13 police officers transferred under new graft rules

[webfact]

13 police officers transferred under new graft rules

By The Nation

 

Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha has transferred 13 police officers for alleged involvement in human trafficking under the government’s new anti-graft guidelines, which came into effect yesterday.

 

The Cabinet approved the guidelines at its meeting yesterday right after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) put it forward.

 

The guidelines, which require agencies to act quickly on corruption complaints, took immediate effect as several government schemes for the poor have lately been embroiled in graft scandals. 

 

Investigations are ongoing into alleged irregularities in the disbursement of state funds for the destitute as well as the alleged embezzlement of Bt118 million from the Education Ministry’s fund for the underprivileged. 

 

“Upon receiving or hearing corruption complaints, the chief of a relevant agency must launch a probe within seven days,” government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. “The probe must also conclude within 30 days.” 

 

He said that if the preliminary information showed evidence of corruption, an agency chief must transfer accused officials. 

 

“The transfer can be made within the same agency or ministry, if the alleged offences are not serious,” he added. 

 

However, the guidelines required that accused officials be transferred to another agency at least on a temporary basis if charges were serious. 

 

According to the guidelines, the chief of a government agency must also take immediate disciplinary action against accused officials if an investigation finds evidence of wrongdoing. 

 

“There is no need to wait until criminal proceedings conclude first,” Sansern said. 

 

When alleged offences involve criminal wrongdoing, the Centre for National Anti-Corruption should be alerted. 

 

Sansern said based on the guidelines, officials found guilty of grave disciplinary offences could not return to their old posts or be promoted for three years, since they had to be transferred because of the wrongdoing. 

 

“This rule applies to officials whose offences do not warrant dismissals,” he said. 

 

Among the 13 police members transferred yesterday, one was a police colonel and two were lieutenant colonels. This group of suspects also includes a commissioned policewoman. 

 

In a related development, Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat said he planned to punish five officials later this week for their role in the alleged embezzlement of state funds for the destitute. 

 

“They are C7 and C8 officials,” he said, referring to bureaucratic rankings, which range from C1 to the highest of C11. 

 

Anantaporn said he would act on the first conclusions of the investigation and would take further action when it was finished. 

 

Asked whether the corruption scandal had already implicated the ministry’s permanent secretary and deputy permanent secretary,

Anantaporn said: “Our probe has found that some officials gave the order.” He did not elaborate.

 

The national police Counter-Corruption Division also stated yesterday that 10 more temples had been found to have engaged in alleged embezzlement of state funds for monasteries. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341886

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-28

[Samui Bodoh]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

In a related development, Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat said he planned to punish five officials later this week for their role in the alleged embezzlement of state funds for the destitute. 

 

“They are C7 and C8 officials,” he said, referring to bureaucratic rankings, which range from C1 to the highest of C11. 

He "planned to punish five officials" and they were "C7 and C8 Officials". If it is the case where you have decided to punish them, why does it have to occur later? Why not now?

 

More importantly, these are officials in the case of stealing monies from funds allocated for the destitute. Given that we have ALREADY learned that there was theft on an industrial scale throughout the Ministry and at all the locations/offices checked, the chance that the theft was conceived and implemented at the C7 and C8 level without the knowledge and consent of those higher up in the ministry is not credible. Simply put, if there was industrialized theft of State funds for the destitute ordered at the C7 and C8 level, it MUST have been approved at the higher levels as well.

 

And, if the industrialized theft of funds for the destitute occurred at the higher/highest level, they should ALL go to jail.

 

I can't blame the Junta for starting this theft; it clearly has been occurring for many years. However, if they do not take swift action and do a massive clean up, then they are guilty as hell in their own right.

 

And they should pay a price for that...

 

[mok199]

I know thais are fiercly protective and loyal to their provinces of birth but,Thailand has 76 .....not hard to see how easy corruption can hide itself for generations, the sheer number of govt staff  it takes to care for each province. the paper work must be insane..

[kannot]

Gosh so severe a  real hard transferring 

[ratcatcher]

3 minutes ago, kannot said:

Gosh so severe a  real hard transferring 

Indeed, one cannot help but feel sorry for the corrupt officials and their families who have benefited at the expense of the poorer members of the public. Nothing like a severe transfer and a talking to. .

 

[kannot]

4 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Indeed, one cannot help but feel sorry for the corrupt officials and their families who have benefited at the expense of the poorer members of the public. Nothing like a severe transfer and a talking to. .

 

youve  gone way to far with that "talking to" you beast!!!

[leeneeds]

Court marshal for 3 years is a long time to reflect, 

one hopes they turn the right corner, 

 

[kannot]

1 minute ago, leeneeds said:

Court marshal for 3 years is a long time to reflect, 

one hopes they turn the right corner, 

 

more likely  to do a lot of "U Turns"

[colinneil]

Pathetic thats what it is, being transferred is not any kind of punishment.

It is a joke, big fuss made by Prayut over nothing.

Dismissal is the only punishment for these people, nothing less.

Edited March 27, 2018 by colinneil

[ratcatcher]

10 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

Court marshal for 3 years is a long time to reflect, 

one hopes they turn the right corner, 

Courts martial are reserved for military offenders, but in view of the fact that many of the civilians involved in this scandal wear military style uniforms, it would seem appropriate.

[ratcatcher]

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Pathetic thats what it is, being transferred is not any kind of punishment.

It is a joke, big fuss made by Prayut over nothing.

Dismissal is the only punishment for these people, nothing less.

I would like to think that a "transfer" whether to an inactive post or an empty room is an action taken prior to court proceedings, a trial and, if found guilty, an eventual holiday behind bars.

[gk10002000]

All fine and dandy.  Transfer on an allegation.  Fine.  If the chief of a government agency must also take immediate disciplinary action against accused officials if an investigation finds evidence of wrongdoing.  Again, all fine and dandy.  But what are the rules about an investigation?  Who investigates?  Who does the investigators work for?  Who do they report to? 

[Get Real]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

transferred 13 police officers for alleged involvement in human trafficking

transferred? If the case is a slam dunk they should be sackedand imprisoned during the time, and if the case is weak they should still be working until found guilty

[Saraphee]

Any official or minister who considers these transfer guidelines to be a sufficient response to this endemic graft should be transferred immediately - that'll teach 'um

[anon467848]

As they never tell you the names, locations of the bent police, people we will just have to take this at face value...

 

What a surprise having C7 & C8's as the scapegoats to appease the public. These guys do not do anything without the consent of somebody higher up the food chain, who turn a blind eye so long as the monthly stipend is to his/her liking...

[sammieuk1]

Maybe 13 generals would have some more desirable impact . 

[grego49]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Pathetic thats what it is, being transferred is not any kind of punishment.

It is a joke, big fuss made by Prayut over nothing.

Dismissal is the only punishment for these people, nothing less.

And jail....

[Anak Nakal]

Put minister in jail as lesson to all staff!

 

Time for big people to have responsibility, not little people.

[worgeordie]

Sansern said based on the guidelines, officials found guilty of grave disciplinary offences could not return to their old posts or be promoted for three years, since they had to be transferred because of the wrongdoing. 

Grave disciplinary offences,then goes on to say,
“This rule applies to officials whose offences do not warrant dismissals,” he said.

Is this not a contradiction, and what offence do they have to commit to get the sack

or even get prison time if found guilty.

regards worgeordie

[HLover]

Isn't this a little bit like cleaning your toilet, but just shifting the turds to the other side of the bowl?

[Khun Paul]

So transferring them , they still retain all the rank and privileges consummate with their position. WHY NOT SUSPEND ON Half Pay, huh ?????????????

[Lupatria]

Keep off the streets! The endless caravan with participants of the "Tour de Inactive Posts" may block the traffic.

[smutcakes]

Yawn, yawn yawn, yes yes i am sure those C7 & C8 officials were top of the tree and there was in no way money flowing up to the heads of Government and ministries!

Just window dressing and showing face. The officials know nothing will happen to them as all those above them are equally compromised.

[timewilltell]

Getting tough on corruption. Let's all give a sstanding ovation to Thailand on its monumental effort in cleaning corruption under the edict that if found guilty if embezzlement you will be transferred to a different department. Wonderful - not even a whack with a length of pipe insulation.

 

Truly pathetic

[Peabody]

Transferred!!? How draconian. People should insist on a REAL punishment. Here's the medieval version of Thai punishment

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2018 by Peabody

[Oziex1]

It's all arbitration in place of enforcement individuals and groups decide the fate of the accused and the guilty, the fragility of the house of cards is well known to all and must be reinforced with swift and ongoing action of the corrupt.

[PatOngo]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

Pathetic thats what it is, being transferred is not any kind of punishment.

It is a joke, big fuss made by Prayut over nothing.

Dismissal is the only punishment for these people, nothing less.

Yes, a transfer just confirms to them that they have'nt really done anything too wrong and everything will be ok in the long run..........status quo maintained!

[sawadee1947]

I don't know why their are still on duty? Why not expel them?

It seems like a bunch of corrupt criminals.

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

I don't know why their are still on duty? Why not expel them?

It seems like a bunch of corrupt criminals.

....but it's part and parcel with the system........uniforms are protected.

[sawadee1947]

5 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

....but it's part and parcel with the system........uniforms are protected.

and it's a shame that whoever rules the country there was/still is no change. And the outlook doesn't show any improvement.