By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE OWNER of a private firm which has questionably won an aircraft procurement project from a government agency was alleged of being covertly associated with the Bhumjaithai, core of the current coalition government steered behind the scenes by de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, according to an informed source.
Forth Vending Co., the private firm which has won the bidding held by the Department of Royal Rainmaking & Agricultural Aviation for the contentious procurement of a couple of Let L-410 NG transport aircraft, is reportedly owned for the most part by Pongchai Amatanon, who was allegedly associated with the Bhumjaithai, albeit in surreptitious fashion, since the last several years.
Pongchai had been previously named member of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation board of directors during the time of Prime Minister/Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul as a former public health minister and member of the Thai Airways International board of directors during the time of former transport minister/former Bhumjaithai secretary-general Saksayam Chidchob.
Pongchai’s firm, relatively well-known as owner of Tao Bin beverage vending machines, has landed the Czech-built aircraft purchase deal for a combined cost of 1.18 billion baht deemed as utterly overpriced. That referred to an estimated 590 million baht price per unit quoted by the firm, compared to the aircraft manufacturer’s average price of about 227 million baht.
Allegations pertaining to the suspicious e-bidding held by the royal rainmaking department in regard to the unusually high costs of its aircraft procurement project won by Forth Vending Co. had allegedly pressed former department director-general Rachen Silparaya to resign after he had been transferred from the agency under care of the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives.
In addition, another private firm, namely M-Landarch Co., has won another high-cost project of the department under care of the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives to purchase a couple of Cessna C408 SkyCourier transport aircraft for a combined cost of 1.31 billion baht, deemed overpriced as well. That referred to an estimated 655 million baht per unit, compared to the aircraft manufacturer’s average price of about 178 million baht.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has been formally petitioned to investigate the suspiciously costly procurement of those transport aircraft by the royal rainmaking department.
In another development, the NACC, known as one of the “independent” agencies, has contentiously found Saksayam not guilty of practically concealing his assets though he had allegedly managed to have certain persons act as business nominees in regard to the shares of Buri Charoen Construction Co., the firm based in the Bhumjaithai-held northeastern province of Buriram.
The former transport minister/de facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin’s brother who had been earlier deprived of his ministerial status at the order of the Constitutional Court was more or less speculated to be named member of the Anutin II cabinet sooner or later.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – Let L-410 NG transport aircraft. Photos – Aeroexpo.online
Insert – Mr. Pongchai Amatanon. Photo – Naewna
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