Governor threatens to sue OAG

Governor threatens to sue OAG

Light display scandal 'destroying reputation'

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra enjoyed the light show back at New Year's, but the Office of the Auditor-General says it is the No.1 reason to suspend the governor from duty. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra enjoyed the light show back at New Year's, but the Office of the Auditor-General says it is the No.1 reason to suspend the governor from duty. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has threatened to file a lawsuit against the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) after the government announced Tuesday it would set up a probe into the city's New Year light show, following an inquiry by the OAG.

The OAG earlier recommended that the governor be suspended from duty over his alleged involvement in irregularities in City Hall's 39-million-baht light display.

However, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Tuesday the BMA's light show scandal will be dealt with through the normal process and that it is not necessary to invoke Section 44 to handle the issue.

The prime minister said the first step in the process is the probe by the Interior Ministry, which supervises City Hall.

Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda announced the probe Tuesday into alleged irregularities in the light show.

Earlier, Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is obliged to take legal and disciplinary action against those implicated in wrongdoings, so suspending the governor would be in the BMA's best interest.

Mr Pisit said as the governor is one of eight people implicated in irregularities, the OAG has also forwarded its findings to the Interior Ministry to ensure City Hall does its job.

The Interior Ministry, as the supervisor, is also responsible for launching a probe to figure out who must be held accountable, said Mr Pisit.

"I will file a lawsuit against the OAG as it is destroying my reputation," MR Sukhumbhand responded Tuesday. He has threatened before to sue state officials, but never has carried through on his threats.

He said his team of lawyers is collecting evidence to take legal action against the OAG. He also asked the public to consider the information at hand properly before believing the allegations.

He insisted he would not resign from the governorship following the allegations.

The governor said the OAG's decision is not the final say.

Gen Anupong said the ministry has followed the OAG's recommendations by launching the probe into the allegations.

However, he said the ministry at this stage cannot sack or suspend MR Sukhumbhand from duty.

He said the ministry would have to wait for the findings of the committee.

In January, the OAG indicated there were possible irregularities in the project and in May it implicated MR Sukhumbhand, saying it found evidence of price collusion in the contract bidding.

Other alleged irregularities were also detected in budget spending on the project. For example, the BMA had diverted an emergency budget to fund the display.

Besides MR Sukhumbhand, others who have been implicated in irregularities are Thawatchai Chan-ngam, chief of the tourism division under the BMA's Culture, Sport and Tourism Department; Pranee Sattayaprakop, the department's director; and five members of the committee responsible for setting up the ToR.

Meanwhile, Mr Pisit said the OAG is also speeding up its probe into the BMA's controversial purchase of 20 mini-fire engines at a cost of 160 million baht.

The procurement came under fire after it was revealed the vehicles are geared to left-hand driving and may not be suitable for Thai traffic laws.

The batch was purchased in 2013 and there are still plans for the purchase of 15 more fire engines in fiscal year 2017.

Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra greets Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda who arrived to inspect a City Hall project in Prawet district. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Former MP Wilas Chanpithak of the Democrat Party, who has exposed a series of alleged irregularities in the BMA's projects, said Tuesday he is looking into the "Metro TV" project and has detected signs of irregularities.

Mr Wilas said he will share the details with the public soon and challenged BMA executives to proceed with their threat to sue him for defamation.

The BMA governor has not yet responded to allegations over the purchase of the fire engines.

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