Airports of Thailand has confirmed that 4 senior officials at Phuket Airport face disciplinary action over allegedly corrupt procurement practices. The airport has been facing allegations over its taxi ‘deals’ for the past two decades, most recently with ‘Grab’, a ride-hailing app that is now allowed to operate inside the airport grounds.
AoT president Kerati Kijmanawat says the Deputy Director of Phuket Airport and 3 other executives have been relieved of their duties following an investigation into the installation of “see-through stickers” to commemorate the birthday of His Majesty the King.
“The issue involves the hiring of a company to print and install see-through stickers to celebrate His Majesty the King’s 72nd birthday on July 28, 2024. The process used was not transparent and did not follow proper procedures.”
The statement on AoT’s website says that after the issue was initially reported in some Thai media outlets, an investigation got underway.
“The investigation, concluded on August 16, 2024, revealed 3 major violations: (1) setting an unreasonably high median price, (2) using a procurement method that did not comply with the Government Procurement and Material Management Act B.E. 2560, and (3) allowing the contractor to install the stickers before the contract was officially signed.”
The Phuket News reports that while the AoT statement does not identify the individuals involved, they have been identified in Thai media reports as:
1. Jirattikul Eiamhiran, Deputy Director of Phuket Airport (Operations and Maintenance)
2. Peera Akkhachai, Director of the Business Support Division at Phuket Airport
3. Pakin Sirichan, from the Airport Department (Operations and Maintenance)
4. Wiwatana Aimchoi, Director of the Supplies Division at Phuket Airport
AoT has confirmed that the 4 will face disciplinary action. In the meantime, they have been reassigned to AoT head office.
“A disciplinary committee will be established to determine appropriate punishments, following AOT’s regulations and relevant laws. AoT remains committed to upholding principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability to ensure the sustainable growth of its airport operations.”
Phuket Airport’s General Manager, Monchai Tanode, has not been implicated in the corruption scandal, nor has he made any public statement on the matter.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
