Phetchabun Provincial Public Health Office under investigation over 1.4 million baht 'Northern Goods' event procurement
The Phetchabun Provincial Public Health Office is currently the subject of public attention following the disclosure of documents regarding the hiring of an organizer for the 'Northern Goods' fair, which has raised questions about the transparency of the past procurement process.
An examination of four documents reveals that the Phetchabun Provincial Public Health Office utilized a 'specific method' to hire a private company to organize the event. The procurement was divided into four sub-items, with the total budget amounting to 1.41 million baht.
Under government regulations, the specific procurement method is permitted only in cases of urgent necessity or when there is only one available service provider. However, splitting the procurement into multiple parts in this manner has led members of the public and relevant agencies to question whether the process adheres to the principles of transparency and value for the state budget.
At present, there has been no further clarification from the Phetchabun Provincial Public Health Office regarding the reasons for using this procurement method, nor details concerning the company selected. The public and oversight agencies are now closely monitoring whether further information will be disclosed or if a retrospective investigation will be conducted to uncover the facts of the matter.