The Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) plans to monitor the public procurement process of nine state projects worth a total 75 billion baht in the next fiscal year, in a fresh bid to combat graft and enhance the transparency of budget disbursement.
The nine projects include the 132-kilometre, one-metre-gauge, double-track rail network linking Saraburi's Map Kabao to Jira junction in Nakhon Ratchasima, procurement of police motorcycles, the Royal Irrigation Department's drainage projects and the Land Department's land survey project, said ACT chairman Pramon Sutivong.
The move to monitor the public procurement of these projects has already been endorsed by the National Anti-Corruption Committee chaired by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The ACT will monitor the procurement process through observers and disclose information to boost the confidence of private companies seeking to join the bids as well as create fair competition for the sake of the national interest.
If ACT observers spot any irregularities, they will inform the state agency overseeing the project and such information will be disclosed to the public if the state agency turns a blind eye and fails to take action.
The ACT last year took part in monitoring the public procurement for 26 projects worth a combined 50-60 billion baht and the anti-graft body recommended certain projects improve their procurement procedures.
For instance, it recommended Thailand Tobacco Monopoly review the procurement for the relocation of its headquarters and this helped the state agency slash the original cost of 8 billion baht by 27.5%.
"We've noted that corruption has declined from three years ago when we found that graft accounted for 30% of a project's value. At present, it stands at 10-15% and every one percentage point drop in corruption is equivalent to 10 billion baht," said Mr Pramon.