5 pounds of gas.”