The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Democrat Party are looking into an alleged bribe demanded by a House sub-committee in exchange for not trimming the budget allocation of a government department.
The panel works on a plan to integrate the national budget, which requires trimming down some of the allocations.
It answers to the committee scrutinising the budget expenditure bill for the next fiscal year starting on October. The sub-panel is headed by Boonthida Somchai, an MP of the coalition Democrat Party.
Last Wednesday, the sub-panel went over the budget set aside for the Department of Groundwater Resources (DGR) worth 1.2 billion baht, and one earmarked for the Department of Water Resources valued at 13 billion baht.
A source in parliament said the sub-panel took a long time to review details of the budget request submitted by the DGR. A suggestion the sub-panel delayed the review on purpose prompted anger from department chief Sakda Wichiansilp.
Mr Sakda was invited to defend his agency's budget allocation. He told the sub-panel that one of its members called him to demand five million baht in return for not pursuing the review.
It was reported Mr Sakda's expose prompted Chada Thaiseth, the Bhumjaithai Party MP for Uthai Thani and deputy leader of the budget scrutiny committee, to step in and mediate the issue.
Ms Boonthida yesterday said she always keeps discussions in the meeting room, adding she never spoke an outsider about the issue and she never knew any director-general personally.
Meanwhile, Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, deputy secretary-general of the NACC, said the NACC is unable to admit the issue for examination at this point.
He said the alleged bribe was in a news report which must first be verified. If the verification is done quickly, the issue may be raised at the NACC's next meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Niwatchai, an NACC spokesman, said the NACC was checking the authenticity of information concerning any graft.
It may be necessary to summon Mr Sakda to give a statement.
If there were grounds to claims of a bribe or the NACC suspected irregularities, the commission may set up a formal investigation without having to wait for a party or individual to petition for the probe.
Before Mr Sakda is called to give a statement, the NACC secretary-general and the anti-graft commissioners must be notified of the planned invitation.
Also yesterday, Akkradet Wongpithakroj, a Democrat MP for Ratchaburi, said fellow Democrat members will ask the party at its next meeting to form a probe team as the panel is chaired by a member.