Just a few hours ago, PPT blogged: “The Democrat Party-led government has continued to sweep corruption allegations under the carpet, mainly because the media are in it pocket. This of the sufficiency economy projects, the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education and other cases and allegations, and all of them seem to have fallen into the great void of nothingness that is the government’s effort to root out corruption. If any reader ever sees anything on these cases, let us know.”
As if to confirm PPT’s perspective that corruption is being swept under the carpet, the Bangkok Post (13 December 2009: “Quick spending urged”) reports that Kan Trakulhoon, president of the Crown Property Bureau’s industrial “crown jewel” the Siam Cement Group (SCG) has called for faster spending. He wants government spending on the Thai khemkaeng projects to be “accelerated to help support economic recovery and ease pressure on the baht to appreciate…”.
SCG is also the main company involved in the ongoing and horrendous pollution problems at Map Tha Phut, seemingly causing new illnesses every day. The SCG president admits that this is a problem for the group: “Private investment has remained weak due to excess production capacity, economic uncertainties and an unfavourable investment climate, highlighted by concerns over political stability and the suspension of major industrial projects in Map Ta Phut.”
He wants the Thai khemkaeng projects that promise 1.43 trillion baht for “tens of thousands of infrastructure projects nationwide through 2012, ranging from improvements to community hospitals and schools to new Bangkok mass transit systems and logistics and rail improvements” to be sped up. His company would benefit more than any other as they are the major suppliers of construction materials, not least all the cement that would be poured into infrastructure.
Not a mention of the corruption allegations that have dogged these projects from Kan or from the Bangkok Post. How big is that carpet and will the broom be big enough?
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