Thailand: German Firm Busted for Collusion in Medical Deals with 8 Public Hospitals

**StrontiumDog** · 09-02-2012, 11:48 AM

Thai-ASEAN News Network - German Firm Busted for Collusion in Medical Deals with 8 Public Hospitals

German Firm Busted for Collusion in Medical Deals with 8 Public Hospitals

UPDATE : 9 February 2012

The Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, conducted a search of a medical equipment firm in the Langsuan area following a complaint against bid rigging for dialysis machines with eight public hospitals.

DSI Director-General Tharit Phengdit led officials to search the office of Fresenius Medical Care (Thailand) on the 24th floor of the Millenia building at Langsuan Road following a complaint from the Comptroller General's Department that the company was involved with bid rigging of dialysis machines by the Uttaradit Hospital.

The German company was guilty of forging documents from the Vechakham Company, which dissolved its operations in 1999, so that they can place bids by using the name of the defunct firm on the procurement of dialyzers. Fresenius eventually secured contracts with eight state-run hospitals, worth a total of 18 million baht.

The DSI is preparing to issue summons for six people who are suspected to be involved, including managing director Surang Phromsiri to hear charges.

The six could be charged for anti-trust violations which are punishable by a three year jail sentence and a fine equivalent to half of the maximum bidding amount, or both.

The DSI chief noted that officials will continue to look into whether any hospital staff were involved in the collusion to bring them to prosecution. In addition, his agency will ask the Public Health Ministry to check on the quality of the purchased dialysis machines.

**peterpan** · 09-02-2012, 01:22 PM

And this makes the news?

**harrybarracuda** · 09-02-2012, 01:24 PM

The DSI chief noted that officials will continue to look into whether any hospital staff were involved in the collusion

Ya think?!

**ltnt** · 09-02-2012, 01:27 PM

Ferang corruption, not Thai for a change? Well, almost...

**nidhogg** · 09-02-2012, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by ltnt

Ferang corruption, not Thai for a change? Well, almost...

Thai corruption is "cultural", while farang corruption is "criminal"

**thehighlander959** · 09-02-2012, 02:35 PM

Anyone believe that this might be tit for tat about a Boeing 737 being held at a German Airport concerning an outstanding debt.
Loss of face and all that, as per usual.....

**CNF55** · 09-02-2012, 02:41 PM

THB 18 Mio might not sound that much, but once the dialysis machines are in place the company will then make the real profit from the supply of the fluid filters.

**BobR** · 09-02-2012, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

Anyone believe that this might be tit for tat about a Boeing 737 being held at a German Airport concerning an outstanding debt.
Loss of face and all that, as per usual.....

If so, the Germans deserve it. If that plane was Government property it should have been immune from seizure over a private debt, and if it belonged to you know who, it had nothing to do with the debt. What are the Germans going to do next, seize some countries embassy because one of their greedy corporations has a dispute with a foreign government?

Can't help but to side with the Thais on this one, and I hope it is payback.

**tomta** · 09-02-2012, 03:34 PM

It wasn't a private debt. It was a debt owed by the government to a private company.

**harrybarracuda** · 09-02-2012, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

Anyone believe that this might be tit for tat about a Boeing 737 being held at a German Airport concerning an outstanding debt.
Loss of face and all that, as per usual.....

If so, the Germans deserve it. If that plane was Government property it should have been immune from seizure over a private debt, and if it belonged to you know who, it had nothing to do with the debt. What are the Germans going to do next, seize some countries embassy because one of their greedy corporations has a dispute with a foreign government?

Can't help but to side with the Thais on this one, and I hope it is payback.

I thought it was a privately owned plane, that was the point?

IIRC, the Thais went mad trying to forge documents to prove it was a government aircraft, but the aircraft had to be registered to enter foreign airspace, and that said otherwise.

So I doubt this is even related. Just one Thai kicking out one bent deal to organise his own, I'd guess.

**CNF55** · 09-02-2012, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

Anyone believe that this might be tit for tat about a Boeing 737 being held at a German Airport concerning an outstanding debt.
Loss of face and all that, as per usual.....

If so, the Germans deserve it. If that plane was Government property it should have been immune from seizure over a private debt, and if it belonged to you know who, it had nothing to do with the debt. What are the Germans going to do next, seize some countries embassy because one of their greedy corporations has a dispute with a foreign government?

Can't help but to side with the Thais on this one, and I hope it is payback.

I thought it was a privately owned plane, that was the point?

IIRC, the Thais went mad trying to forge documents to prove it was a government aircraft, but the aircraft had to be registered to enter foreign airspace, and that said otherwise.

So I doubt this is even related. Just one Thai kicking out one bent deal to organise his own, I'd guess.

Sorry, Harry. other way round.

It was a government owned plane and the government tried everything to make the Germans believe that it was actually given to you know whom as a present in which case the Germans would have had no right to confiscate it.

**nidhogg** · 09-02-2012, 03:59 PM

^ Yup.

And the Thais have a well established tradition of wriggling out of their obligations to overseas investors, and then using the Thai courts to "back up" their weaseling.

More power to the germans on that one.

**harrybarracuda** · 09-02-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by CNF55

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by BobR

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

Anyone believe that this might be tit for tat about a Boeing 737 being held at a German Airport concerning an outstanding debt.
Loss of face and all that, as per usual.....

If so, the Germans deserve it. If that plane was Government property it should have been immune from seizure over a private debt, and if it belonged to you know who, it had nothing to do with the debt. What are the Germans going to do next, seize some countries embassy because one of their greedy corporations has a dispute with a foreign government?

Can't help but to side with the Thais on this one, and I hope it is payback.

I thought it was a privately owned plane, that was the point?

IIRC, the Thais went mad trying to forge documents to prove it was a government aircraft, but the aircraft had to be registered to enter foreign airspace, and that said otherwise.

So I doubt this is even related. Just one Thai kicking out one bent deal to organise his own, I'd guess.

Sorry, Harry. other way round.

It was a government owned plane and the government tried everything to make the Germans believe that it was actually given to you know whom as a present in which case the Germans would have had no right to confiscate it.

Ah yes, well remembered.

Cheers

**thehighlander959** · 09-02-2012, 06:53 PM

I am glad to see its got nothing to do with the Thai Governments loss of face concerning the Boeing....

When the DSI gets involved and it concerns foreigners and foreign companies its a government decision. I still think they are smarting about the LoF with their aeroplane in Germany. The German company who built the toll road to the old airport would still be getting ignored if they hadn,t busted the Thai Governments balls.

Thread: Thailand: German Firm Busted for Collusion in Medical Deals with 8 Public Hospitals

Thread Tools

Display

Thailand: German Firm Busted for Collusion in Medical Deals with 8 Public Hospitals

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions