NACC secretary-general Sansern Pholjiak yesterday said a nine-person subcommittee had been appointed to handle the case in which the British company has admitted to paying over Bt1.2 billion in bribes to Thai officials in return for multi-billion-baht purchase orders for aircraft engines.

The investigation will cover THAI’s entire procurement process for Rolls-Royce engines during 2004 and 2005 when six Boeing 777-200ER passenger jets and one Airbus A340-500/600 were purchased along with Rolls-Royce engines.

The 26 people to be questioned include former transport minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit, former deputy transport minister Vichet Kasemthongsri, former THAI board chairman Thanong Bidaya and the airline’s former president Kanok Apiradee.

Sansern said the investigation would seek to identify who paid and received bribes in connection with the purchase of Rolls-Royce engines for the THAI fleet. Afterwards, the anti-graft body would file charges against the wrongdoers based on evidence obtained on irregularities in the procurement of engines during the period.

However, the agency has yet to name agents representing Rolls-Royce and THAI who were alleged to have arranged the illegal payments for Thai officials to secure the lucrative deal. Politicians who held public office at the time as well as senior airline executives were alleged to have been involved in the case.

Sansern said the NACC would investigate the procurement procedures from the outset to completion and file charges against anyone found to have abused their authority and favoured Rolls-Royce in the supply of engines.

In addition, investigators would look at money trails in the procurement process and file additional charges if officials were found to have demanded bribes in return for the deal.

All the accused would have a chance to defend themselves before the NACC subcommittee, he said. Although there is no fixed time frame for the investigation, the agency would ensure that the investigation is completed as soon as possible.

The NACC will also request assistance from experts at the Anti-Money Laundering Agency, the National Police Bureau, and Office of Public Prosecutors.

Regarding alleged irregularities for engine procurement during 1991-92 and 1992-1997, the agency said it is still gathering evidence to pursue criminal charges against wrongdoers.

Overall, the THAI-Rolls-Royce bribery scandal took place between 1991 to 2005 – based on evidence discovered by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in cooperation with US authorities.

Rolls-Royce, which was heavily fined for breaking the anti-corruption laws, entered into a deal with UK authorities and cooperated in the investigation, resulting in the availability of credible evidence against alleged wrongdoers.