Lawmaker Questions Single Bidder for 70-Million-Baht Drug Asset Warehouse

During the September 9, 2025 parliamentary session reviewing the 2025 fiscal budget, Rattakhlae Intavongsuwan, a Democratic Party lawmaker, raised questions about two asset storage construction projects for the Office of the Narcotics Control Board totaling over 133 million baht, with approximately 42.9 million baht allocated in the 2025 budget. While acknowledging the necessity of secure facilities for confiscated drug-related assets, she questioned whether new construction was the most cost-effective option, suggesting alternatives such as upgrading existing government buildings, sharing space with other agencies, leasing private storage facilities, or accelerating the disposal of assets.

Rattakhlae specifically flagged concerns about the Khon Kaen Region 4 facility project, budgeted at approximately 70.6 million baht, where the median estimate was 70,603,000 baht but only one contractor bid at 70,600,000 baht—a difference of just 3,000 baht or 0.004%. She argued that while single-bidder procurement is legally permissible, it raises questions about competitive pricing and transparency when handling public funds, especially on such a large project. She called on the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to disclose how many contractors expressed interest, how many downloaded the tender documents, and why only one submitted a proposal, and questioned whether the tender conditions inadvertently restricted competition.

Rattakhlae concluded by noting that drug-control budgets are limited and every baht must be carefully allocated to either build facilities or create opportunities for people to break free from drug addiction.