Abhisit seeks probe into Cabinet audio system controversy
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Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday urged Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to look into the controversy over the purchase of expensive audio systems, warning that public faith in his government could erode otherwise.
The Prayuth administration was hit by a public and media outcry over the planned procurement of a high-tech audio system for the Cabinet meeting rooms, which included 89 microphones that come with LCD screens earlier quoted at Bt145,000 each.
The price was higher than the market price and raised suspicions of alleged corruption.
Monthon Sudprasert, director of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, who has been in charge of the renovation of Government House, had revealed that he had successfully negotiated with the audio system supplier – Asavasopon Co – to lower the price of the microphones by 35 per cent, down to Bt94,250 each.
Abhisit said microphones with similar specifications were sold at around Bt50,000 in the market. The PM should investigate the deal and ensure that this does not happen again.
He said this procurement might not be the only project that did not go through proper budget spending procedures.
“The government has placed stress on the sufficiency policy and people are questioning if the equipment is necessary. Since the contract has not been signed, the plan must be reviewed,” he said.
Abhisit suggested that the PM appoint an independent panel to clear the allegations of corruption. “This case will show how high the government’s anti-corruption standards are,” he said.
Meanwhile, Panitan Wattanayagorn, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science, said leaks of confidential state information were problems faced by most Cabinets. He said keeping state secrets was crucial as leaks may affect national security and stability, including the country’s economy. The situation gets worse with an elected government, which normally cares about public feelings and support, and finds the secret leaked before it makes any decision on a particular issue, he said.
He said technology and high-tech equipment – both software and hardware – could prevent such information leaks. But technology alone cannot stem the problem. Awareness and responsibility of the people concerned would be the best way to prevent it, he said.
He said in Thailand, morning news hosts quote what ministers had said in Cabinet meetings even though communication equipment and signals were cut off.
“The ministry in the news has the responsibility to find out how the information was leaked because we have laws and regulations on keeping state information confidential,” he said.
He gave the United States as an example of a country with the toughest law against disclosure of state secrets.
