Knowing the details is "just confusing the public," can't monitor exactly how the Bangkok bus contract is being awarded...
by Jon Fernquest
The
Bangkok city bus leasing scheme is a project to "woo city votes" and
win the hearts of
Bangkok voters according to Bhumjaithai party chief Newin Chidchob
(Read article). Free promotional literature paid for by the essentially bankrupt BMTA is being distributed to the public to convince them of the project's worth.
What won't be allowed: taking a closer look under the hood at how this lucrative deal will be awarded to some lucky company.
"Suspiciously lucrative deal" would certainly be one way to describe the Bangkok city bus leasing scheme controversy that has threatened to burst apart the delicate coalition that holds together the current government.
In related news, city bus official BMTA chairman Piyaphan Champasut chose a local TV show over testifying before parliament (strange priorities for a government official?) and was criticised for it by an MP. Piyaphan then sued the MP for defaming him (truth and justice?). (note: but strangely publishing personal details in Thailand as in the recent David Carradine case is not considered a violation of privacy or the basis for a lawsuit, is this double standards? read MSNBC article via Bangkok Bugle)
(Photo on right of current BMTA chairman Piyaphan Champasut, in the middle, on an inspection tour of a bus station)
Politics back to normal?
Politics seems to be back to normal, perhaps an encouraging change from recent months when Thailand occasionally seemed to be hovering on the brink of civil war and a lot of that is reflected in how the so-called "business of politics" is played, corrupt bidding practices on government contracts being one part of this.As Chang Noi observed recently:
The
daily news is again filled with tales of politicians squabbling over suspiciously
lucrative deals, coalition parties gaily stabbing one another in the back,
generals dreaming of forming political parties to lead the country
again, government agencies valiantly
suppressing opportunities for free expression, and
government spokesmen
spouting nonsense with poker faces. This return
of spolitics-as-uual is very comforting. It’s hard to recall that
only a few weeks ago angry youths were hurling concrete blocks onto
politicians’ cars, and launching blazing buses at the troops.
And that a few days before that, large numbers of people dressed in red
had been complaining about injustice,
double standards,
and privilege.
It’s comforting to feel that politics is just about wheeler-dealing among the gods, rather than about the resolution of deep-seated conflicts in the society. But it would probably be a mistake to be too comforted, too unmindful. There are now some blunt, simple realities underlying Thai politics which are not going to disappear however many new parties are formed and however many back-room deals are made. (Source: Chang Noi, Voting with the wallet, 01-06-09, link)
It’s comforting to feel that politics is just about wheeler-dealing among the gods, rather than about the resolution of deep-seated conflicts in the society. But it would probably be a mistake to be too comforted, too unmindful. There are now some blunt, simple realities underlying Thai politics which are not going to disappear however many new parties are formed and however many back-room deals are made. (Source: Chang Noi, Voting with the wallet, 01-06-09, link)
(Note: See vocabulary at end of article)
So let's leap into the brave new world of the new but old Thai political scene. Here are some research questions to think about:
1.
How will the contract be awarded?
2. Will the process of awarding the contract be transparent?
3. Or will the process of awarding the contract be changed so that only one bidder can be selected?
4. Will the criteria for selecting which firm gets the contract be adjusted so it matches only one bidder and there is no real contest at all in the bidding (Read about recent case).
2. Will the process of awarding the contract be transparent?
3. Or will the process of awarding the contract be changed so that only one bidder can be selected?
4. Will the criteria for selecting which firm gets the contract be adjusted so it matches only one bidder and there is no real contest at all in the bidding (Read about recent case).
BUS LEASE PROJECT
Sohpon opposes tender check
By: AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK11/06/2009
The transport minister has come out against suggestions that the terms of reference for the tender for the 4,000-bus lease project need be scrutinised by the Office of the Attorney-General.
Sohpon Zarum said yesterday that drawing up the terms for the bidding contest fell within the authority of the relevant agency and did not even require cabinet approval.
"They are just the draft for a bidding contest," Mr Sohpon said. "They need not be proposed to the Office of the Attorney-General for approval because they are not a contract. An examination by the attorney-general will be required when a contract is to be sealed."
come out against - has
decided to oppose, and fight against
terms - details and conditions in an agreement, contract, or arrangement
terms of reference - official limits (on what a person, group, or project has been asked to do)
a tender - a formal offer to supply goods or a service at a given price (See glossary)
terms of reference for the tender - limits that will guide formal offers to supply goods and services
scrutinised - look at and examine carefully, looking for problems or flaws
Attorney-General - the chief law officer of a country or state
drawing up - writing and making a document with details
a draft - a non-final version of some writing, to be changed
proposed - suggested to, presented as a possible project
when a contract is to be sealed - when the final agreement for the contract is made
terms - details and conditions in an agreement, contract, or arrangement
terms of reference - official limits (on what a person, group, or project has been asked to do)
a tender - a formal offer to supply goods or a service at a given price (See glossary)
terms of reference for the tender - limits that will guide formal offers to supply goods and services
scrutinised - look at and examine carefully, looking for problems or flaws
Attorney-General - the chief law officer of a country or state
drawing up - writing and making a document with details
a draft - a non-final version of some writing, to be changed
proposed - suggested to, presented as a possible project
when a contract is to be sealed - when the final agreement for the contract is made
The minister was responding to critics of his project for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority to pay 64 billion baht to rent 4,000 air-conditioned, gas-fueled buses over 10 years.
Raising questions about the need for scrutiny of the terms of reference was just confusing the public, he said.
critics - people
who look for and point out problems in something
responding to critics -
scrutiny - looking at closely for errors or problems
confuse - make it difficult for someone to know exactly what is happening
just confusing the public - making it difficult for the public to understand what is happening
responding to critics -
scrutiny - looking at closely for errors or problems
confuse - make it difficult for someone to know exactly what is happening
just confusing the public - making it difficult for the public to understand what is happening
Mr Sohpon also defended the loss-ridden BMTA's spending on advertising to explain his party's project.
He said the criticisms were also affecting the agency.
loss-ridden - is
full of losses, loses money over and over again
BMTA (Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority) - the government agency in charge of public buses in Bangkok
BMTA (Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority) - the government agency in charge of public buses in Bangkok
BMTA chairman Piyaphan Champasut yesterday filed a defamation lawsuit against Democrat Party MP for Nakhon Nayok Charnchai Issarasenarak with the Criminal Court for comments he made about the saga.
The suit says Mr Charnchai, as vice-chairman of the House Committee on Corruption Prevention and Suppression, told the media on June 2 that Mr Piyaphan had failed to honour parliament by not appearing before a committee on the bus lease project.
It also says Mr Charnchai accused Mr Piyaphan of involvement in alleged irregularities in the bus project.
Mr Piyaphan yesterday said he had an appointment with a TV station and had acting BMTA director Chairat Sa-nguansue testify on his behalf before parliament.
The court set Aug 3 for a preliminary hearing. Mr Piyaphan said he would also file a civil lawsuit against Mr Charnchai if he won the criminal case.
(Source: Bangkok Post, general news, 11/06/2009, BUS LEASE PROJECT , Sohpon opposes tender check, AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK, link)
Vocabulary in introduction:
woo - try to make a
woman love you, so you can marry her
win the hearts - try to make someone love you
promotional literature - pamplets or small books trying to sell something
BMTA (Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority) - the government agency in charge of public buses in Bangkok
taking a closer look under the hood - looking at the engine before you buy a card to make sure it isn't a lemon (really a piece of junk)
lucrative - profitable
burst apart the delicate coalition - break the union of political parties in the government
chose X over Y - chose to do X instead of Y
testifying before parliament - officially providing parliament with information
priorities - things that are important
defaming - saying bad about someone that could damage their reputation
personal details - facts about your life, not for the public
a violation of privacy - revealing facts about your life that should not be known by public
the basis for a lawsuit - a reason to bring alegal case against someone
double standards - treating some people differently than others
inspection tour - when a government official travels around to see what is happening
back to normal - the situation is now the way it is usually, no crisis or emergency
hovering on the brink of civil war - the country is almost having an internal war
business of politics - politicians getting elected so that they and their friends can use the power to make money
win the hearts - try to make someone love you
promotional literature - pamplets or small books trying to sell something
BMTA (Bangkok Metropolitan Transit Authority) - the government agency in charge of public buses in Bangkok
taking a closer look under the hood - looking at the engine before you buy a card to make sure it isn't a lemon (really a piece of junk)
lucrative - profitable
burst apart the delicate coalition - break the union of political parties in the government
chose X over Y - chose to do X instead of Y
testifying before parliament - officially providing parliament with information
priorities - things that are important
defaming - saying bad about someone that could damage their reputation
personal details - facts about your life, not for the public
a violation of privacy - revealing facts about your life that should not be known by public
the basis for a lawsuit - a reason to bring alegal case against someone
double standards - treating some people differently than others
inspection tour - when a government official travels around to see what is happening
back to normal - the situation is now the way it is usually, no crisis or emergency
hovering on the brink of civil war - the country is almost having an internal war
business of politics - politicians getting elected so that they and their friends can use the power to make money
Vocabulary for Chang Noi passage:
squabbling - arguing
and fighting about something
suspiciously - makes you wonder if people are doign something bad
lucrative - profitable
squabbling over suspiciously lucrative deals - fighting over profitable projects
stabbing one another in the back - saying bad things about other people to others when they are not there to hear
valiantly suppressing opportunities for free expression
spokesmen - people who make officials announcements for an organisation
spouting - water coming out
a poker face - a face that shows no emotion, no expression
spokesmen spouting nonsense with poker faces -
comforting - makes you feel goo, calm, and relaxed (not worrying)
hard to recall - difficult to remember
hurling - throwing
hurling concrete blocks onto politicians’ cars, and launching blazing buses at the troops.
injustice - when something unfair happens to people
double standards - when people are treated differently and unequally (according to different standards)
privilege - when some people get to do things that others can't (rich elite get to do it, but poor people cannot)
wheeler-dealing -
resolution - solving problems
deep-seated - very hard to change
resolution of deep-seated conflicts -
unmindful - not aware of what's going on (what is really going on)
blunt - true but perhaps unpleasant
realities - things that are true about a situation
underlying - underneath, supporting, forming a foundation or basis for something
back-room deals - a secret deal made between politicians
suspiciously - makes you wonder if people are doign something bad
lucrative - profitable
squabbling over suspiciously lucrative deals - fighting over profitable projects
stabbing one another in the back - saying bad things about other people to others when they are not there to hear
valiantly suppressing opportunities for free expression
spokesmen - people who make officials announcements for an organisation
spouting - water coming out
a poker face - a face that shows no emotion, no expression
spokesmen spouting nonsense with poker faces -
comforting - makes you feel goo, calm, and relaxed (not worrying)
hard to recall - difficult to remember
hurling - throwing
hurling concrete blocks onto politicians’ cars, and launching blazing buses at the troops.
injustice - when something unfair happens to people
double standards - when people are treated differently and unequally (according to different standards)
privilege - when some people get to do things that others can't (rich elite get to do it, but poor people cannot)
wheeler-dealing -
resolution - solving problems
deep-seated - very hard to change
resolution of deep-seated conflicts -
unmindful - not aware of what's going on (what is really going on)
blunt - true but perhaps unpleasant
realities - things that are true about a situation
underlying - underneath, supporting, forming a foundation or basis for something
back-room deals - a secret deal made between politicians
