SETTLING FIRE-TRUCKS DISPUTE COULD PROVE EXPENSIVE FOR BMA

       Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) may have to shell out up to Bt1 billion to settle its dispute over fire vehicles at the International Arbitration Court in Paris.
       "This is in addition to fees for lawyers and air tickets during the court's hearings," an informed source revealed yesterday.
       At present, the BMA wants to annul the contract for the Bt6.69-billion purchase of fire vehicles from Austrian supplier Steyr-Daimler-Puch because the deal was mired with corruption.
       The supplier has already received many instalments of the payment. Many of the fire vehicles have also been delivered to Thailand.
       The purchase contract says that any dispute from the deal would have to be settled at the International Court of Arbitration.
       "The BMA is consulting the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as to whether it should bring the case to the International Court of Arbitration," the same source said.
       The BMA hoped to be able to petition the Court before the end of this year.
       "A committee is already established to study similar cases and to consider hiring good lawyers for this case," the source said.
       As the dispute has dragged on, fire vehicles sent in from the Austrian supplier were left to gather dust at Thailand's Laem Chabang Port.
       The Customs Department is now threatening to seize these vehicles and auction them off in line with applicable rules.
       BMA is now talking to the Finance Ministry to request that the fire vehicles be exempted from such rules.