Sound check. Check. Testing-testing-testing. Ah, perfect.
The quality of the Bosch DCMN-MMD microphones installed in Government House puts us in the White House league. The audio system now installed in the office of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his deputies is second to none — it is used in the offices of government leaders around the world.
The microphones are part of a project to overhaul the whole audio-visual system at Government House at a cost of 67 million baht. Once completed, the whole shebang should be a "trophy" for the big wigs at the PM's Office.
But kill the mic for a second — the issue looks very likely to end up the opposite. The microphones are suddenly a hot potato — a very hot potato — for the big boss.
Gen Prayuth should thank ML Panadda Diskul, the PM's Office Minister and permanent secretary for the PM's Office who proudly organised a press tour to show off the state-of-the-art equipment to the media on Sept 4. Without that trip, the public would never have come to appreciate the perfection of the sound system inside three meeting rooms. And the prime minister would not have a chance to test his ongoing campaign against corruption.
Two days after the open house, Gen Prayuth presided over a forum to mark Anti-Corruption Day. Here is what he said on that day: The government and the National Council for Peace and Order are serious about wiping out corruption. It is on the national agenda and is key to reforms for the country.
He can now test his promise right there in his office.
At the centre of the controversy, of course, is the price tag for the microphones, quoted at 145,000 baht apiece before supplier Asavasopon Co dropped the figure to 94,250 baht after a public outcry. Also at the centre of the storm is the Department of Public Works and Town Planning due to its responsibility for procurements for the entire project. Microphone sceptics say the negotiated price is still too expensive, no matter what department chief Monthon Sudprasert and the contracted firm try to say to convince us otherwise.
Gen Prayuth cannot distance himself from the issue as it is taking place right in his office. He was right on Friday when he urged all involved to "be patient" while he gave officials a free hand to probe the scheme. They should not jump to a conclusion that smells fishy.
Let's take his advice seriously and wait and see what will happen at the end of the investigation. It might be too much to be pessimistic about the deal.
At least the country has seen one good thing come out of it. The nature of the deal is extraordinary, in the sense that the equipment was installed first and then government officials could negotiate for a better price later. This should be promoted as an ideal business model for other government projects in the future when state agencies deal with the private sector. This model obviously and undoubtedly gives state agencies more bargaining power when all things are installed or built, but they still have room to lower the price. The generosity of Asavasopon has set a good example for others to follow.
Even though investigators will find nothing wrong with the project, it was not right from the beginning.
The big question is why Government House had to be equipped with those extraordinarily expensive microphones and the state-of-the-art audio-visual system in the first place. The initiative obviously ran against the policy of Gen Prayuth, who has stressed the sufficiency economy on several occasions, including in his weekly address to the country. Nobody argues that the House has to be renovated, but the country does not need a "world class" Government House. Taxpayers' money should be wisely and more effectively spent when a country is not that rich.
The real essence of Government House is not about hi-tech equipment. How cabinet ministers perform is much more important than what they say into those expensive microphones.
"Hello. Hello. Are you still there, big Bosch of Government House?"
Saritdet Marukatat is digital media news editor, Bangkok Post.