Graft agency finds 52 cases of corruption in purchase of protective equipment

“The commission has been monitoring the procurement of Covid-19 related equipment since the early stage of the outbreak based on data submitted by the media and the general public,” Pol Lt-Colonel Wannop Somjintanakul, PACC secretary-general, said on Friday (May 29).
“We have appointed 15 task forces to investigate the cases at community level and are cooperating with the Internal Security Operations Command and related local agencies in discovering the truth.”
Of the 52 cases, PACC has already forwarded three cases to the National Anti-Corruption Commission to take legal action, ordered the cancellation of procurement in five cases, and is in the process of gathering evidence for the remainder.
PACC also reported that corruption in procurement of Covid-19 protection equipment often follows one or more of the following patterns:
1. The proposed price is higher than market price of the product at the time of purchase;
2. There is no evidence of price inspection process;
3. Bidders refuse to have the proposed price displayed in the procurement contract;
4. The initial contract is cancelled and then redrawn at a higher than previously agreed upon price;
5. Procurers are not direct sellers or manufacturers of the product;
6. A contract is awarded to procurers in other provinces even though local procurers offer better prices;
7. The contract winner is related to someone influential;
8. Products are procured at a higher than necessary volume, or at a price exceeding the budget;
9. Products are procured by state officials who have paid business operators to put their name in the contract as a procurer.