THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

AMLO to size up assets of Pracha, ex-official

AMLO to size up assets of Pracha, ex-official

Agency chief says graft gains could be seized, pending study of ruling

THE Anti-Money Laundering Office will evaluate assets belonging to former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and a former senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration official before pursuing possible seizure if they are found to have been acquired illegally, after both were sentenced on charges of bid-rigging in the fire vehicles case by a court on Tuesday.
Secretary-general Seehanat Prayoonrat said the AMLO needed to study the ruling by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Person Holding Political Positions to see whether it had issued any sanction on both men’s assets. If so, the agency will act to seize the illegally acquired assets belonging to both the convicted, whether the assets were in Thailand or overseas.
A deputy AMLO secretary-general had earlier said that the Bt6.68 billion paid by the BMA for a large number of unused fire vehicles to a foreign manufacturer could be entirely retrieved through a seizure authorised by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), whereas the AMLO could seize only money or assets acquired through wrongdoing by convicted criminals.
While AMLO has the authority to order seizure of money or assets belonging to convicted criminals that was acquired through their wrongdoings, the NACC can seize entire amounts of cash, profits or assets to make up for losses through corruption. The NACC can file criminal or civil lawsuits, explained Suwanee Sawaengphol.
The NACC yesterday did not respond to Suwanee’s comments. It also made no statement on any plan to retrieve the Bt6.68 billion paid for the fire vehicles. On Tuesday, Pracha was sentenced to a 12-year prison term for his role in the 2004 purchase of the fire and rescue vehicles and equipment for the BMA.
Both agencies also did not state yesterday what action they might take against Pracha, and former senior BMA official Athilak Tanchookiat, who has been sentenced to 10 years, in terms of seeking compensation.
Even if the NACC takes action over the Bt6.68 billion, it will certainly be difficult for Thai authorities to reclaim the money, as there has been strong resistance through civil countersuits from Austrian manufacturer Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG & Co KG, which assembled and sold the fire vehicles to the BMA.

Foreign Ministry awaits request
The Foreign Ministry is awaiting a written request from agencies authorised to seek the arrest of Pracha, who is believed to have fled overseas, said deputy ministry spokesman Jakkrit Srivali. He said the immigration police would know where Pracha was now, from his latest visa stamps. Pracha’s passport would expire on March 18, 2017, he added.
The 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats sit unused at two locations in Nonthaburi and Chon Buri due to the NACC seizure order and the BMA’s refusal to accept them. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has said an arbitrator based in Switzerland is working on making use of the vehicles.
This prevents the BMA from using them, while the arbitrator cannot make any public statement about the case.
The head of the BMA’s Fire and Rescue Department, Pol Colonel Phichai Kringwatthanasiri, said although the engines of all the vehicles may still work, their tyres were all flat and it would take hundreds of millions of baht to have them replaced.
A BMA source said that the court’s ruling was being translated into English and would later be sent to the arbitrator as key evidence to add more weight to the BMA’s case seeking compensation for the non-use of the fire vehicles, because of corruption being committed and ruled accordingly by a Thai court of justice.
The BMA is also fighting two legal battles with local custodians of the parked vehicles, who are demanding extra pay for their services from the BMA.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was glad that former Bangkok governor and a deputy party leader Apirak Kosayodhin, who was acquitted by the court’s ruling, would return to political work, without any distraction.
 

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