Bangkok: An electrical system installation company has met with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to provide crucial information regarding the Office of the Auditor General building. The meeting revealed that China Railway Number 10 has scheduled a debt negotiation appointment for tomorrow.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Thitiphong, also known as 'Chang Bird', the head of the electrical system installation at the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building, provided a detailed account to DSI investigators. He addressed concerns that he was allegedly defrauded of 3.7 million baht in wages by 9 PK Company, which is reportedly involved in a nominee case under the Foreign Business Act of 1999. The DSI has taken up the issue as a special case to investigate the shareholder list of China Railway Number 10 Company. Chang Bird spent over three hours giving a statement to the officers, revealing that the investigators were interested in his knowledge of individuals associated with China Railway Number 10 Company and 9 PK Company.
His company, which was contracted by 9 PK Company in early 2024, was responsible for lighting installations from the basement to the 30th floor. However, each payment installment request for materials or wages was only partially fulfilled by 9 PK Company, covering just 40% of the requested amount and leaving an outstanding debt of 3.7 million baht. This financial strain forced him to mortgage personal assets to cover costs, leading to significant debt.
Despite repeated requests for payment by the 22nd installment, 9 PK Company failed to deliver, prompting Bird to cease working on the project in January and protest in February. Bird announced that he would be giving another statement at Bang Sue Police Station tomorrow morning, and in the afternoon, he is scheduled for a negotiation with China Railway Number 10 Company and 9 PK Company regarding the owed amount. Bird expressed hope to resolve the issue with a full lump sum payment to clear his mortgage debt.
Pol. Lt. Col. Woranan Srilam, the Director of the Consumer Protection Division and spokesman for the DSI, disclosed that the investigation is currently focused on a single nominee case. Should the investigation reveal any unfair pricing strategies or concerns about construction material quality, the matter could escalate to issues of bid collusion and industrial standard violations. The DSI is prepared to handle these as special cases under its jurisdiction.