Senior officials face axe for welfare fund fraud

[webfact]

Senior officials face axe for welfare fund fraud

By JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO 
THE NATION 

 

File photo

 

AUTHORITIES FIND CLEAR EVIDENCE OF DOCUMENT FORGERY AND EMBEZZLEMENT

 

THE SOCIAL Development and Human Security Ministry is poised to fire two senior officials for their role in the embezzlement of state funds for the destitute.

 

Following their dismissal, they very likely will also have to pay compensation for damage caused.

 

These two officials have not been identified by name. But at the time of wrongdoings, one of them headed the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute and the other was the centre’s social-welfare chief.

 

“A panel investigating them for grave disciplinary offences has concluded that they should be fired,” Social Development and Welfare Department director-general Napa Setthakorn said yesterday.

 

The nationwide investigation into the disbursement of state funds for the underprivileged started after a university student, who detected irregularities at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute during her internship there, blew the whistle.

 

In the wake of the scandal, the ministry’s permanent secretary Puttipat Lertchaowasit and deputy permanent secretary Narong Kongkham were transferred. As the investigation hinted at possible wrongdoing, the Cabinet last month ordered that they be dismissed from service unless the investigation clears their name in the end.

 

According to Napa, authorities have now uncovered clear evidence against the former director of Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute and its former social-welfare chief.

 

“They had apparently engaged in document forgery and made just partial payments to qualified recipients. Such actions were strongly suggestive of corruption. They were by no means just about failure to fully comply with the rules,” Napa said.

 

Social Development and Human Security Minister General Anantaporn Kanjanarat heads the ministry’s civil-service panel, which will convene tomorrow and consider the proposed dismissal of the two accused officials.

 

These officials have been suspended from duty since early April, without the right to receive salary or welfare.

 

The dismissal, as recommended by the investigation panel, will also strip them of the right to any severance pay or pensions.

 

“A panel will also be established to calculate damage caused by the offending officials so as to specify the amount of compensation they should be required to pay,” Napa added.

 

She said two other officials at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute were now being investigated for non-serious offences. “The probe has not yet concluded,” she said.

 

Asked about the alleged corruption at the Chiang Mai Protection Centre for the Destitute, Napa said the ministry’s probe should conclude before the end of this month.

 

The ministry has conducted separate probes, as the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has also looked into the alleged irregularities.

 

At present, the PACC has officially made accusations against 156 officials at 35 centres run by the ministry.

 

“Of them, 20 are now facing disciplinary action while the rest will face legal action,” Napa confirmed.

 

Meanwhile, the director of the Samut Prakan Protection Centre for the Destitute, Tanittha Jantanarirk, handed a petition to Prime Minister and National Council for Peace and Order chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha via a government complaint-receiving centre in Bangkok yesterday.

 

“I believe the former permanent secretary [Puttipat] should face both disciplinary and legal punishment,” she said.

 

Tanittha complained that officials at places that refused to engage in corrupt practices had received just a meagre budget.

 

“Samut Prakan’s population is at about 1.2 million but my centre has received just Bt700,000 in budget.Surprisingly, another centre has received more than Bt60 million in budget despite the fact that the local population in their jurisdiction is just 300,000,” she said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344481

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-03

[Coastrider]

Jail time would be a good deterrent to future thieves of Thailand.

[Samui Bodoh]

I have a comment or two on this story, but I think the very first thing everyone should remember is that we are talking about stealing money FROM THE DESTITUTE! Yes, from the neediest people in Thailand; the baht-less elderly, the handicapped, A.I.D.S. patients, etc. 

 

It is only the lowest of the low-life scum that steal from the destitute, and if there is a 'Hell", I hope they burn in it for eternity.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

These two officials have not been identified by name. But at the time of wrongdoings, one of them headed the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute and the other was the centre’s social-welfare chief.

It is good to see high-level people in the centers get nabbed for their crimes, but this scandal should NOT stop at this level; It defies logic that this occurred over many years, but that none of the really higher-ups was involved. The notion that an industrialized embezzlement scheme developed independently at 60+ offices is ludicrous; a far more more logical notion is that the purveyors of the scheme bought promotions to the main/head office and then implemented the scheme across many offices in order to maximize their theft.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

In the wake of the scandal, the ministry’s permanent secretary Puttipat Lertchaowasit and deputy permanent secretary Narong Kongkham were transferred. As the investigation hinted at possible wrongdoing, the Cabinet last month ordered that they be dismissed from service unless the investigation clears their name in the end.

This is a good start, and it is good to see really senior people getting the attention they deserve. However, it is unlikely that merely 2 high-level people were involved; the far more likelier scenario is that most/all of the senior leadership in the department received envelopes.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, the director of the Samut Prakan Protection Centre for the Destitute, Tanittha Jantanarirk, handed a petition to Prime Minister and National Council for Peace and Order chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha via a government complaint-receiving centre in Bangkok yesterday. 

“I believe the former permanent secretary [Puttipat] should face both disciplinary and legal punishment,” she said. 

Tanittha complained that officials at places that refused to engage in corrupt practices had received just a meagre budget. 

“Samut Prakan’s population is at about 1.2 million but my centre has received just Bt700,000 in budget.Surprisingly, another centre has received more than Bt60 million in budget despite the fact that the local population in their jurisdiction is just 300,000,” she said.

This complaint seems to have some validity and given what we know about the Ministry, it should be investigated. Further, it is simply logical that a senior person involved would channel extra monies to places where he/she received a kick-back.

 

Finally, it should be noted that this scandal seems to have originated many years ago, and thus can't simply be laid on the doorstep of the Junta. However, the Junta has been in power for 4 years with Article 44 powers and promised to clean up corruption; in fact it was one of their prime "justifications" for their coup.

 

The silence from the senior leadership of Thailand has been DEAFENING! If the Junta government is not really willing to clean up a scandal stealing monies from the destitute, when will they ever clean something up? This scandal has all the elements to create a 'sea change' in Thailand, to create a new way of thinking. However, that can only occur if there is real support and effort by the Junta leader.

 

That support is lacking.

 

Shame!

 

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee and general anger

[colinneil]

So a few senior officials are being investigated.... Big deal.

Just the tip of the iceberg, there are thousands at it.

Start now investigating, sacking , jailing, clawing back the money stolen.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 Such actions were strongly suggestive of corruption.

suggestive ?? ya think ?

[Anak Nakal]

Fire all boss.

Hire student.

Fixed.

[kaorop]

its always ifs, but and maybes, wheres the concrete action?

 

fraud committed investigating fraud,

 

these day i feel this whole place is a fraud..

[tigermoth]

Samui Bodoh's comments are obviously very true. This corruption is so wide spread that it must go to the highest levels. Even though it started prior to the present Juntas' takeover they have clearly jumped on the bandwagon and gone along with it.

[SABloke]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Following their dismissal, they very likely will also have to pay compensation for damage caused.

Compensation will probably be less than what they stole, so not a punishment per se. Secondly, no mention of a criminal case. 

 

So in Thailand, telling the truth about someone's misdeeds is a criminal offence (Defamation law version 2), but fraud isn't. 

[seajae]

shows why corruption is so rife here, they have to form a committee to decide if they should lose their jobs and have to repay the millions they stole, many times nothing happens at all, in any other country they would be jailed for fraud and have their assets seized, here none of that happens. They steal millions and dont even have to pay it all back as well as get to keep all the assets they bought with it, until they actually charge these people with fraud, jail them and take all their assets no one will stop their corrupt practices, it pays too well with no jail time  for doing it

Edited May 3, 2018 by seajae

[Odysseus123]

8 minutes ago, seajae said:

shows why corruption is so rife here, they have to form a committee to decide if they should lose their jobs and have to repay the millions they stole, many times nothing happens at all, in any other country they would be jailed for fraud and have their assets seized, here none of that happens. They steal millions and dont even have to pay it all back as well as get to keep all the assets they bought with it, until they actually charge these people with fraud, jail them and take all their assets no one will stop their corrupt practices, it pays too well with no jail time  for doing it

Many rewards but minimal punishments leads to few (if any) boundaries set on immoral or unethical behaviour.

 

Such is life in Shangri-La.

[Lobber]

I read p00 p00 like this everyday, every week, every year, and nothing changes -- & never will change, sickening , and yes I've been here for many many years!!!

[ratcatcher]

"Senior officials face axe for welfare fund fraud

By webfact, 6 hours ago

Six Kalasin state officials sacked over alleged drugs involvement

By snoop1130, 17 hours ago in Thailand News "

 

"Premchai keeps his court appointment, denies all charges'

By SUPOJ KAEWKASEE 

 

Headlines, day after day reporting corruption at all levels from top to bottom in the civil service, business, military, police etc.

No mention of arrests and court appearances and imprisonment when found guilty. (except Premchai's)

 

What do we have?

Words like"face axe - being fired" ,"sacked", " moved to inactive post "

As many members have already posted, as long as these people appear to evade any serious punishment for their wrongdoings when employed in positions of supposed public trust, it is no wonder the social fabric of the country is wearing thin, except among the upper classes where the traditional clothes can be replaced any time. 

 

 

 

[kaorop]

Whats so dispicable is the thought 9f where could this country be if a major % of that money over so many years went to whete it was supposed to go.

It would actually be able to compete on the world stage, not just pretend to and be indoctrinated to believe so..

[Lucky mike]

Compensation and punishment to fit the crime !  

[KiwiKiwi]

2? Only 2?

 

That's almost worse than doing nothing, which is the usual Thai course of action.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

20 are now facing disciplinary action while the rest will face legal action

Notice that throughout the article the words "criminal prosecution" is never mentioned?

"Legal action" is vague. It's defined as "a process to have a court of law settle an argument."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legal action

That tells you part of why this corruption exists and will continue to exist.

[Happyman58]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

So a few senior officials are being investigated.... Big deal.

Just the tip of the iceberg, there are thousands at it.

Start now investigating, sacking , jailing, clawing back the money stolen.

Col these scumbags who steal off the poor deserve to go to jail I see 2 have been transferred My god what does it take to go to Jail here? f---------cking thieving off poor people is the one of the lowest acts you can do. but 2 have been transferred To where may i ask? Probably to another district where they have more funds to steal because they stole all the money from this place

[KiwiKiwi]

10 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Col these scumbags who steal off the poor deserve to go to jail I see 2 have been transferred My god what does it take to go to Jail here? f---------cking thieving off poor people is the one of the lowest acts you can do. but 2 have been transferred To where may i ask? Probably to another district where they have more funds to steal because they stole all the money from this place

 

The army exists to facilitate corruption; the proceeds are meat and drink to senior civil servants the police and army officers. Criminal action will not be taken because those in power at the moment may not be in power tomorrow and may need a favour or two. Everything is accounted for by the of markers and IOU's. No prison time, just go to a different office for being crass enough to get caught. It's the Chinese way.

[halloween]

i have to wonder at the small-minded view of those who condemn public servants for stealing from the poor, and ignore and excuse the theft of hundreds of billions, from the same people, by those they elected.