The government was supposed to pay the NVPSKG consortium the second and third instalments of a compensation deal worth a combined Bt4.7 billion. But AMLO cited a December 2015 court verdict to suspend payment on grounds that the original Bt23-billion contract was void due to a conspiracy of corrupt officials and private contractors to cheat the public. NVPSKG is a six-company group contracted to build the treatment plant in Samut Prakan in the late 1990s but the facilities could not be used after completion due to environmental and other reasons.

Deputy premier Wissanu Krea-ngam said the consortium had the right to ask AMLO to review its decision, but it would depend on the evidence provided by the consortium on whether there was ground to change the decision. However, a court would have the final say on if the AMLO decision remained unchanged.

Paisit Eamcharernkul, lawyer for the consortium, said NVPSKG contractors had denied the AMLO accusation while the National Anti-Corruption Commission earlier did not rule that the consortium was guilty, so there was no ground to suspend payments.

In addition, other court cases and verdicts that involved former politician and government officials, including the fugitive Vatana Asavahame, should not be cited to support the AMLO decision to suspend the state’s compensation to the consortium.

Paisit said the Supreme Administrative Court had ruled that the government had to pay total compensation of more than Bt9 billion to the consortium so there was no ground for AMLO to suspend the payment of second and third instalments, plus another $32 million in compensation.

He claimed that AMLO’s move negatively affected the private sector’s confidence in the Thai legal system, as the government has not fulfilled its duty in paying the compensation amount as ruled by the Supreme Administrative Court.