DSI asked to probe graft in police station construction

The Pheu Thai Party has asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to investigate alleged graft in the construction of 396 police stations at a cost of more than five billion baht.

Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit filed the complaint on Monday.

He said many police stations across the country had been demolished under the rennovation programme and never rebuilt. As a result, many precincts had to operate out of temporary structures.

There seemed to be some irregularity in the project, he said. Only one construction firm, with a political connection, was awarded the contract to build all of the new stations.

The contract issued on March 26, 2011 stipulated the new police stations must be built by June  2012. The contractor claimed work was delayed by the big flood last year and the deadline was then extended to January 2013.

It was unlikely the deadline would be met, Mr Prompong said. Many subcontractors had abandoned the projects as they had run out of cash.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdit said he was aware of the problem and would launch an investigation in the new year.