Ex-minister to be quizzed in graft probe

Ex-minister to be quizzed in graft probe

A former education minister and an ex-deputy education minister have been summoned by graft investigators looking into alleged corruption in the 5.3 billion baht procurement of learning equipment by the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (Ovec), a source said.

Chinnaworn Boonyakiat and Narisara Chawaltanpipat, education minister and deputy education minister respectively in the former Abhisit administration, are due to report to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Thursday.

Two education officials who were involved in the procurement scheme have also been summoned to answer questions about suspected irregularities.

The source said the four can opt not to report to the DSI and wait to appear before the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The source said the DSI would speed up the probe and forward a report to the anti-graft agency within 30 days.

The investigation into the multi-billion-baht procurement of vocational teaching equipment was initiated by former deputy education minister Sakda Khongpetch. Initial findings showed that several colleges had received unwanted, overpriced and low-quality learning equipment. Also some equipment that had been purchased was never distributed to vocational colleges as they had no programmes requiring the items.

According to the source, the DSI probe found that a single company won the bid to supply electrical equipment worth 256,000 baht per unit to 35 out of 46 schools. The company in question is not a supplier of the equipment. It normally handles temperature measuring devices.

Other companies that won bids to supply equipment for chemical, electrical and energy labs normally sell paper and plastic, the source said. "The procurement project has been laced with irregularities. Some schools were never asked what they needed," the source said.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (5)