From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.th (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Dec 22: NAP and Benjamas tangle
Date: 21 Dec 92 17:11:55 GMT
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THE controversial appointment of the contractor building the new
Supreme Command headquarters took a bizarre twist yesterday when it
was revealed three of the company chairman's telephone numbers were
being used by the New Aspiration Party.
 
The NAP's use of the numbers came to light when an enquirer, ringing
the numbers given him by the Telephone Organisation of Thailand's "13"
Enquiry Service for Benjamas Company, found he had contacted the party
headquarters.
 
 NAP Secretary-General Phisan Mulasartsatorn reportedly criticised the
 TOT for causing confusion by giving out incorrect information by
 saying the numbers -- 243-6025, 243-1013 and 243-3349 -- belonged to
 Benjamas Company chairman Charoon Chancharassaeng.
 
Clarification only came later when Mr Phisan's sister-in law, Mrs
Chanthana Mulasartsathorn, said Mr Phisan had telephoned her to
complain about the mixup.
 
Mrs Chanthana said the confusion could have been caused because Mr
Charoon, whose house shares the same compound as the NAP headquarters,
could have given the three telephone numbers to the party for its use.
 
The TOT records would continue to show the telephone numbers as
belonging to Mr Charoon unless he formally informed the TOT that he
wanted to transfer their ownership to the NAP.
 
Mr Phisan later yesterday telephoned her to apologise for his
criticism of the "13" service after he discovered the truth, said Mrs
Chanthana.
 
Meanwhile, NAP leader and Interior Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
said yesterday the country lacked people with any courage as everyone
appeared to be trying to pass the buck on who was responsible for the
new Supreme Command headquarters.
 
"It's rather strange that our country has no one with any courage," he
said while commenting on how the approval of the Supreme Command
building contract was being passed from one person to another.
 
Defence Minister Gen Vijit Sookmark yesterday refused to clarify
whether senior military officers had any personal interest in Benjamas
Company.
 
 Instead, all he said was the contractors would follow all the steps
 listed in the contract signed by then Supreme Commander Gen Suchinda
 Kraprayoon in January this year.
 
 At the weekend present Supreme Commander ACM Voranart Apicharee
 categorically denied newspaper articles which claimed leading Army
 Class 5 officers had a stake in the construction company, Benjamat
 Co.
 
The contract calls for the construction of a 10-storey (two of them
underground) building adjoining the Royal Plaza and Ananta Samakom
throne hall.
 
"It was like open trading. It was all up to the bidding (results),"
said Gen Vijit yesterday.
 
 "The contractors will follow all steps in the bidding process."
 
The Defence Minister said the effects of any cancellation of the
contract must be considered carefully as work on the project has now
been under way for about two years.
 
The Anand Panayarachun government allocated 938 million baht from the
1991 fiscal year budget for the construction of the Supreme Command
headquarters, with over 200 million baht already spent.
 
The two underground levels have been completed and work is due to go
ahead on those above ground.
 
Gen Vijit told reporters to clarify any queries they may have about
Benjamas Co with Supreme Command technical staff and the bidding
committee.
 
He refused to confirm or deny if any senior military officers,
particularly those belonging to Class 5, held any shares or a stake in
Benjamat Co.
 
He said only that Judge Advocate officers would present him with a
report into the matter, setting out the pros and cons, and this would
then be forwarded to the Cabinet.
 
The Supreme Command also plans to set up a working committee to look
into "all the angles and corners" in the matter, he said.
 
Opposition MPs raised the subject of the construction project during
the three-day Budget Bill debate last week, saying it towered over
royal buildings such as the old parliament buildings known as Ananta
Samakom and the equestrian statue of King Rama V in the middle of the
Royal Plaza.
 
According to Commercial Registration Department records, Benjamas
Company was founded in 1974 by Mr Charoon, Somsak Iamsirisaengthong,
Anant Chancharassaeng, Sawaikiat Kongsawatkiat, Wanchai Kongsawatkiat,
Bancherd Phansa-ard and Miss Wanida Nanakul.
 
Four other members of the Chancharasaeng family later took shares so
that the company now has 11 shareholders.
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