By Somroutai Sapsomboon,
Nerisa Nerykhiew
The Nation
Published on August 7, 2009
He said this was because there were only a small number of businesses offering such products and could, therefore, benefit from monopoly. He also defended his brother against allegations of irregularities in the Sufficiency Community Project.

Korbsak oversees the sufficiency project, which replaced the Small-Medium-Large (SML) Village Fund Project initiated by former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

The deputy PM said he trusted his brother, Prapote, who is deputy director of the Sufficiency Economy Office for Community Development, which grants funds to community projects nationwide.

"I wouldn't have brought him in if he was dishonest. He represents me and I trust him to be my eyes and ears. If
Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu, after a meeting with the Sufficiency Economy Office for Community Development, said the panel had agreed to suspend the endorsement of any projects involving alternative energy, such as solar-powered water-vending machines and street lamps.
he is corrupt, then I would have to go because he works for me," he said.

Korbsak did admit that there were irregularities involving five less senior officials at the agency, adding that complaints have been filed with police and that he had recommended disciplinary action.

He added that he would also look into complaints that the agency's chief, Sumit Champrasit, was involved with some of those alternative-energy firms, though Sumit yesterday insisted he did not have anything to do with them.

Korbsak said he would also look to see how much damage had been done. "If the damage is large and I can't solve the problem, I will have to take responsibility," he said, admitting that he had been "careless" in looking into the details from the very beginning.

He did, however, admit that there were some irregularities like corrupt officials changing proposals presented by villages for their own benefit. Local politicians had also influenced some questionable projects, such as solar-powered street lamps. Another instance included same project proposals made for many villages, which would benefit certain firms.

Korbsak said funds had been allocated to some of these questionable projects and suspended for others, all thanks to Prapote.

Meanwhile, Sumit said yesterday that he had told the project's executive committee that he had nothing to do with companies selling products to community projects. "I have nothing to do with the procurement of products for projects. Any action taken by me depends on my boss," he said.

In a related development, Pheu Thai MP Anudit Nakornthap yesterday filed a petition with a House committee for the prevention and suppression of graft, asking for a probe into irregularities in Sufficiency Economy Office for Community Development.