NACC panel to probe BMA’s ‘Light’ project

Governor MR Sukhumband Baribatra Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who was named by the Office of the Auditor-General early this month for his involvement, was not mentioned by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. 

The government might be called into the case if the subcommittee finds Sukhumbhand was involved, NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak said.

The Office of the Auditor-General this month implicated Sukhumbhand and eight others in irregularities over the Bt39.5-million Bangkok light project, part of the city’s New Year festivities.

The NACC office received relevant information from the auditors on Wednesday and commissioned the sub-panel to handle the case, Sansern said. The subcommittee would decide whether other persons should be found responsible for the project.

The NACC’s preliminary investigation suggested that there was no clear explanation for why a budget meant for emergencies was used for this kind of project, he said. The committee set up to oversee the terms of reference of this project failed to take charge, he said. 

There is also evidence of a price-fixing conspiracy since only three companies bid for the project and the same group of persons ran all three, Sansern said. The three companies were registered not long before the project was put to tender, he added. It remains unclear how long the NACC will take for the investigation. Officials will be suspended from their positions if the anti-graft body finds them guilty and indicts them for prosecution.

Sukhumbhand earlier rejected the allegations made by the Office of the Auditor-General, saying the project was done properly and benefited tourism in the capital during the 2016 New Year festival. Using an emergency budget for this project was not abnormal, he said.