Officials investigate relief supply prices

The Flood Relief Operations Command has set up a panel to investigate allegations that relief supplies it acquired for flood victims are overpriced.

The seven-member committee, chaired by permanent secretary for commerce Yanyong Phuangrach, was appointed yesterday by Froc director Pracha Promnok who wants to be given the findings within three days.

But Pol Gen Pracha, the justice minister, said he could guarantee with his honour that the Froc's handling of relief supplies and donations was transparent.

The investigation into the alleged irregularities followed complaints on social media and from the opposition Democrat Party about the high price of relief supply bags, valued at 800 baht each. 

Many people do not believe the items, mainly cans of food, are worth so much. It is reported that the items in the 800-baht relief bag are similar to those contained in 300-baht relief bags the Froc produced itself.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is worried by the news, saying any wrongdoing should not be happening at a time when thousands of Thais are suffering from the floods. She wants the Froc to clarify its relief supply management.

Chamroen Yuttithamsakul, the PM's Office's inspector who chairs relief supply management, said the 300-baht and 800-baht bags are different. 

The 300-baht bag mainly contains raw foods which need cooking and are targeted for distribution in less-affected areas. The 800-baht bag mostly contains ready-to-eat food items for hard-hit areas.

He said the 800-baht bag has 5kg of rice which costs more than 100 baht.

Other items in the bag are six cans of cooked rice, eight cans of fish, four cans of green curry with chicken or spicy chicken soup, four cans of fried fish, four cans of phanaeng kai, or chicken curry in thick coconut milk, and three cans of spicy fried surf clams.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut also alleged yesterday the price of 30 fiber-glass boats the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation bought for flood relief operation was inflated at 250,000 baht each.

In addition, the government procured 30,000 mobile paper toilets for flood victims priced at up to 245 baht each compared to the paper toilet produced by SCG Group which is sold at only 111 baht apiece.