Thaksin ministers among 45 likely to be sued in rubber tree corruption case
BANGKOK - Several key cabinet members in the former Thaksin administration are likely to face prosecution for their alleged involvement in the rubber sapling procurement case in which Thailand's anti-graft investigation panel found substantial grounds for taking legal action, according to anti-graft panel sources.
Banjerd Singkaneti, who chairs the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) panel investigating the rubber project, told a press conference on Monday that the panel resolved to have the AEC forward the case to the Office of the Attorney General for further consideration whether or not to prosecute 45 people allegedly involved in the purchase of 90 million rubber saplings worth 1.44 Billion Baht.
Mr. Banjerd revealed that among those who have been accused in the case are former Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, former Deputy Finance Minister Warathep Rattanakorn, former Agriculture Minister Sorra-at Klinprathum and former Commerce Minister Adisai Photaramik.
The case will be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General within 14 days before the case goes to the Supreme Court for the political office holders division.
Former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Ccooperatives, Newin Chidchob, and the former Director-General of the Department of Agriculture, Chakan Sangraksawong, who initiated the project, will also likely to be prosecuted, according to Mr. Banjerd.
They were involved in the government's decision to award the contract to grow 90 million saplings to
private companies, he said.
The companies involved in the procurement included the agro-industrial conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group affiliate, Charoen Pokphand Seeds Company, which allegedly supplied poor quality rubber tree saplings to farmers.
[highlight=yellow:62f10cfa51]Under a three-year contract worth 1.4 Billion Baht with the Agriculture Ministry, the CP Group was to supply, through the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund Office, 18 million rubber saplings in 2004, 27 million in 2005, and 45 million in 2006.
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The programme is part of the government's plan to extend rubber plantations, long associated with the South, to 36 provinces in the North and the Northeast.
- MCOT