Graft fears over poor fund

[webfact]

Graft fears over poor fund

By The Nation

 

 

Further corruption cases expected as centres for destitute caught in scandal
 

THE ONGOING investigation in a controversial case ignited by a university student in northeastern Mahasarakham province has suggested a significant amount of state funds intended for destitute people could have been diverted into the hands of corrupt officials – rather than to the intended recipients – across the country. 

 

“At this point, reports from the ongoing investigations reveal irregularities in all provinces being fully probed,” Korntip Daroj, acting secretary-general of the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), said yesterday. 

 

 

PACC teams have already started investigating more than 20 provincial protection centres for destitute people after university student, Panida Yotpanya, blew the whistle about alleged irregularities at the Khon Kaen-based centre, where she was briefly a trainee. 

 

“By now, reports about 12 centres have already suggested that all the centres were allegedly involved in irregularities,” Korntip said. 

 

These 12 centres are in Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Saraburi, Udon Thani, Surat Thani, Ayutthaya, Nan, Krabi, Trat and Trang provinces. 

 

 

PACC teams have detected the same suspicious patterns at each of the centres. For example, they found staff had used fake or original documents identifying destitute people without their knowledge. Original documents were also submitted by people who never received payments or only received partial disbursements. 

 

“We also found that these centres used documents of people not qualified as destitute,” Korntip said. 

 

The ongoing investigation by the PACC is now focusing on the disbursement of state funds for destitute people in 2017. In that fiscal year, the government allocated Bt493 million to projects to help people in need. 

 

For example, projects offered Bt2,000 per year for destitute people, Bt2,000 for people living with HIV/Aids and Bt3,000 for people needing start-up funds for small-scale enterprises. 

 

“We will check disbursements in other years later,” Korntip said. 

 

He refused to confirm reports that top executives at the Social Development and Human Security Ministry had been implicated. 

 

Last week, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Puttipat Lertchaowasit, and deputy permanent secretary, Narong Kongkam, were transferred reportedly to ensure a transparent investigation into the disbursement of state funds. 

 

The transfer orders came shortly after the head of the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute was transferred. 

 

“We are still in the process of investigating as to whether there were masterminds behind officials based at the centres and as to whether this is a wide-scale conspiracy,” Korntip said. 

 

He added that if his agency’s investigation implicated senior officials at C8 level or higher, complaints against those officials would be forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. 

 

Korntip said the Human Security and Social Development Ministry could launch a parallel probe against officials it suspected of wrongdoing. 

 

Deputy Prime Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya, meanwhile, said Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat had already proceeded with investigations against officials accused of wrongdoing.

 

“I have already instructed him to check other projects too,” he said. 

 

A source revealed that the Office of the Auditor-General had written to the then-minister of Social Development and Human Security, Pol General Adul Saengsingkeo, in the middle of last year to alert him about suspicious activity by a deputy director-general and the director-general of a ministry department in regards to the use of state funds. 

 

It is unclear whether that letter led to an investigation by the ministry. However, the PACC took action after Panida, a 22-year-old student at the Mahasarakham University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, petitioned relevant authorities. She reported first to her university and then to officials that she had been told to participate in fraudulent activities.

 

The university has honoured Panida and launched an investigation into a lecturer who reportedly criticised Panida for lodging the complaint about alleged irregularities. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30339745

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-27

[Samui Bodoh]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

THE ONGOING investigation in a controversial case ignited by a university student in northeastern Mahasarakham province has suggested a significant amount of state funds intended for destitute people could have been diverted into the hands of corrupt officials – rather than to the intended recipients – across the country. 

 

It takes a truly loathsome piece of scum to embezzle funds earmarked for the poor and destitute; according to the story there are now investigations in 20 locations. And if there are investigation(s) on-going in twenty jurisdictions, then it would be clear that this scam is being run/coordinated by high-ups in the ministry itself.

 

How is it possible that state employees could steal such funds? Was there not even one with a sense of ethics? Did it really need a temporary university student to say it was wrong? Were there no controls on these funds? Does the ministry not have financial controls like any other organization?

 

Does becoming a Thai State employee require one to leave any sense of ethics or honesty at the door?

 

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Does the ministry not have financial controls like any other organization?

I can answer that question first-hand from when i studied here in Thailand at a university.

One day we had elected a class president (dont ask me how, thats a story in itself) and I raised my hand asking about checks and balances.

 

People looked up in disgust asking me if I didn't trust the new class president...

I tried to explain it is not about trust, its just setting up a system to avoid problems in the future.

Needless to say this never happened.

 

My guess is that it works similarly everywhere in Thailand.

You don't set up financial controls because that is insulting to the ones in charge.

[anon467848]

Despicable thieving scumbags, a new low for corrupt government officials. Thainess (zero morals).... 

[Cadbury]

42 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

You don't set up financial controls because that is insulting to the ones in charge

You make a valid comment which is the crux of the matter. With a country that is so steeped in corruption within the civil service the first thing they need to do is to put into place audit and accountability systems. But even if they were to do that I suspect the people involved would end up being corrupt also. No hope of ever fixing the problem I am afraid.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Cadbury

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

I can answer that question first-hand from when i studied here in Thailand at a university.

One day we had elected a class president (dont ask me how, thats a story in itself) and I raised my hand asking about checks and balances.

 

People looked up in disgust asking me if I didn't trust the new class president...

I tried to explain it is not about trust, its just setting up a system to avoid problems in the future.

Needless to say this never happened.

 

My guess is that it works similarly everywhere in Thailand.

You don't set up financial controls because that is insulting to the ones in charge.

It seems like that it is almost a right to be dirty.  Forbidding people from taking pictures of those doing bad, not printing their names in the paper.  

 

Mr. Toon ran all that way for charity.   Just hope the money he raised will be used for the good of the people and not some slime ball's new car or vacation home.  Just hope he put in some checks and balances in in himself.    

Edited February 27, 2018 by yellowboat

[Oziex1]

The flow of money in this country will always be diverted to those more entitled and important than the needy.

 

Just waiting for the mother of all scandles to explode when some of Toons charity money goes to the wrong people.

[robblok]

This has happening so long already on many fields, state employees and others in power always expect pieces of the budget. What I am more amazed at is that there are no random checks being done by the PACC before there are signs. Why it takes an employee with a heart to open the case. The work they did now they could have done without any signs just as a preventative measure.

 

Anyway my ex worked as a tourguide and told me how it went. Often they had to bring people older people on holiday trips financed by the government. The boss in charge would get for instance a 1.000.000 million budget.. he would then say to his subordinate get me an invoice for a 1.000.000 bt and i will only give you 900.000 (this went on a few layers) so in the end maybe 500.000 (could be more) ended up at the tour organisation the rest they wrote off as corruption money. They were happy to have the work but always had complaining clients (the elderly) because they had to economize too much on trips to give real good food and other stuff. It made her quite unhappy, but what can you do as a tour-guide you don't have proof as you hear it only by rumors and if you do something you lose your job. 

 

I think that almost all budgets in Thailand are having huge leaks of corruption money going back to state officials. It does not go super high up these things the higher up have other ways to get their share of the corruption money.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Rimmer
Quote removed

[mikebell]

They're gonna need a bigger Ministry of Inactive Posts.

[YetAnother]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

reports from the ongoing investigations reveal irregularities in all provinces being fully probed,”

All of them ! seems thai are just not capable of passing up opportunities for corruption

[GarryP]

3 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

I can answer that question first-hand from when i studied here in Thailand at a university.

One day we had elected a class president (dont ask me how, thats a story in itself) and I raised my hand asking about checks and balances.

 

People looked up in disgust asking me if I didn't trust the new class president...

I tried to explain it is not about trust, its just setting up a system to avoid problems in the future.

Needless to say this never happened.

 

My guess is that it works similarly everywhere in Thailand.

You don't set up financial controls because that is insulting to the ones in charge.

I had never thought about it like that, but you are spot on. It all comes down to face. 

[Ossy]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“By now, reports about 12 centres have already suggested that all the centres were allegedly involved in irregularities,” Korntip said. 

And this all relates, not to big bonuses for Tambon bosses, but to quite modest, almost crumb-like payments TO THE POOR.

 

Do Thailand's Centres for Destitute - how ironic is that name? - officers not know where to draw the line . . . between the sort of graft and corruption that has become the everyday norm for this sad country and graft that is quite beyond the pale? Just the sort of news that Transparency International did not need, if the country was to stand a chance of climbing further up the graft charts.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Ossy
clarity

[rosst]

On 27/02/2018 at 4:55 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

 

It takes a truly loathsome piece of scum to embezzle funds earmarked for the poor and destitute; according to the story there are now investigations in 20 locations. And if there are investigation(s) on-going in twenty jurisdictions, then it would be clear that this scam is being run/coordinated by high-ups in the ministry itself.

 

How is it possible that state employees could steal such funds? Was there not even one with a sense of ethics? Did it really need a temporary university student to say it was wrong? Were there no controls on these funds? Does the ministry not have financial controls like any other organization?

 

Does becoming a Thai State employee require one to leave any sense of ethics or honesty at the door?

 

So well said, I am appalled that the corruption in this entity is so widespread and yet one lone voice has been raised. 

There must be thousands who are aware and complicit, how do they sleep at night?  Are there no uncorruptable civil servants? 

Terribly sad for this country 

[mtls2005]

Amazingly, the "authorities" sought to supress and even arrest the whistle-blower(s), so kudos to her.

 

In the meantime, I'd hope the PM can keep the citizens updated on yet another massive corruption scandal which has occurred under his watch. 

 

One can only imagine the other scandals involving corruption which have gone unreported?