The Centre for National Anti-Corruption (CNAC) plans to begin talks next week about its plans to probe the Rolls-Royce bribery scandal as it affects the national flag carrier Thai Airways International (THAI).
Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, in his capacity as chairman of the CNAC, said Wednesday the CNAC would discuss the Rolls-Royce scandal at a meeting next week.
However, the Rolls-Royce case will not be the sole matter to be discussed, as a number of other unfinished investigations will also be considered, the CNAC chairman said.
The CNAC won't focus its investigation on who should be brought to justice in the case, as that would be the job of the Office of the Auditor-General and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The two bodies already have in their hands clear evidence to seek to have the suspects prosecuted, Mr Suwaphan said.
What the CNAC aims to do is investigate the Rolls-Royce case to learn how to prevent such bribery cases from occurring again.
The British company claimed it paid off "agents of the state of Thailand and employees of Thai Airways" when it negotiated a series of deals covering three periods. However, some Thai corruption agencies are apparently finding it hard to obtain information from the UK, as officials there are not sure who they should deal with.
In another bribery scandal, Pokin Polakul, a Pheu Thai Party key figure who is a former House speaker, insisted Wednesday he has nothing to do with an alleged bribe payment by a US subsidiary made to secure a CCTV system installation contract with the Thai parliament in 2006.
According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission website, Tyco's subsidiary in Thailand obtained a contract to install a CCTV system at parliament in 2006, and paid more than US$50,000 (about 1.8 million baht) to a Thai entity that acted as a consultant.
The invoice for the payment refers to "renovation work", but Tyco was unable to ascertain what, if any, work was actually done.
Parliament back then was dissolved on Feb 24, 2006 but the bribe payment was reported by the media to have taken place on March 30 the same year, said Mr Pokin.
He urged parliament and the NACC to work together to seek clearer information regarding the consultant, as it should benefit their probe into the case.