DSI targets Tourism Dept's equipment purchases
Play
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) claimed yesterday that it has found irregularities in the Tourism Department's Bt714-million procurements of recreational/exercise equipment.
The DSI now suspects that some high-level officials might have deliberately violated laws and will ask that the National Anti-Corruption Commission take action against them.
The procurements were made through the budget of the Tourism Department, which is under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
“The procurements were carried out between 2012 and 2014,” DSI deputy chief Pong-In Intarakhao said yesterday, “But there are many irregularities in the procurement process”.
He said the DSI had found that specifications had been laid down in a way that looked set to block out domestic manufacturers.
The investigation by DSI also showed that the standard price for the procurement was inflated.
“The equipment procured was finally overpriced, about four to five times higher than the original price declared by the importing supplier,” Pong-in said.
He said evidence suggested that some firms were hired to tender bids, only for price comparisons.
According to Pong-in, the DSI would ask a local revenue office to check the tax payment by the supplier too.
