BANGKOK, 12 Sep 2013 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that it has not yet been contacted by responsible units to help bring back Mr. Pracha Maleenont, who is believed to be out of the country after being indicted for fraud in the BMA’s fire-truck procurement case.
According to Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information Chakrit Sriwali, the Immigration Office will be able to confirm whether Mr. Pracha is still in the country.
Meanwhile, Office of the Attorney-General Spokesperson Vinai Damrongmongkhonkul clarified that insufficient case statement is the reason behind the office’s decision not to join the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand (NACC) in prosecuting other defendants including Bhokin Polakul, former Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin, and Wattana Muangsuk.
The office however backed the prosecution of former minister Pracha Maleenont, former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, former Director General of Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Police Lieutenant General Athiluck Tanchukiat, and the firetrucks supplier Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug Company Limited.
Mr. Vinai stated that the Office of the Attorney-General respects the NACC’s decision to prosecute all of the defendants, despite its stance to exempt the trio.
The fire-truck procurement case is currently still pending court rulings.
