Democrat politician Wilas Chanpithak suspects there were irregularities in the purchase of three river boats by City Hall's law enforcement department at a cost of 40 million baht and wants the procedure investigated.
Mr Wilas said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) bought three boats, each with different specifications.
The first was a 6.5-million-baht 38-foot-long fibreglass boat with a 250-horsepower engine, the second an 11-million-baht 45-foot-long 300-horsepower boat, and the third a 26.5-million baht multi-purpose 450-horsepower boat.
He suspected irregularities in the acquisition of the third boat because its fittings were similar to those of a tour boat. It was fitted with an airconditioning system and other amenities including a refrigerator, a television set and a sound system. It was not equipped with emergency or rescue gear.
The terms for the first two vessels required the builders to have at least 10 years of experience in boat-building, Mr Wilas said. The third boat, which was the most expensive, did not have this requirement.
The builder did not follow contract terms about where the boat should be built. Instead the work was done at a boat-building technology and industry school in Ayutthaya province. He did not say where the boat was supposed to be built under the contract.
After the boat was completed and handed over to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, it was brought to Bangkok. On the way, there was a fire in the engine compartment. The boat had been in disrepair for nearly a year and left unused, the former Democrat MP said.
He suspected collusion in the price and specifications for the third boat.
Mr Wilas said he would petition the Office of the Auditor-General and the National Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday, seeking an investigation into possible irregularities in the purchase of the three boats.