Democrat MP challenges need for new firefighting helicopter

Democrat MP Wilas Chanpithak filed his complaint with the NACC Office, asking for a probe whether there were irregularities in the procurement and whether the purchase would be worth the state budget.

In his complaint, Wilas alleged that four helicopters purchased by the department under the Interior Ministry in 2019 and in 2021 were rarely used, raising questions on why the department would buy another helicopter for firefighting.

Wilas noted in the complaint that the special House committee vetting the fiscal 2024 budget bill had approved the department’s project to buy another helicopter with a budget of 142.35 million baht from fiscal 2024 and another 806.65 million baht from fiscal 2025.

Wilas said the budget panel approved the procurement although its subcommittee voted on February 27 to not approve the purchase for fear of irregularities and lack of necessity.

Wilas said he had learned that the four purchased helicopters were used only once to fight chemical fires in Samut Prakan.

He noted that the four helicopters were being kept at Wing 41 in Lopburi province and could only fly as far as Bangkok, making them unfit to fight forest fires as claimed by the department.

Wilas said the four helicopters were purchased at 931 million baht each but the new one would be bought at a price of 949 million baht.

He added that department had also sought a budget of 126 million baht for providing maintenance services of the four helicopters although they were rarely used.

Wilas’s complaint asked the NACC to investigate the two procurements of four helicopters and the new one: whether they were worth the money and whether there were irregularities. He added that he had learned that each of the helicopter models could be purchased at 213 million baht each.