PUBLISHED : 25 Sep 2023 at 04:30
The Royal Thai Army is looking into the disappearance of over 200,000 litres of diesel fuel from its facility in Saraburi last year, an army spokeswoman said yesterday.
The move came after a report published by ThaiPBS claimed 215,897 litres of B7 diesel fuel went missing from a unit under the 18th Military Circle there.
Maj Gen Sirichan Ngathong, a deputy spokeswoman for the army, said a special team would look into alleged irregular usage of diesel fuel at the Ordnance Material Rebuild Centre between August and September last year.
The army typically sends its in-house audit teams to check on important supplies, such as fuel oils, explosives, weapons and ammunition stored on bases nationwide.
The army became aware of the findings in ThaiPBS’s report in May this year, and a preliminary investigation was launched in June, she said. Maj Gen Sirichan said the army will speed up its investigation.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a Move Forward Party (MFP) MP, said the army owes the public an explanation. “It didn’t just evaporate,” he said.
Jirat Thongsuwan, also an MFP MP, said the Defence Ministry received a high score of 94.91 out of 100 in the Integrity and Transparency Assessment against Corruption in State Agencies report by the National Anti-Corruption Commission this year.
As such it must strive to make the investigation transparent, he said.