City Hall officials linked to a waste disposal scam which allegedly cost the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) 30-40 million baht in losses have been transferred to other posts while an investigation into their involvement continues.
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Monday that seven civil servants and 14 other staff at the Nong Khaem Solid Waste Disposal Centre in Nong Khaem district were moved to different units within the BMA.
Pol Gen Aswin also said he has assigned city clerk Silapasuai Rawisaengsun to probe the seven civil servants for dereliction of duty.
"Dereliction of duty [by civil servants] is punishable by a prison term of between one and 10 years and/or a fine of 20,000-200,000 baht," said the governor.
Chatri Watthanakhachon, director of the BMA’s Environment Office, was assigned to head the investigation of the 14 other staff suspected of involvement, he added.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the alleged roles of tambon administrative organisations and other individuals in the scam will be headed by the Crime Suppression Division.
The scam came to light last week after a number of waste disposal lorries were caught trying to dump garbage collected outside of Bangkok city limits at the disposal centre on Phutthamonthon Sai 3 Road.
A preliminary investigation found that waste from outside the city had been regularly dumped at Nong Khaem waste disposal centre for a number of years.
"The unusually high waste transportation costs logged by the facility prompted our decision to investigate," said Pol Gen Aswin.