should be investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Charoonsak Chantharamai, president of the Northeastern Anti-Corruption Organisation, said yesterday.
Sonthaya has been accused of using the division’s soldiers, state equipment and oil budget to renovate the Thung Sri Muang and Huai Muang public parks in Ubon Ratchathani on behalf of a private construction company, according to the organisation’s petition to the NACC.
Using the resources for a private-sector project violated laws concerning the submission of bids to government agencies, Charoonsak said.
And renovation of Nong Bua public park in the same province was allegedly carried out by the division’s soldiers during state working hours after another unnamed military man won the work contract, Charoonsak said.
He alleged that military personnel had negotiated for the Nakhon Ubon Ratchathani Municipality Council to spend Bt273 million on public-park renovation and re-landscaping although council members were aware that such an allocation would be redundant given an existing budget for the purpose.
He said the NACC should investigate because the use of soldiers and state equipment led to concerns that this could have been an abuse of authority to favour a private-sector firm.
Charoonsak said they were seeking information to see if they could find any link between the company and Sonthaya, who had not yet been interviewed.
But the Army insisted yesterday that the project to improve Thung Sri Muang was a public activity to prevent youths gathering for destructive activities or vice. Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suwaree said the army was not involved in any construction bidding.
Winthai said Charoonsak had the right to petition the NACC for a probe into Maj-General Sonthaya’s actions, but explained that Army units normally undertake activities to aid people in their jurisdiction.
He said the renovation of Thung Sri Muang was not done for commercial gain. It was one of the places that soldiers went to help clean up, cut branches and prevent destructive gatherings. It had nothing to do with the construction bidding system, as that would be handled by the municipality.