BTS Group Holdings (BTS) on Tuesday accused the government of unfair treatment for leaking the anti-graft panel's irregularity accusation against its Green Line operator Bangkok Mass Transit System Co (BTSC).
"The government is trying to do something that is considered as unfair treatment,” BTS chairman Keeree Kanjanapas told the press at the company’s headquarters in Bangkok. “I cannot tolerate it, and I will fight against what is not right."
Mr Keeree apparently responded to a recent report that the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found alleged irregularities in contract extensions for BTSC to operate the Green Line mass-transit routes a decade ago.
According to the report, he was among the 13 accused parties. Former Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra was also among them.
It was reported that authorities questioned why the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) did not organise a bidding contest to find a contractor in this case.
Mr Keeree said BTSC's hired operation on the Green Line's extended routes was a favour for the BMA because no other parties were interested in the operation. BTSC is the BMA's concessionaire operating the original system of the Green Line.
He also blamed the BMA for failing to pay 50 billion baht for the operation. However, he promised that BTSC would not stop the extended services for the sake of the public, and the company had other sources of revenue.
Mr Keeree said the issue might be related to his company's bid for the Orange Line extension project, which had problems about bidding terms.
"To those who want to weaken BTS, you meet a wrong guy. The government, please don't use any dirty tricks," said the chairman.
Mr Keeree said that the accusation about collusion on the Green Line operation affected the BTS share price. "It is the evil of some group of people who want to destroy the company.”
The BTS share price closed at 6.70 baht, down by 2.90%, on Tuesday.
Mr Keeree said his company did not collude in any bidding.
In May 2012, the BMA through its business arm, Krungthep Thanakom, hired BTS for about 190 billion baht to run Green Line's two extended routes from Saphan Taksin to Wong Wian Yai and from On Nut to Bearing for 30 years and to also operate the original system of the Green Line from Mo Chit to On Nut and from National Stadium to Saphan Taksin from 2029 (when BTSC's concession of the original Green Line system will end) to 2042.
