NACC won’t take long time in compiling corruption reports

BANGKOK, Jan 28 (TNA) -- Thailand’s Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will not take a long time in compiling information concerning a bribery case by Rollys-Royce given to at least two major Thai state-enterprises, said a reliable source at NACC. Rollys-Royce has admitted to the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) that it had bribed Thai Airways International three times between 1991-2005 with combined money amounting around 1.2 billion baht and approximately 385 million baht to PTT Public Co, Ltd between 2000- 2013, the source said. The appointed working committee is not expected to take long time in compiling information regarding the bribery case because the SFO already knows that the NACC is the main investigation agency of Thailand in probing the scandal, the source said. Thailand is one of the seven countries named by the SFO which found conspiracy to corrupt or failure to prevent bribery by Rolls-Royce. Existing reports which are published or publicised to the public cannot be, however, used for legal actions against the wrongdoers because they are not released by the government agencies, the sources stressed. Besides taking bribes, the working committee will investigate whether the takers accepted money for laundering purposes, the sources said. Three NACC Commissioners have been appointed to oversee the working of the committee. They are Ms Supa Piyajitti responsible for political holders, Mr Surasak Keereevichien responsible for court rulings and an international cooperation, and Pol Gen Sataphon Laothong for state-enterprises. Media reports say Rolls-Royce paid more than 36 million US dollars between 1991 and 2005 to agents to help it secure three separate contracts Trent aero engines to Thai Airways International. The SFO also revealed 12 counts of conspiracy to corrupt or failure to prevent bribery in six other countries - Indonesia, India, Russia, Nigeria, China and Malaysia. The British company agrees to pay 671 million pounds in penalties to settle nearly 25 years of corruption allegation to the SFO, 141 million pounds to the US Justice Department and another 21.5 million pounds to Brazilian regulators. (TNA)