Newin to be charged in rubber probe : Assets panel says he favoured seeds giant

Newin to be charged in rubber probe : Assets panel says he favoured seeds giant

By Post reporters

A probe by the Assets Scrutiny Committee's sub-panel has implicated former deputy agriculture minister Newin Chidchob in irregularities in the procurement of rubber saplings for distribution to farmers, a source said yesterday. The sub-committee has established grounds to accuse both Mr Newin and former deputy agriculture permanent secretary Chakan Saengraksawong of fixing specifications in favour of Charoen Pokphand Seeds.

Mr Newin was supervising the Department of Agriculture which was in charge of the rubber saplings distribution project when Mr Chakan was serving as the department chief.

The ASC is expected to set up a panel to question Mr Newin, Mr Chakan and the company tomorrow when it receives the findings from the sub-committee, before filing formal charges against them.

The department signed a 1.44-billion-baht contract with the company, a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group in late 2003 to supply 90 million rubber saplings from 2004-2006 to promote the rubber plantation programme.

Irregularities came to light when farmers complained about the poor quality of the saplings, a million of which were reportedly dead on delivery.

Banjerd Sinkhanethi, who heads the sub-committee, said yesterday the panel has found grounds for corruption allegations but declined to discuss the findings in detail. The ASC is also expected to set up a separate panel to question 23 other people implicated in irregularities involving the procurement of the CTX bomb scanners for Suvarnabhumi airport, said the source.

The implicated individuals also include deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, ACM Kongsak Wantana and former AoT chairman Srisook Chandrangsu. They have been found in the wrong for making an overpriced procurement of a conveyor belt system and the baggage scanners for the new international airport.

They will be charged with gross negligence of duty and causing damage to the state under the Criminal Code's articles 157 and 83.

Meanwhile, Democrat Alongkorn Ponlabutr is pushing ahead with graft and corruption allegations against the former leader and his ''lackeys''.

Mr Alongkorn will ask the ASC next week to look into a duty-free zone and a logistics centre run by Thai Airport Ground Services (Tags) at Suvarnabhumi.

The Democrat deputy leader is currently in hot pursuit of Yaowapa Wongsawat, sister of the deposed leader, whom he has accused of cronyism. Mr Alongkorn said the former AoT board chaired by Mr Srisook allowed Tags to hire a consultant under a 400-million-baht contract for just five months.

AoT Plc has a 28.5% stake in Tags, which is 48.5% owned by Singaporean firm Frobisher Pte, which is said to have a dubious background.

The Singaporean company's profits were less than a roadside noodle chain, said Mr Alongkorn. The company reported revenue of 120 baht in 2003 and an income of 100 baht in 2004. However, in late 2004, it had somehow acquired 198 million baht to buy shares in Tags.

Tags was awarded a 10-year contract without an open bidding contest after the Singaporean firm stepped in.

That led to suspicions that Frobisher might be acting as a nominee for Thai politicians.

Bangkok Post
Sunday January 14, 2007