Welfare graft mastermind to be named today as senior bureaucrats under fire

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

THE IDENTITY of the senior person or persons behind alleged irregularities at dozens of scandal-tainted provincial protection centres for the destitute would be revealed today, Public Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) secretary-general Korntip Daroj said yesterday.

 

The person or persons, of higher rank than centre-director level, were identified during the PACC’s fact-finding inquiry, conducted with the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Office of the Auditor-General in the past month, through a clear trail of embezzled-money transactions, he said. 

 

“As the evidence now links to officials of higher rank than the centre-director level, the legal actions to prosecute them per the criminal code will be forwarded to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission [NACC],” Kornthip said. He added that the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. 

 

The PACC focuses on corruption cases involving low-ranking officials, while the NACC handles corruption cases involving politicians and high-ranking officials. 

 

The PACC will today announce the results of its investigation into 37 provincial protection centres for the destitute, with each case involving alleged misappropriation of more than Bt1 million, Kornthip said.

 

He added that the PACC investigation into all provincial protection centres for the destitute, self-help settlement centres, hill-tribe development centres and co-op coordinating centres under the Social Development and Human Security Ministry would be concluded by May 31.

 

Kornthip made the comments when asked about Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat’s recent order to set up a disciplinary inquiry committee against Social Development and Human Security permanent secretary Puttipat Lertchaowasit and his deputy, Narong Kongkham. The two officials were transferred amid allegations of irregularities in February to perform duties at the Prime Minister’s Office.

 

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry’s fact-finding committee’s investigation into alleged corruption at the Sema Pattana Chevit Fund for underprivileged children in the years 2003-2018 has also released some findings.

 

Panel head and education inspector-general Atthapol Truektrong said the committee found embezzled money had been wired to the bank accounts of a temple, a police major-general and a high school that was unrelated to the scheme.

 

 The year 2003 was a key turning point when the fund shifted from disbursements via bank drafts to direct money wires to schools’ bank accounts, Atthapol said.

 

In that year, Rojana Sinthee – a C8-level education official who has been accused of, and reportedly confessed to, stealing more than Bt88 million from the fund – started to abuse her authority in overseeing the fund and channelled money into her own and accomplices’ bank accounts, Atthapol said.

 

The committee would investigate the links between Rojana and the recipients of the ill-gotten funds, he said.

 

 As Rojana channelled funds through the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Education’s Finance Department, the panel would also investigate if any of its officials were involved.

 

Atthapol is scheduled to visit the South this afternoon to investigate more graft complaints linked to the fund, at five schools in Phatthalung, Surat Thani, Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Another team will travel up North to investigate graft allegations in Lampang.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342298

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

Let´s see who that might be....waiting....waiting....

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

“As the evidence now links to officials of higher rank than the centre-director level, the legal actions to prosecute them per the criminal code will be forwarded to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission [NACC],” Kornthip said. He added that the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. 

I am glad to see some action (any action!) taken against corrupt bureaucrats, but I find it a little hard to believe that centers in all provinces have been adequately investigated in such a short time. 

 

Even worse, the phrase " ... the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. ..." says to me that things will simply be covered up at the higher levels. If, as the claim seems to be, that the 'low-level' people managed to set and run a national scheme of industrialized theft, why would anyone believe that the higher-ups didn't know AND could be trusted to run a clean investigation? Or that they would actually "launch disciplinary  investigations"? The FAR, FAR more likely answer is that the higher-ups ran and benefited from the theft. And, we all know what happens when the NACC gets involved; cover-up unless you are an opponent of the Greens and Yellows.

 

I smell the old Thai cover-up for the people of higher rank. Thailand seems to have any number of independent organizations when it suits them, but seems unable or better said unwilling to use them when they might actually be useful and do some good.

 

If the higher-ups get off as usual, what was the point of this?

 

And a final reminder; this wasn't theft from a transport budget line, this was theft from A.I.D.S. patients, the handicapped, the elderly who don't have money; this is/was theft from the most needy, the destitute in Thai society.

 

Truly disgusting.

 

8 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I am glad to see some action (any action!) taken against corrupt bureaucrats, but I find it a little hard to believe that centers in all provinces have been adequately investigated in such a short time. 

 

Even worse, the phrase " ... the accused senior officials’ supervisors would also be asked to launch disciplinary investigations. ..." says to me that things will simply be covered up at the higher levels. If, as the claim seems to be, that the 'low-level' people managed to set and run a national scheme of industrialized theft, why would anyone believe that the higher-ups didn't know AND could be trusted to run a clean investigation? Or that they would actually "launch disciplinary  investigations"? The FAR, FAR more likely answer is that the higher-ups ran and benefited from the theft. And, we all know what happens when the NACC gets involved; cover-up unless you are an opponent of the Greens and Yellows.

 

I smell the old Thai cover-up for the people of higher rank. Thailand seems to have any number of independent organizations when it suits them, but seems unable or better said unwilling to use them when they might actually be useful and do some good.

 

If the higher-ups get off as usual, what was the point of this?

 

And a final reminder; this wasn't theft from a transport budget line, this was theft from A.I.D.S. patients, the handicapped, the elderly who don't have money; this is/was theft from the most needy, the destitute in Thai society.

 

Truly disgusting.

 

 

It will then be launched onto some department called something like "The Agency For Investigating Departments Which Have Discrepancies". It will then be bounced around for awhile, until it will be "discovered" that an outsourced farang agency needs to come up with some information, and "We can't proceed any further until they do." And then everybody is cleared to carry on  as normal.

The anticipation,,,, then when we know we can all have a stimulated discussion on how long it will take to clear them of any wrong doings.
It was all a mistake, nothing to see here, moved to a new province or demoted on full benefits and pay to keep the status quo. The same old patter..

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Quote

Welfare graft mastermind to be named today as senior bureaucrats under fire

Named as what is the question.

With a natural ability to screw the less fortunate ones he was supposed to help, he has all the credentials to become the next unelected PM

2 hours ago, Khun Han said:

 

It will then be launched onto some department called something like "The Agency For Investigating Departments Which Have Discrepancies". It will then be bounced around for awhile, until it will be "discovered" that an outsourced farang agency needs to come up with some information, and "We can't proceed any further until they do." And then everybody is cleared to carry on  as normal.

Thainess at it natural best.

 

It will be whoever is first down the list that failed to bribe their way out of it !

3 hours ago, webfact said:

THE IDENTITY of the senior person or persons behind alleged irregularities at dozens of scandal-tainted provincial protection centres for the destitute would be revealed today,

There's chance of a delay regarding the name list due to the fact that the printer ran out of ink the third time already.

Edited April 3, 20188 yr by Lupatria

Little people go to jail, big people steal money!

Evil!

I can see another "inactive post" being created.........

they will be named but will they seize all their wealth etc, naming them is nothing if they do not suffer for their crime or their families are allowed to retain everything they got from the ill gotten gains. Will also be interesting to see if they go right to the top or stop before exposing them, hoping we finally see the law doing the right thing here and not just letting them off lightly, they need to arrest thew real leaders, not just the underlings

If they really are going to name them, then they must have already left the country !

Bandaid !

The senior bureaucrats should simply state for the record that they borrowed the graft idea from a dead friend.  That should absolve them of all responsibility for their actions.