Lawmaker lauds PM’s decision to defer EXAT fine issue
A lawmaker of the New Phalangdharma Party yesterday thanked Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for deferring his decision on payment of a huge fine imposed on a state enterprise for violation of an expressway contract many years ago.Party leader and party-list member of Parliament Rawee Maschamadol told a press conference that he was thankful that the prime minister had not brought up the issue at the latest Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He said it was “clever” of Prayut to have left the issue to be
Party leader and party-list member of Parliament Rawee Maschamadol told a press conference that he was thankful that the prime minister had not brought up the issue at the latest Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He said it was “clever” of Prayut to have left the issue to be dealt with by the new Cabinet.
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has been ordered to pay Bt1.9 billion to Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM) by an arbitration ruling for violating its contracts with BEM regarding operation of an expressway section during a three-month period beginning in June last year.
Rawee had lodged a petition through the Office of the Ombudsman, urging the prime minister to put implementation of the order on hold.
A decision by EXAT’s board of directors to propose granting BEM the right to operate three expressways for 30 more years in a bid to clear its debts to the company had been met with strong opposition and criticism from the public.