of Natural Resources and Environment to pay the
NVPSKG consortium ,the contractor of the canned
multi-billion-baht Klong Dan water treatment in
Samut Prakarn province for 9 billion baht,last Thursday.
Kaemsun Chinnavaso,the ministry’s permanent secretary,
said that after rounds of post-court ruling negotitation,
the consortium has agree to waive the interest charge of
1.8 million baht per day ordered by the court last year
which has raised the total payment to 11 billion baht.
Last November,the Supreme Court found the ministry
culpable for not paying outstanding cost after the
project was completed.
The ministry agued there were irregularities in the
purchase of the
land for the project and decided to suspend it.
Mr Kasemsun said the two parties to the dispute
concluded
the Pollution Control Department will pay the consortium
the first tranche of three billion baht in May and the
second
tranche of six billion baht in November next year,adding
the money will be allocated from all state owned agencies’
fiscal budgets.
For example ,the fiscal budget for the ministry’s office
of the Permanent Secretary was cut off by five million
baht,
followed by 25 million baht from the Office of Natural
Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning and more.
“That is equivalent to the ministry’s fiscal budget five
years
ago when it was established.I think when you read the
court’s
verdict clearly ,you will know why it ends like this”,he
said.
He said the Supreme Administrative Court ruled the case
based on arbitration committee’s previous finding,which
said rhe department should pay the outstanding money to
the consortium.
He said the ministry took the wrong track in fighting
the
ruling as it took the case to the arbitration committee.
Former environment ministry Suwit Khunkitti decided
to take the Klong Dan waste water treatment project to
court and to an arbitration committee.
Three ministry were involved in the project-Suwat
Liptapallop,the
science minister ,Vatana Asavahame,
then deputy interior minister,and Yingphan Manasikarn,
then ministry of natural resources and environment,
who had since died.
The project was endorsed in 1995 by the Democrat-led
government of prime minister Chuan Leekpai.
The wining contractor was a consortium known as NVPSKG,
which was made up of Vichitphan Construction,which is owned
by the Chavannand family, Seesaeng Karn Yotha ,the founder
of which is Banharn
Silpa-archa,former prime minister and
now Chief adviser to the Chartthai pattana Party,Krung Thon
Engineering which is affiliated with Vichitphan,and
Pragyoonvisavat Karn Chang,founded by
Visava Liptapallop,
father of Mr Suwat.
The project was proposed to Mr Chaun’s cabinet in 1995
by
then science minister Suwat and was eventally approved .
But the contract was sign by minister Yingphan in 1997 with
the NVPSKG
consortium.
Natural resources and environment minister Praphat of the
Thaksin I government ordered the project suspended and
set up a committee to investigate.
The probe confirmed rampant corruption and the case was
forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission ,
focusting on
land acquisitions by Vatana.
The waste water treatment facility was devided into
two sections ,one on the western side to accommodate
waste from Samut
Chedi,Phra Pradaeng and Suksawat
Road,and the other on the eastern side to handle waste
water from Muang,Phra Pradaeng,Bang Pu and Bang
Phli districts.The cost estimated at 13.6 billion baht,
to be funded by a state budget,the Environment Fund
and an Asian Development Bank loan.
Later ,the Pollution Control Department changed
the construction plan by shifting the site to Bang Bo
distric,changed the pie line network from –above-
ground to underground and decided to dump treated
water directly into the sea.The cost of the turnkey
project ballooned to 23.7 billion baht
.About 14
billion has been paid to the consortium with the rest
to be paid as ordered by the court.
Mr Kasemsan said the ministry would submit the conclution
to Deputy Prime Minister.Wissanu Krea –ngam ,who chaired
a committee on the Klong Dan negotiations,adding
Mr Wissanu will later submit the matter to cabinet.
Regarding the Klong Dan waste water treatment site’s
future ,
he said he was assigned the Wastewater Management
Authority
to discuss with
locals what they want to do with the site.
“If the local are unhappy with the waste water treatment
project.
I see no reasons to put more money fixing the treatment
system.
But we still have a waste pipe on the other side .We can go ahead
with the plant if the lacal agree with it, he said.
News ,general ,Bangkok Post,7 August 2015
This case is an expensive lession for the government to
pay
huge money about 9 billion baht
to the NVPSKG consortium.
It happened
because of
1.The fault in creating the agreement.
2.The fault in ending the agreement.
3.Corruption of the project.
4.Conflict of interest of the project.
5.Lack of good government.
6.Lacked of morality and ethics of the politician
who involve d the project.
To avoid and improve the performance of the project
operate ,politicians and civil servants who has
responsibility must have the intention to do for
benefit of the
country first.
Ethics and morality must be in the heart of politicians
and the state
servants so that the corruption will be least.
However the result of this case show that we can trust
the judgement of arbitration commitee.
Hope for zero corruption and good government.
Sincerely Yours.
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