Graft suspected in fund for poor in the Northeast

[snoop1130]

Graft at self-help centres feared as elderly report scams

By SEKSANTI KANLAYANAWISUT 
THE NATION

 

 

AN ONGOING investigation has indicated corruption plaguing the government’s projects for self-help settlement communities and hill-tribe development centres.

 

In the 2017 fiscal year, projects received a budget of Bt350 million – much higher than Bt123 million for protection centres for the destitute, which are also mired in a corruption scandal.

 

“At this point, I cannot confirm as to whether corruption at self-help settlement communities and hill-tribe development centres is bigger, given that the investigation is still ongoing,” Public Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) assistant secretary-general Wannop Somjintanakul said yesterday. 

 

The PACC started investigating protection centres for the destitute last month after a university student notified authorities about irregularities at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute. 

 

The probe has found suspicious practices at dozens of the centres. 

 

The investigation has recently expanded to cover self-help settlement communities and hill-tribe development centres. 

 

Wannop said alleged irregularities had been detected at the Chiang Pin self-help settlement community, the first such community to be investigated. 

 

Located in Udon Thani and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces, the Chiang Pin self-help settlement community covers 41,000 people. 

 

“We have found suspicious items regarding how Bt7 million was spent on low-income earners and the destitute there during the past fiscal year.” 

 

He added that some people had never received financial assistance from the state, although their names appeared as recipients. 

 

“Some other people received financial help, but in an amount less than what was stated in the budget report,” Wannop said. 

 

He added that some fund recipients were not qualified as destitute. 

 

Peng Phusri, 84, said she had been given Bt1,000, but she was told to sign a receipt indicating the amount was Bt2,000. 

 

Another resident, who remained unidentified, said she had had a similar experience. 

 

“I have never received the full amount specified on the receipts I had to sign,” she said. 

 

A PACC team is in the process of interviewing more than 50 witnesses, most of whom are elderly. 

 

Wannop said the PACC would take legal action against implicated officials if their ranks were below or equivalent to the level of division director and if the alleged crimes did not involve more senior officials. 

 

“In the event that the accused junior officials are accomplices of senior officials, the National Anti-Corruption Commission will take charge of the case,” he said. 

 

The PACC planned to investigate the budgets of all 59 self-help settlement communities and hill-tribe development centres across the country to combat graft. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30340999

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-15

[Samui Bodoh]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

AN ONGOING investigation has indicated corruption plaguing the government’s projects for self-help settlement communities and hill-tribe development centres.

 

In the 2017 fiscal year, projects received a budget of Bt350 million – much higher than Bt123 million for protection centres for the destitute, which are also mired in a corruption scandal.

I am both happy and disgusted to see these stories appearing in the paper everyday. Happy as perhaps (perhaps!) this is the beginning of the investigations that are so sorely needed, and disgusted that so many people could be complicit in stealing money from disadvantaged people.

 

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Peng Phusri, 84, said she had been given Bt1,000, but she was told to sign a receipt indicating the amount was Bt2,000. 

Stealing from an 84 year old woman. Stop and think on that a minute; Thailand/Asia claims to venerate the elderly for their wisdom and experience, yet we are talking about stealing a paltry sum from an 84 year old woman. And for what? So some wide-assed bureaucrat can purchase some pretty bauble for his Mia Noi?

 

This story and the other stories are clearly just the tip of the iceberg in industrialized corruption and theft; no one could look at what we have seen so far and think "it'll stop here, this is an isolated incident".

 

It is deeply worrying that there has been DEAFENING silence from Thailand's political leadership. One cannot blame the Junta alone for this as it clearly has been going on for a long, long time, but one can remark loudly on the inaction.

 

"Hey general Prayut! Where are you? What are you doing about this?"

 

My only cause for hope is that there have been stories on this for several days, and it seems like there will be even more; my deepest wish is that the snowball effect begins and rolls through the entire Thai government. Could this finally be the moment that Thailand begins to clean itself up? I truly, truly hope so, but will wait for some evidence before even starting to believe it...

 

PS Good on the Nation for this and the other stories; THIS is why Thailand needs journalism!

 

Edited March 15, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[YetAnother]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“We have found suspicious items regarding how Bt7 million was spent on low-income earners and the destitute there during the past fiscal year.” 

 

He added that some people had never received financial assistance from the state, although their names appeared as recipients. 

 

“Some other people received financial help, but in an amount less than what was stated in the budget report,” Wannop said. 

surprising the scale and how it all flew under the radar for so long;

or is it ? corruption is rampant here and likely exists in almost anything where money flows

[colinneil]

Mr P we cannot hear you, you lost your voice?

All your shouting about stopping corruption, yet when corruption on a massive scale is brought up you are very very quiet, why?

[Dumbastheycome]

The  corruption is  real. Yesterday a woman in tears told my wife  she had been visited  by people responsible  for the local distribution of  funds and told  to say  she has  received regular  funds but has  lost the  receipts if  asked  by  any investigating person. She was in tears  mostly  because  she is now in fear rather than  not  receiving the  money.

On an individual  basis the money is  not  great  but  collectively  someone  is doing  very  well !

At this  point in time who is to know  if  even the funding  agencies  are  receiving full funds or  are the  leaks starting even  before  that ?

Simple  solution  would  be  to  fund  directly into a  compulsory bank account or something similar to the  monthly   debit  card scheme  used for subsidizing  others in the  community. Cash payments  are too open to multiple  forms  of  abuse. Although  no more so than such  schemes in  the first place. In my locality it is well known that there are people who are well removed from poverty who are registered as recipients ! And possibly  receive  more than that  stated on the receipt!

[thaiguzzi]

9 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I am both happy and disgusted to see these stories appearing in the paper everyday. Happy as perhaps (perhaps!) this is the beginning of the investigations that are so sorely needed, and disgusted that so many people could be complicit in stealing money from disadvantaged people.

 

Stealing from an 84 year old woman. Stop and think on that a minute; Thailand/Asia claims to venerate the elderly for their wisdom and experience, yet we are talking about stealing a paltry sum from an 84 year old woman. And for what? So some wide-assed bureaucrat can purchase some pretty bauble for his Mia Noi?

 

This story and the other stories are clearly just the tip of the iceberg in industrialized corruption and theft; no one could look at what we have seen so far and think "it'll stop here, this is an isolated incident".

 

It is deeply worrying that there has been DEAFENING silence from Thailand's political leadership. One cannot blame the Junta alone for this as it clearly has been going on for a long, long time, but one can remark loudly on the inaction.

 

"Hey general Prayut! Where are you? What are you doing about this?"

 

My only cause for hope is that there have been stories on this for several days, and it seems like there will be even more; my deepest wish is that the snowball effect begins and rolls through the entire Thai government. Could this finally be the moment that Thailand begins to clean itself up? I truly, truly hope so, but will wait for some evidence before even starting to believe it...

 

PS Good on the Nation for this and the other stories; THIS is why Thailand needs journalism!

 

Unfortunately, this is Thailand, where the Robin Hood story is a reverse mirror, ie the complete opposite of the poor stealing from the rich.

The elite way of thinking is that the peasants need to stay in their place, remain poor, and even some suggest, not even be allowed to have the basic right as a one man one vote, as they are too "uneducated".

 It's one reason why the Reds are so hated and feared by the elites and upper beaurocracy.

They still think it is "normal" to skim from the country's resources and avenues of central revenue to line their own pockets.

Absolute horrible human beings.

[webfact]

First stage of welfare-centre scam probe to end by month’s end

By Prasit Tangprasert 
The Nation 
NAKHON RATCHASIMA

 

 

The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Region 3 aims to have all evidence gathered by the end of the month regarding alleged embezzlement at state centres assisting destitute people.

 

Sub-committees will then be established to mete out punishment for anyone found guilty of corruption in the Bt13-million scam spread across seven provinces in the lower Northeast.

 

Region 3 director Pisit Sakanchanachai on Friday said three types of irregularities had been detected.

 

Either the intended recipients didn’t get their entitled welfare allowances, got less than the amount budgeted for them, or were not qualified to receive an allowance.

 

The PACC investigation of 76 provincial centres set up to aid people in need has so far found apparent graft at 44 centres.

 

The probe will extend to the rest before a May 31 deadline set by the government.

 

Evidence of corruption has been found in 17 of the 20 provinces in the Northeast.

 

In seven Region 3 provinces excluding Si Sa Ket, Bt13,255,000 was allegedly embezzled.

 

The figure breaks down to Bt1,530,000 in Ubon Ratchathani, Bt1,215,000 in Amnat Charoen, Bt4 million in Yasothon, Bt1,260,000 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Bt1.9 million in Chaiyaphum, Bt800,000 in Buri Ram and Bt2,550,000 in Surin.

 

Praiwan Polwan, acting permanent secretary for the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, said on Thursday that 22 civil servants at 16 of the provincial centres had been transferred to other posts pending the investigation’s conclusion.

 

Of five other accused officials, four are already retired and one resigned before the transfer orders were issued, but they remain subjects of a fact-finding probe and could face disciplinary action too.

 

Praiwan said ministry officials were accompanying PACC investigators making the rounds of the centres to help coordinate the effort.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341051

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-16

[Lungstib]

It will be, and it will be nation wide and will almost certainly fall under the same govt minister that all the others do. Then go look at transport, then irrigation, then govt housing, then........

[harada]

I can feel a diversion coming on.

[YetAnother]

just imagine all the backdoor coverup money flowing now

[scorecard]

On 16/3/2561 at 5:09 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

I am both happy and disgusted to see these stories appearing in the paper everyday. Happy as perhaps (perhaps!) this is the beginning of the investigations that are so sorely needed, and disgusted that so many people could be complicit in stealing money from disadvantaged people.

 

Stealing from an 84 year old woman. Stop and think on that a minute; Thailand/Asia claims to venerate the elderly for their wisdom and experience, yet we are talking about stealing a paltry sum from an 84 year old woman. And for what? So some wide-assed bureaucrat can purchase some pretty bauble for his Mia Noi?

 

This story and the other stories are clearly just the tip of the iceberg in industrialized corruption and theft; no one could look at what we have seen so far and think "it'll stop here, this is an isolated incident".

 

It is deeply worrying that there has been DEAFENING silence from Thailand's political leadership. One cannot blame the Junta alone for this as it clearly has been going on for a long, long time, but one can remark loudly on the inaction.

 

"Hey general Prayut! Where are you? What are you doing about this?"

 

My only cause for hope is that there have been stories on this for several days, and it seems like there will be even more; my deepest wish is that the snowball effect begins and rolls through the entire Thai government. Could this finally be the moment that Thailand begins to clean itself up? I truly, truly hope so, but will wait for some evidence before even starting to believe it...

 

PS Good on the Nation for this and the other stories; THIS is why Thailand needs journalism!

 

 

 

"... THIS is why Thailand needs journalism!

 

Even better .... investigative journalism.

 

So much for media reform, but of course real investigative journalists don't exist in Thailand for a simple but good reason, because nobody game enough to dig very deep.

 

 

 

 

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, Lungstib said:

It will be, and it will be nation wide and will almost certainly fall under the same govt minister that all the others do. Then go look at transport, then irrigation, then govt housing, then........

 

Then police, then education....

[RichardColeman]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

First stage of welfare-centre scam probe to end by month’s end

Tenders to be received with 3 days of months end

[billd766]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

 

"... THIS is why Thailand needs journalism!

 

Even better .... investigative journalism.

 

So much for media reform, but of course real investigative journalists don't exist in Thailand for a simple but good reason, because nobody game enough to dig very deep.

 

 

 

 

 

Another reason could well be that they maybe "disappeared' or have fatal accidents.

Edited March 17, 2018 by billd766
edited for sensible reading

[scorecard]

23 hours ago, harada said:

I can feel a diversion coming on.

 

I wish that rather than a diversion, that there is a massive protest in the streets to force a more serious investigation and real prosecutions resulting in people in jail and no bail.

 

Without something like that there is strong risk this will all blow over, prosecutions (if any) will take decades with many of the 'prosecutions' falling through the cracks, bail and guilty parties fleeing, etc etc. 

 

My Thai son and his wife (both have limited salaries) spend most of their week-ends helping underprivileged children, they shake their heads when this story is on the news. 

 

  

[mercman24]

13 million ?? come on, pull the other one,  so that is probably tens of millions not accounted for as this appears to have been going on for years,and yes the BIG CHIEF has gone very quiet over this massive scale of embezzalement/corruption