'No need for clarification on park project graft claims'

Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also deputy premier overseeing security, said he disagreed with the call for Udomdej to provide additional clarification.
“I don’t think he needs to clarify anything now. He doesn’t know the details anyway. The Army is already in charge of the probe,” Prawit said.
Funded by about Bt1 billion in donations, the Rajabhakti Park project has developed a grand park in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district and erected huge statues of seven former Thai kings under the Army’s supervision.
Udomdej, who stepped down as Army commander at the end of September after reaching mandatory retirement age, is the chair of the Rajabhakti Park Foundation.
Registered on September 16, this foundation is apparently designed to take over and handle the park’s affairs.
“The foundation has not yet done anything. It’s the Army that stays in charge,” Prawit insisted.
When the scandal about alleged graft in the project broke earlier this month, Udomdej came forward to say that all panels involved were ready to answer questions.
He said demands for illicit kickbacks from foundries were detected during implementation of the project, but the problem had been solved – with the kickbacks turned into donations.
Last Friday, Army chief General Theerachai Nakwanich announced the probe results, saying that there were no irregularities concerning the use of over Bt1 billion in public and corporate donations to the project. He said any questions about the kickback allegation should be directed to Udomdej.
Meanwhile, National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) secretary-general Sansern Poljiak said his agency was gathering evidence about the Rajabhakti Park scandal via confidential means.
However, he said the anti-graft agency would have no jurisdiction over the case if the alleged offences were not related to abuse of authority or the state.
A source said when the Rajabhakti Park project tried to raise donations, it urged donors to wire money to the “Army’s Welfare Fund” and said donors could contact the Army’s Civil Affairs Division to get tax-deductible receipts.