No end in sight for Suthep scandal
NACC accused of dragging its feet over decade-long probe into bungled police station construction projects, writes Mongkol Bangprapa
As time goes by, public doubts are growing over the police station building scandal involving former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is handling the matter, but the probe has dragged on for nearly a decade.
The anti-graft agency has been questioned about whether its probe is being conducted in favour of the ex-deputy prime minister, who is a former leader of the defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) which led a mass street protest against the Yingluck Shinawatra administration.
This has compelled NACC secretarygeneral Worawit Sookboon to update the progress of the investigation, saying the agency has nearly completed the probe and it would expedite its efforts.
He said the commission was in the process of talking to individuals embroiled in the case.
More than 80% of the probe has been completed.
However, Mr Worawit declined to go into more detail, including how many people have been questioned and why it is taking so long to question those involved in the case.
Mr Worawit also insisted the commission’s work on the case had nothing to do with the country’s political situation.
In 2013, the NACC, under its previous group of commissioners, set up a sub-panel to determine if Mr Suthep had breached Section 157 of the Criminal Code by committing misconduct or dereliction of duty regarding his handling of the 6.67 billion baht project to construct 396 police stations under the Democrat Partyled government.
The construction of many police stations was left unfinished when PCC Development & Construction, the sole contractor, allegedly abandoned the project.
According to the NACC probe, the ex-deputy premier authorised a change in the terms of reference which led to the project being awarded to the firm in 2009.
This was blamed for the delay in the project implementation and damage incurred to the Royal Thai Police (RTP).
While cabinet members in the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration gave the project the go-ahead, Mr Suthep was accused of not having consulted fellow ministers regarding the change.
Mr Suthep later denied all charges during his defence before the commission in 2015, insisting he had followed the cabinet’s resolution and guidelines in undertaking the project.
He argued the cabinet had decided on the procurement method, leaving him to choose the best option available which was to award the project to PCC Development & Construction. He also said the construction delays were not his fault, as it was more a matter of poor management and ineffective coordination between the RTP and the contractor.
In July last year, former NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljeak said the commission was in the middle of examining the money trail in the case, saying the probe found several state officials and the private sector employees were implicated in irregularities in executing the project.
Former NACC member Vicha Mahakhun recently said that under the provisions of the draft organic bill governing the National Anti-Corruption Commission, passed by the National Legislative Assembly, the anti-graft agency is required to wrap up cases it oversees within two years, with a maximum one-year extension allowed.
Mr Vicha said the Suthep case was initially handled by the NACC’s subcommittee. However, the commissioners themselves assumed direct supervision of the investigation after Mr Suthep accused some sub-panel members of harbouring bias against him. A statute of limitations in the Suthep case lasting 20 years is due to expire in 2029, he added.
Nevertheless, Mr Worawit said the NACC organic bill has not been enforced as it was sent to the Constitutional Court for checks to see if it complies with the charter. That means it is not binding on the NACC probe against Mr Suthep, which might have resulted in a speedier conclusion of the case, according to critics.
NACC president Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said it will be some time before the case reaches its final stage as the agency will have to question all parties involved in the scandal. The commission is swamped with a heavy workload of at least 2,700 cases. Pol Gen Watcharapol has brushed aside public criticism over the slow probe into cases against yellow-shirt political postholders accused of abusing office, saying that was a matter of opinion.
“I have no intention of allowing nepotism in deliberating any case,” Pol Gen Watcharapol said. “Cases in which evidence have been adequately gathered and witnesses examined will go to the next step. Our duty is to find if there are grounds to alleged irregularities before seeking criminal prosecution against the accused. We want to wrap up the [Suthep] probe quickly. But if we are reckless, we could face a lawsuit.”
‘‘ Our duty is to find if there are grounds to alleged irregularities.
WATCHARAPOL PRASARNRAJKIT NACC PRESIDENT