Schools urged to file police complaints over futsal field scam

By Prasit Tangprasert 
The Nation

 

 

THE OFFICE of Basic Education Commission (Obec) has instructed 16 schools in Nakhon Ratchasima province to file police complaints against the contractor linked to the construction of the schools’ allegedly overpriced or damaged futsal fields which are at the centre of a corruption scandal.

 

The director of the Nakhon Ratchasima National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Office, Mongkol Sarisut, said the central NACC authority held a meeting with related agencies in Bangkok yesterday to draw conclusions on the nationwide investigation into corruption related to futsal fields. He said the names of those involved, including high-ranking Education Ministry officials and national politicians, would become clear next week.

 

 

Pisit Chodkingon, director of the Nakhon Ratchasima Primary Education Service Area 1 Office, yesterday revealed that Obec had last month instructed him to file police complaints against the contractor and those allegedly involved in corruption. His office held a meeting with 16 schools executives on December 29 about the futsal field corruption. Pisit said he had assigned the 16 school directors to file police complaints against Yee Panichaya, manager of the contractor MAI Limited Partnership, and those involved in the alleged corruption. He said the office’s litigation officials were gathering evidence and witnesses and discussing with public prosecutors before lodging police complaints later this month.

 

Thai authorities had launched an investigation in 2014 into the Obec project worth more than Bt600 million to build futsal fields in 358 schools in 17 provinces since 2012 following the detection of alleged irregularities. They included substandard and damaged turf, while some of the budget was diverted for other projects.

 

More than half the budget – Bt335 million – have been spent to build futsal fields in 101 schools in nine northeastern provinces (Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Chaiyaphum, Mukdahan, Surin, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, and Khon Kaen), and two northern provinces – Chiang Rai and Phayao.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30335503

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-06

 

 

This has been a massive scam involving school directors and suppliers......shafting of millions of government funds to supplying useless playing fields to dozens of schools.

It's taken a long time to get to this stage and doubt surrounds whether it will progress far, as so many "influential" ar@@@oles are involved...........just another wait and see case!

5 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

This has been a massive scam involving school directors and suppliers......shafting of millions of government funds to supplying useless playing fields to dozens of schools.

It's taken a long time to get to this stage and doubt surrounds whether it will progress far, as so many "influential" ar@@@oles are involved...........just another wait and see case!

A family member was sent to teach futsal in this area as a uni work experience activity. On arrival many of the school heads said the avtivity was cancelled - the reality was that the facilties were totally unuseable - but the head would sign to say the activity was completed.

Corruption and fraud at every turn.

What is a futsal field?

 Is it related to football?

It's the kids that love football that lose out here.

Any adult who can enjoy profit while kids suffer needs caning, imo.

Yet another sad story from the poorest areas of the country.

18 hours ago, Grumpy Duck said:

What is a futsal field?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futsal

 

Quote

Futsal is a variant of association football played on a hard court, smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors. It can be considered a version of five-a-side football.^[1]