Thai Airways to probe Rolls-Royce corruption

BANGKOK: Thailand’s flagship airline yesterday said it had launched a probe into revelations that Rolls-Royce paid millions of dollars in bribes to win contracts, including to airline employees and government officials.

The investigation comes after the renowned British enginemaker agreed to pay a US$ 808 million fine to authorities in Britain, the United States and Brazil to settle bribery and corruption claims. After its largest ever graft probe, Britain’s Serious Fraud Office found Rolls Royce paid massive bribes over three decades to win contracts in Indonesia, Thailand, India, Russia, Nigeria, China and Malaysia.

A British judge this week said the investigation revealed ‘ the most serious breaches of the criminal law in the areas of bribery and corruption’ prompting Rolls Royce, which cooperated with the probe, to apologise.

But the findings — concerning the engine maker Rolls- Royce, which has no connection with Rolls- Royce cars, a marque owned by the Germany auto maker BMW — will likely make for uncomfortable reading in the countries where bribes were paid.

In Thailand investigators found some US$ 36 million in bribes and incentives were paid between 1991 and 2005 to intermediaries — including ‘agents of the State of Thailand and employees of Thai Airways’ — to help the company win lucrative jet engine deals. — AFP