Police are looking into allegations that soil was stolen from a construction site for an extended Skytrain line at Ratchayothin intersection, by a company believed to be working for City Hall and sold commercially.
Large amounts of soil, excavated from an area where an underpass for cars is being built as part of the rail project, has been reportedly dumped in many areas, including on privately owned land, in Bangkok raising questions over why it was not taken to state agency compounds, as per usual practice.
Deputy city police chief Pol Maj Gen Sompong Chingduang, who on Monday chaired a meeting of the probe team, said if the accusations were true, wrongdoers would face both criminal and civil charges because "the soil is regarded as state property".
An initial investigation found a company involved in soil removal during the underpass construction carried it from the area and dumped it in three locations -- Phahon Yothin Soi 50, a market named Talat Ko Mo 11 and Pradit Manutham Soi 25 -- two of which are said to be private property.
"This was allegedly done without permission from City Hall," said Metropolitan Police Division 2 chief Pol Maj Gen Ekkachai Boonwisut, who set up the probe team.
The team is checking contracts regarding soil transportation and construction companies to find any violations, because areas where soil is destined for must be stated clearly in any deal, a source said.
