Army orders probe
Investigation to be finished in one week and 'action taken against the guilty'
THE ARMY has ordered an urgent investigation into alleged irregularities in the Rajabhakti Park project and vowed to take action against any guilty party.
“The Army expects the fact-finding committee to conclude its probe within one week,” Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvari said yesterday.
He said the Army took this move to protect its reputation from the ongoing scandal.
“If any Army officer is found guilty, they will face actions in line with the law,” he said.
Rumours about alleged irregularities in the Rajabhakti Project started swirling after Colonel Kachachart Boondee, a staff officer at the Third Army Area, was charged earlier this month with lese majeste along with the late famous fortune-teller Suriyan Sujaritpolwong’s secretary Jirawong Wattanathewasilp.
It was alleged that they had falsely cited the Royal Family to demand money from big companies.
One suspect in custody
Jirawong is the only suspect in the high-profile case still in custody.
Suriyan, better known as Mor Yong, became ill during his detention at a temporary detention centre inside a Bangkok-based military camp and succumbed to blood infection on Saturday. The other suspect, Pol Major Prakrom Warunprapa, committed suicide last month.
Before he was arrested, Suriyan was a public relations subcommittee member for two prestigious campaigns – “Bike for Mom”, which took place in August, and “Bike for Dad”, scheduled for next month.
Kachachart stopped coming to work after Suriyan’s gang was exposed. He is on the run.
After Kachachart’s name was linked to Suriyan’s gang, word spread that he was also involved in alleged irregularities in the Rajabhakti Park project
Funded by about Bt1 billion in donations, the project has developed a grand park in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district and erected huge statues of seven former Thai kings there under the Army’s supervision.
After the scandal broke, top government figures with military backgrounds were pressured to look into the issue.
Winthai said that although the Rajabhakti Park project did not use a state budget, the Army decided to launch a probe in a bid to clear any lingering doubt.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the Rajabhakti Park Foundation and the Army would clarify the matter, as both were involved in the implementation of the project.
He denied that a major-general, who had recently resigned, was involved in the project’s alleged irregularities.
“No, there’s no complaint against him,” Prawit said.
Acting deputy national police commissioner Lt-General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul disclosed that investigators had already completed one of the 16 cases against Suriyan’s gang.
“The investigation report will be submitted to national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda for review,” Srivara said.
Corrections Department director-general Vitaya Suriyawong denied rumours that Jirawong was dead.
“No, he is still alive and healthy,” Vitaya said.
