Labour union files complaint against TOT exec

TOT Plc's labour union has filed a corruption complaint against an executive over soft-switch purchases.

The union asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to probe what it calls irregularities in the 194-million-baht soft-switch purchasing project at Suvarnabhumi airport.

It also plans to file a wrongful-act charge against the TOT board if no verification progress has been made, said union president Pongthiti Pongsilamanee.

The union submitted a letter to TOT's chairman on Jan 20 about a possible corruption claim against Yongyuth Wattanasin, the executive vice-president who headed the procurement committee for the project.

The committee decided to hire a private firm to install soft switches for the telecom system at Suvarnabhumi.

A soft switch is a central device in a telecom network connecting telephone calls from one phone line to another, typically via the internet.

Mr Pongthiti said the procurement was run by special process, bypassing the auction method.

The committee chose Alcatel-Lucent to supply the soft switches for 194 million baht and required no specifications.

"If the committee opens an auction, it could pay only 40 million baht for the same product," said Mr Pongthiti.

The union said it is ready to provide further information and evidence of the procurement process to the NACC.