Pracha sentenced to 12 years

Ex-deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and the former city fire department chief receive long prison sentences in fire vehicle scandal as three others, including former Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin, are acquitted.

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A 2006 photo shows the fire trucks imported from Austria by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), left stranded at Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri after the dispute over their purchase. That case has resulted in a 12-year jail term for ex-deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont (top) and 10 years for the former BMA fire chief Athilak Tanchukiat.

Pracha sentenced to 12 years

Apirak off the hook, but ex-fire chief gets jail time

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The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions Tuesday convicted ex-deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and the former city fire department chief of malfeasance in connection with the purchase of fire trucks and boats.

A majority of the nine judges ruled to hand down a 12-year prison term to Pracha and a 10-year term to Pol Maj Gen Athilak Tanchukiat, former director of the Public Disaster Prevention Office, for their roles in the 6.687-billion-baht procurement deal.

Pracha is the fourth political office holder to be slapped with a jail sentence by the court – after former public health minister Rakkiat Sukthana, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former deputy interior minister Vatana Asavahame.

The Supreme Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Pracha, who missed the reading of the verdict for the second time Tuesday. Pracha was reported to have fled overseas.

A warrant was also issued for the arrest of Pol Maj Gen Athilak who did not show up at the court Tuesday.

Former Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin, former interior minister Pokin Polakul and former commerce minister Watana Muangsook were cleared of wrongdoing because of a lack of evidence. All of them turned up at the court.

The charges against Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG, the Austrian supplier, were temporarily dismissed.

The case was brought before the Supreme Court in 2011 by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which accused the five individuals and the supplier of malfeasance and price collusion over the purchase of 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats.

A December 2004 photo shows then Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont, left, presenting a glass replica of the royal barge Suphannahongsa to ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Both former politicians have now received prison sentences from the same court. APICHIT JINAKUL

According to the NACC, the procurement was overpriced and benefited the Austrian supplier, and Pracha and Pol Maj Gen Athilak failed to compare the prices with those of the same types of locally manufactured and distributed equipment.

The purchase contract was signed by late Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej, while his successor, Mr Apirak, signed a letter of credit for the contract, committing City Hall to begin paying the supplier.

The four men, along with the Austrian supplier, were accused of corruptly arranging the deal, which was found by the anti-graft agency to be highly overpriced.

Mr Apirak was forced to step down as the city governor when the NACC decided on the indictment.

He thanked the court Tuesday for granting him justice.

Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra declined to discuss the case Tuesday out of concerns it might affect the ongoing dispute between City Hall and the fire vehicle supplier.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) brought the case to the Geneva-based Court of Conciliation and Arbitration in its attempt to cancel the contract in 2010. MR Sukhumbhand said the BMA will send the Supreme Court's ruling to the international court of arbitration for consideration.

The BMA has already filed a lawsuit with the Civil Court against those involved in the scandal, a source at the BMA said.

Another source at the BMA said although City Hall has already made payments to the supplier, it has not taken possession of the fire vehicles.

All 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats have remained at Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri and a warehouse in Nonthaburi's Sai Noi district.