The Royal Thai Air Force has ordered an investigation into the facts of the case of the release of foreign documents, which contain content referring to bribery of military personnel and officials in government agencies.
Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornjaidee, spokesman for the Royal Thai Air Force, revealed that according to the news reports in the media that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released a document, some of which allege that senior executives and employees of Wirtgen (Thailand) Co., Ltd. paid bribes to officials of several Thai government agencies, including senior officials of the Royal Thai Air Force who were responsible for drafting and selecting the winner of the bidding for asphalt concrete paving machines between November 2019 and March 2020.
Air Chief Marshal Panpakdee Patthanakul, the Air Force Commander, has ordered the Air Force Logistics Department to thoroughly and urgently examine the information, which can be summarized as follows:
1. It was found that in 2020, W
ertgen (Thailand) Co., Ltd. won the bidding for the Air Force contract 2 times, namely
(1) bidding to purchase an asphalt concrete paver with a capacity not less than 75 horsepower, 1 unit, by electronic bidding (e-bidding) with a budget of 8,000,000 baht, contract purchase amount of 6,090,000 baht, and (2) bidding to purchase an asphalt concrete paver, 1 unit, by electronic bidding (e-bidding) with a budget of 13,800,000 baht, contract purchase amount of 10,200,000 baht.
2. Currently, we are checking the completeness and accuracy of the procurement documents, compiling information according to the time frame and the processes that must be carried out, adhering to the law on government procurement and material management and related regulations as important. Which will take a reasonable amount of time to proceed in order to get the results of the inspection that are correct and fair to all parties. We will expedite the process to be completed as soon as possible.
3. Coordinated through the Office of the As
sistant Air Force Attache at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. to request documents and evidence from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the allegations in the SEC documents regarding the bribery, including facts and other evidence related to military personnel, as well as the value of the gifts referred to. The relevant persons are requested to inform the Air Force of this information so that the fact-finding process can be clear, fast, and to the point. If the fact-finding results show that there is evidence and that personnel are involved, the Air Force will appoint a fact-finding committee to proceed in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations as soon as possible.
The Air Force Commander has ordered and emphasized that all Air Force personnel must perform their assigned missions correctly according to relevant regulations and laws, with transparency and the ability to inspect every step of the way. If any personnel ar
e found to be involved in wrongdoing, they will not be protected and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Source: Thai News Agency