Thailand’s Revenue Department has explained that its 200-million baht procurement of a new air-conditioning system for the department’s building back in 2018 was strictly in compliance with the e-auction system, according to Vinit Visessuvanapoom, deputy director-general of and spokesman for the department.
His comment is in response to a report on the “Watchdog” web page about the defects in the system, which were detected only two weeks after the department accepted delivery of the system in 2018 from the company which won the bid.
The system includes the installation of five inverter air-conditioners, with capacities ranging from 250,000 to 600,000 BTU, and 1,600 electric fans and air ventilators.
The report claims that the defects in the system have not been completely fixed since, forcing several officials to bring their own electric fans to their offices, while others pool money to buy their own air-conditioners for their offices, as a temporary relief from the heat.
Admitting to the persistent defects, Vinit said that the company is still bound by the contract to undertake maintenance within the warranty period.
He said that the department had set the median price for the project at 300 million baht, but the company which won the bid offered to do it for only 200 million baht, adding that the company passed the qualification screening.
