Thai Govt To Take Back Bt52b Flood Relief Funds As Graft Arrests Begin

[webfact]

Govt to take back flood relief funds as graft arrests begin

By The Nation

The government will take back Bt52 billion in flood relief funds if the money is not spent on projects already approved, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told a business seminar yesterday.

The money had been partly allotted from a central fund at the request of relief agencies and ministries - but not yet fully spent or even distributed to certain agencies who had not submitted their spending plans to the government.

"The ministries and departments who have not yet spent the money or resubmitted their projects for funding approval will need to send the money back to the government," he said.

The PM said Thailand's economic growth could reach 7.9 per cent this year, despite heavy flooding across the country and huge spending on relief assistance and restoration.

Meanwhile, the arrests of officials in the Northeast accused of benefiting illegally from disaster and flood preventive plans will begin next week in Sakon Nakhon, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said yesterday.

The arrests and criminal prosecutions would continue in Roi Et, Kalasin, Udon Thani, and Nakhon Phanom, where corruption relating to disaster and flood preventive plans had been under PACC investigation for almost a year.

The PACC has detected three irregularities in the five provinces: announcements of disaster areas in violation of Finance Ministry's regulations; levels of disaster and flooding not reaching minimum requirements for relief funds; and no, or inadequate, construction or restoration in affected areas after funds' approval.

A total of Bt475 million in relief fund has been approved and paid to local authorities in 168 locations in the five provinces, who have allegedly fabricated damage reports and issued false recommendations for the funds, said acting PACC secretary-general Amphol Wongsiri.

The government's central flood relief centre has instructed all provincial authorities to look into possible corruption involving the Bt5,000 government payments to qualified flood victims, following widespread reports that a large number of recipients' names had been made up.

Individual payments of Bt5,000 have been granted to 632,000 people in 38 provinces, including 30,000 out of a total of 57,000 based in hard-hit Nakhon Ratchasima alone. The centre said rice seeds and compensation would be given to farmers owning a total of 400,000 flood-damaged rice paddies.

In Songkhla, around 60 per cent of homes damaged or destroyed by flooding have been repaired or rebuilt. A fund-raising campaign is underway to encourage donations from the general public.

-- The Nation 2010-11-25

[Pib]

Age old story, get money from the govt for a specific project....spend part or all of the money on some thing else....or worst, the money begins to be transferred between numerous govt accounts over an extended time until it just kinda gets lost/forgot about, but has really ended up in private bank accounts (or mattresses) of corrupt officials.

[Colabamumbai]

Any bets on how much may be returned? or is the government just trying to save face here now that they realize they were ripped off again. People tend to act as corrupt as the governments that rule them.

[OzMick]

Hmmm................... Sak Nak, NP, Udon, Kalasin and Roi Et - have a guess which parties run local govt in those areas. Wait for the screams of "double standards" when they are exposed with their grubby little fingers in the cookie jar!

[Northman061]

Getting the money back just in time to spend on securing votes for the early 2011 elections maybe??

[Mxcross]

is anyone really surprised?

[barrybankruad]

Any bets on how much may be returned? or is the government just trying to save face here now that they realize they were ripped off again. People tend to act as corrupt as the governments that rule them.

Of course the people will act corruptly if they can. Big scam here at the moment is claiming relief for flooding of ponds full of fish which never overflowed. About time the locals got a bit coming their way instead of it all going to you know who!

[OzMick]

Getting the money back just in time to spend on securing votes for the early 2011 elections maybe??

Can't see it happening. Run out the mandate, prosecute a few Reds and PTP with their flood scams, look sweet in November/December.

[phiphidon]

Hmmm................... Sak Nak, NP, Udon, Kalasin and Roi Et - have a guess which parties run local govt in those areas. Wait for the screams of "double standards" when they are exposed with their grubby little fingers in the cookie jar!

Or alternatively,

Guess who has overall responsibility for the Administration of those provinces, the Governors, who are appointed by guess who, the Ministry of the Interior, currently under the control of the Democrats coalition party, the BJP, shining the beacon on corruption in Thailand.

After the recent reshuffle, of the 4 provinces apparently under investigation for corruption for the past year, 2 of the Governors were demoted and two moved to Provinces where they will be "put in the deep end end" against the UDD. The same challenge has been provided for the ex governor of Sakhon Nakhon (due to be investigated next) who goes to Khon Kaen.

[TAWP]

Any bets on how much may be returned? or is the government just trying to save face here now that they realize they were ripped off again. People tend to act as corrupt as the governments that rule them.

Of course the people will act corruptly if they can. Big scam here at the moment is claiming relief for flooding of ponds full of fish which never overflowed. About time the locals got a bit coming their way instead of it all going to you know who!

No, I don't know...who?

[barrybankruad]

Any bets on how much may be returned? or is the government just trying to save face here now that they realize they were ripped off again. People tend to act as corrupt as the governments that rule them.

Of course the people will act corruptly if they can. Big scam here at the moment is claiming relief for flooding of ponds full of fish which never overflowed. About time the locals got a bit coming their way instead of it all going to you know who!

No, I don't know...who?

Read Phipidons post #9. That will tell you who.

[EyesWideOpen]

Corruption....zzzzzz.....more crackdowns......zzzzzzz...graft arrests......Holy shit !!! Do not believe I have ever seen those two words used in the same sentence before !!!   The sad part about this particular form of corruption is that it is preventing money from reaching the hands of the truly needy who have been hurt by the floods.

[housepainter]

The truly needed who have been hit by the floods ................................. are the bottom of the pile rural poor who are powerless and take another kick.

They ripped off the world's donated money when the tsuanami hit and I'm proud to say I never gave one baht. It is useless and worthless to try to invest funds into the third world expecting it to reach the needy. We see it in Haiti and we see it in Pakistan.

Thailand is no different in terms of national psyche and corruption. When they act so callously to their own people what hope have we of ever re-dressing the balance. I assert none.

I drive through flood hit Korat and see that the only evidence of clear up or rebuilding is at one small police block. It stands surrounded by battered damaged houses that remain without inspection or help. Yet one police station gets the help. Meanwhile the highway remains like the aftermath of a nucleur bomb strike. Families homes and business are ignored but the useless corrupt Korat police have aspruce up, pocket tranches of money watched by a public that silently seethes.

The people are powerless and the politicians sit and await the money as 'they have none'. Nada. Not a baht. Not a road sweeper, not a man, not a brush or a broom can be found.

Until the millions are paid they're doing nothing. The same big fat efficient nothing that all Thai officials seem so capable of delivering on behalf of their constituency immediately disater strikes, the golden goose arrives, and they await the dropping of the golden egg.

[Siam Simon]

Hmmm................... Sak Nak, NP, Udon, Kalasin and Roi Et - have a guess which parties run local govt in those areas. Wait for the screams of "double standards" when they are exposed with their grubby little fingers in the cookie jar!

Or alternatively,

Guess who has overall responsibility for the Administration of those provinces, the Governors, who are appointed by guess who, the Ministry of the Interior, currently under the control of the Democrats coalition party, the BJP, shining the beacon on corruption in Thailand.

After the recent reshuffle, of the 4 provinces apparently under investigation for corruption for the past year, 2 of the Governors were demoted and two moved to Provinces where they will be "put in the deep end end" against the UDD. The same challenge has been provided for the ex governor of Sakhon Nakhon (due to be investigated next) who goes to Khon Kaen.

Hey! who asked you to provide facts that don't fit the manifesto?

[whybother]

Hmmm................... Sak Nak, NP, Udon, Kalasin and Roi Et - have a guess which parties run local govt in those areas. Wait for the screams of "double standards" when they are exposed with their grubby little fingers in the cookie jar!

Or alternatively,

Guess who has overall responsibility for the Administration of those provinces, the Governors, who are appointed by guess who, the Ministry of the Interior, currently under the control of the Democrats coalition party, the BJP, shining the beacon on corruption in Thailand.

After the recent reshuffle, of the 4 provinces apparently under investigation for corruption for the past year, 2 of the Governors were demoted and two moved to Provinces where they will be "put in the deep end end" against the UDD. The same challenge has been provided for the ex governor of Sakhon Nakhon (due to be investigated next) who goes to Khon Kaen.

Hey! who asked you to provide facts that don't fit the manifesto?

I think he's been asked for facts quite a few times. Nice that he's finally provided some.

[phiphidon]

Hmmm................... Sak Nak, NP, Udon, Kalasin and Roi Et - have a guess which parties run local govt in those areas. Wait for the screams of "double standards" when they are exposed with their grubby little fingers in the cookie jar!

Or alternatively,

Guess who has overall responsibility for the Administration of those provinces, the Governors, who are appointed by guess who, the Ministry of the Interior, currently under the control of the Democrats coalition party, the BJP, shining the beacon on corruption in Thailand.

After the recent reshuffle, of the 4 provinces apparently under investigation for corruption for the past year, 2 of the Governors were demoted and two moved to Provinces where they will be "put in the deep end end" against the UDD. The same challenge has been provided for the ex governor of Sakhon Nakhon (due to be investigated next) who goes to Khon Kaen.

Hey! who asked you to provide facts that don't fit the manifesto?

I think he's been asked for facts quite a few times. Nice that he's finally provided some.

A bit underhanded, Whybother, I've provided facts before when making statements. Opinions however, are just that, opinions. I won't be asking you for facts to back up your opinion, that's not my MO.

Edited November 27, 2010 by phiphidon

[Bagwan]

Quote :-

Meanwhile, the arrests of officials in the Northeast accused of benefiting illegally from disaster and flood preventive plans will begin next week in Sakon Nakhon, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) said yesterday.

The arrests and criminal prosecutions would continue in Roi Et, Kalasin, Udon Thani, and Nakhon Phanom, where corruption relating to disaster and flood preventive plans had been under PACC investigation for almost a year.

Unquote.

This is totally unfair. In spite of the paper shredders working 24/7, this does not give the beneficiaries of the funds enough time to concoct stories that hang together and ensure that everybody who has benefited is singing from the same hymn sheet .  Careers could be put at risk. 

May I introduce a phrase that guardians of the law (5555) and auditors might care to become acquainted with? CAUGHT RED HANDED. Just thought I'd mention it. Nobody in their right mind expects you to action it.,