PUBLISHED: 05:34 on September 21, 2023.
Kittirat Na Ranong, the prime minister’s chief advisor, has reportedly been charged by the Office of the Attorney General( OAG ) with allegedly engaging in graft when choosing a local supplier for rice exports to Indonesia in 2011.
After the National Anti-Corruption Commission( NACC ) found grounds for the allegation in 2021 and indicted Mr. Kittirat, the OAG filed a lawsuit against him with the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, according to NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol on Wednesday.
In addition to Mr. Kittirat, another petition has been brought against other people who are reportedly involved in the case.
The Indonesian food procurement company Bulog signed a contract on August 18, 2011, to purchase 300,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand for US$ 559( 20,150 baht ) per tonne.
Proposals were submitted on December 14 by Siam Indica and another company, Nakhon Sa-wan Kha Kao. The proposals for both businesses were submitted by a Siam Indica staff. Siam Indica was the only organization in argument because Nakhon Sawan Kha Kao did not meet the requirements.
Although a section was added to the agreement allowing Siam Indica to provide an additional 200, 000 kilos of grain to Bulog, for which no pay was made, the company was only contracted to provide 100,000 tonnes at US$ 559 per tonne.
Pitheera Tangpossawat, vice president of the Public Warehouse Organization, and Somsak Wongwatthanasan, admin president, are also alleged to have conspired to ensure that Siam Indica sealed the grain export deal without a fight.
The NACC claims that Mr. Kittiratt, the Yingluck Shinawatra administration’s commerce minister, was aware that Siam Indica had been selected to provide the extra purchase of rice without a contest.