Bangkok Post
February 18, 2003

Pollution control officials get blame.

Villagers opposing the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project yesterday presented their own study to back up their claim of irregularities involving politicians and senior government officials in the project.

They accused four politicians and four senior state officials of involvement in the project plagued by corruption charges.

“Today we know who all are involved in the corrupt activities,” said Dawan Chantarahesdee, a leading opponent who led the research team.

She alleged that senior officials in the Pollution Control Department had fixed the specifications of companies bidding for the turnkey project worth initially 1.3 billion baht that later increased to 2.3 billion baht. A feasibility study of the project, which was funded by the Asian Development Bank, proposed two plants, one in Bang Pu Mai in the east and the other in Bang Pla Kod in the west of the Chao Phraya river, Ms Dawan said. The Pollution Control Department, at the time headed by Pakit Kiravanich, decided to have only one plant built at Bang Pu Mai. The decision resulted in the disqualification of one of two companies vying for the contract, leaving NVPSKG as the sole bidder.

However, the department’s selection panel, chaired by then deputy chief Sirithan Pairoj-Boriboon, did not cancel the bidding despite the fact that there was only one tender
left, which was unacceptable under the rules.

Ms Dawan alleged that Labour Minister Suwat Liptapanlop, also an ex-science minister, was involved in the irregularities because his family firm, Prayoonvisava Engineering, was a partner in the consortium. Mr Suwat had earlier denied any involvement.

Former Interior Minister Vattana Asavahame was found to be a shareholder in a company that held shares in Palm Beach Development Company, which owned the land in tambon Klong Dan where the wastewater treatment plant was sited.

Other politicians implicated were Yingphan Manasikarn, Nisakorn Kositratna, currently PCD deputy chief, and Yuwaree In-Na, formerly director of PCD’s water quality management division.