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http://bangkokpos...major-raid


Crime Suppression Division police have raided houses and companies belonging to people suspected of involvement in alleged irregularities involving state procurement and bidding for projects worth 12 billion baht.

The suspects include Banthoon Supakwanich, former director of the Budget Bureau, who was selected by the Senate on Monday as a new commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission which will soon finalise rules for the auction of the 3G mobile network which could involve up to 300 billion baht.

Acting deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau Pongpat Chayaphan and acting chief of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Supisarn Phakdinaruenart yesterday led more than 50 police officers in separate raids on five targets in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Police acted on a complaint about a scam involving procurement projects for the Royal Thai Police. Serving and retired senior police officers, government officials and businessmen are alleged to be involved in the scam.

The first target of the raid was a house on Tivanon Road Soi 24 in Nonthaburi's Muang district. The house belongs to Mr Banthoon. Nobody was at home when police arrived.

Police then went to another house owned by Mr Banthoon on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road Soi 36 in Chatuchak district. Mr Banthoon was there and signed to acknowledge a summons order.

Another team of police searched Millennium Motor Co on Phuttharaksa Road in Samut Prakan's Muang district. The company is the producer of Tiger brand motorcycles. Police gathered computerised data of transactions between the police force and the company in the past few years.

The next target was a house on Tivanon Road owned by Pol Col Ruamnakorn Taptimthongchai, a former officer.

He is an executive of RNT Television Co which had been a contractor to state-run Channel 11.

Police seized documents found in the house for investigation.

Police also raided Isuzu Siam City Co, a car dealer, on Lat Phrao Soi 21 in Chatuchak district. A number of documents and six computer CPUs and a shredder were confiscated.

Pol Maj Gen Pongpat said the raids followed a complaint lodged with the CSD by Pol Maj Gen Warin Kaewchompoo, accusing Ratchanok Jaesai, an executive of Car Tracking Co and Piti Manomaipibul, an executive of Tiger Motor Co and others of giving false information to police.

In Sept 2007, Car Tracking was awarded a contract to supply 19,147 motorcycles (Tiger brand) and spare parts worth about 1.2 billion baht to the police force.


bamsen