Busted! Bangkok officials caught in bogus 2.8m baht bus repair scam
Seven officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have been detained for their alleged involvement in a corruption scheme concerning fabricated repairs to five buses, resulting in costs of 2.8 million baht.
Their arrest followed an inspection of a repair garage yesterday morning, March 12. This inspection was conducted by senior officials, including Phumwisan Kasemsuk, Secretary General of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and Police Major General Jaroonkiat Pankaew, head of the Police Counter Corruption Division (CCD).
The garage in the Saphan Sung district was purportedly responsible for repairing the five BMA buses. The seven officials, associated with the sports division of the BMA’s culture, sports, and tourism department, were apprehended shortly after warrants were issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases.
Six of the officials surrendered to police at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in the Din Daeng district of Bangkok, while the remaining official was detained in front of his residence.
The arrests were initiated after the State Audit Office (SAO) identified discrepancies in the repair of five air-conditioned buses, each capable of seating 45-50 passengers, managed by the BMA’s sports division.
The SAO reviewed financial documents submitted by the agency for repairs allegedly conducted on the buses between 2022 and 2024. However, the buses were reportedly not sent for repairs on 11 occasions.
The seven officials are accused of fabricating repair documents. Consequently, the SAO requested further investigation by anti-corruption officials. The PACC subsequently discovered 17 additional instances of fake repairs, increasing the total to 28, and the financial losses to the city were estimated at 2.79 million baht.
Corruption complaint
On November 22 last year, the BMA instructed officials to lodge a corruption complaint with the police against the seven officials. Counter-corruption investigators compiled evidence to support the issuance of arrest warrants.
The officials face charges of dereliction of duty and certifying false documents related to the fake repairs. Identified individuals include:
- Damrong Ruensuk, former director of the Sports Division;
- sports development officials Phumin, Khomkrit, and Apinan;
- procurement official Athinya;
- senior administrative official Sirikanya;
- procurement specialist Suchawadee.
Their surnames were not disclosed.
Police Major General Jaroonkiat mentioned that an eighth official, 47 year old Naphin Chaiyathip, was implicated but had died by suicide earlier this year.
During initial questioning, all seven suspects denied the charges. They remain in police custody for further investigation.
A source revealed that the investigation also uncovered that the suspects were part of the same group of BMA officials previously scrutinised for alleged corruption in gym equipment procurement, where some items were bought at two to three times the market price. In January, the BMA announced no evidence of collusion in the gym equipment corruption case had been found, reported Bangkok Post.
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