NACC takes aim at transnational cases
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday set up a steering committee to accelerate the handling of transnational graft cases.
The panel was formed after several international bribery scandals linked to Thai officials emerged in the past few months.
The panel will supervise, direct, follow up on and accelerate the handling of all transnational corruption cases. It also tightens coordination between agencies working on the cases to speed up the work, NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljeak said.
NACC president Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit will chair the committee which comprises section heads of various agencies such as the Justice Ministry, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Auditor-General.
The NACC is embroiled in an investigation into alleged bribe payments by BioRad Laboratories Inc to state officials to secure a contract to purchase and sell disease diagnostic products for several staterun organisations, Mr Sansern said.
The Public Health Ministry has formed its own panel to look into the alleged bribery case as well, he said.
Among the transnational cases of corruption revealed recently involving suspects in Thailand is the Rolls-Royce bribery scandal which involved two major state enterprises — Thai Airways International (THAI) and PTT Plc.
According to a statement of facts prepared in a British court, the period of the alleged bribes dates from 1991 to 2005 and involves payments totalling about US$36.38 million (1.28 billion baht) to “regional intermediaries”.
Some of the money was for individuals who were “agents of the state of Thailand and employees of THAI Airways”. The scandal involved the purchase by THAI of Rolls-Royce T800 engines, according to the document.
Last week, former national anti-graft commissioner Medhi Krongkaew questioned the slow progress in the investigation into alleged bribery payments made by a British alcoholic beverage giant, another international bribes scandal, to Thai officials.
In 2011, London-based Diageo plc, which has brands including Guinness, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker, agreed to pay the US Securities and Exchange Commission more than US$16 million (561 million baht) to resolve Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act offences involving bribes to officials in India, Thailand, and South Korea.