Wissanu to explore compensation for GT200

“We have to see who exactly filed the lawsuit and what the charges were. Why did Thailand not do anything about it and is it too late to do something now?’’ he queried.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has assigned Wissanu to deal with legal issues and see if compensation can be claimed after a court in Britain ruled last week that James McCormick, who began serving a 10-year jail term for selling the dud devices in 2013, forfeited around Bt375 million to his customers.

“If Thailand claims too little in compensation or if we are not granted any, can we file a complaint based on the UK court ruling? If we have to file a new suit, then this court ruling would be used as evidence,’’ he said.

Wissanu added that Thai state agencies had suffered damages of between Bt600 million and Bt800 million from buying these dud devices. 

He said he would hold a meeting with all concerned agencies, including the eight that bought the device as well as the Office of the Attorney-General, the Office of the Auditor-General, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the Defence and Foreign ministries. 

He said the meeting would focus on the compensation and not discuss corruption in the purchase of the devices. He said the corruption side of things does not need to be treated as a special case and that the Anti-Corruption Operation Centre and NACC would look into the irregularities related to the GT200 purchase. 

“The two agencies will coordinate to get the information they need,” Wissanu explained. 

He added that there was a statute of limitations on this case, and that he would decide whether a compensation claim should be filed through a Thai or British court. 

He said the agencies that bought the devices could also sue the sales agent in Thailand. He added that the UK court had made the ruling because affected countries had filed a lawsuit against the producer of the bogus devices. 

PACC secretary-general Prayong Preeyajit said the Office of the Auditor-General will submit information on the case to the Anti-Corruption Operation Centre of which he serves as secretary, and then this data will be forwarded to Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya. The minister will then call a meeting with concerned agencies to look into alleged irregularities in the purchase of the devices. 

A source said the Royal Thai Air Force and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board were the two agencies that had purchased the faulty devices but did not file any complaints.