Thailand military says no scam in park project

The accusations, levelled by some Thai media and opposition groups, have transfixed a country anxious over the declining health of the long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 87. They come amid a widening police investigation into corruption involving two nationwide cycling events, also aimed at celebrating the royals, in which two suspects have died in military custody.

The army said on Friday an internal investigation found no graft in the construction of the 1 billion baht ( 28 million dollars) Rajabhakti Park, near the royal resort town of Hua Hin. The project was overseen by General Udomdej Sitabutr, a former army chief who is currently deputy defence minister. “There isn’t any (corruption) at all. If there were any, I wouldn’t let this go, that’s all I’m going to tell you,” army chief General Teerachai Nakwanich told reporters, announcing the results of the military probe.

Teerachai is the latest in a succession of top junta leaders, including Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, to publicly stress there were no irregularities in the use of private donations raised for the construction of the park. Yet allegations made by anti-junta groups of irregularities in the project’s funding persist in the Thai media.