Compensation graft claim sparks probe in South

The Nation

In the wake of repeated violent incidents in Pattani

BANGKOK: - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday instructed officials to investigate allegations that some officials planned to skim 20 per cent off the Bt2 billion in compensation payments promised to those affected by the violence in the deep South.

Responding to Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapha's comments on Wednesday about the existence of such opportunistic people, Yingluck said that if the deputy premier had evidence, the claims must be investigated. She instructed all ministries and provincial governors to find ways to prevent such corruption and stop officials from taking advantage of the people.

Meanwhile, Yutthasak has warned of the possibility of a flare-up in the violence in the deep South during a planned information-gathering visit by representatives of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference early next month.

The deputy premier said he was afraid insurgents were planning to stage more violent incidents during the May 8-11 OIC visit to get the organisation's attention.

Yutthasak, however, said he had not received any information about who the OIC delegation would visit and talk to, or whether the team planned to visit violence-plagued areas in the South.

The southern unrest is an internal issue, and should be resolved by the country itself, not with help from outsiders, he said. The government would never let the OIC directly intervene in the southern unrest, he said.

A local official was killed yesterday in a shooting in Narathiwat's Joh I Rong district while on his way to collect forest produce.

The victim was identified as Piak Chuenban, 40, assistant headman of Tanyonglimo village in Rangae district, according to Pol Colonel Prayong Kotsakha, superintendent of Joh I Rong police station.

Joh I Rong police said a gun and 10 spent cartridge cases from an AK-47 assault rifle were found near Piak's body.

-- The Nation 2012-04-27

Responding to Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapha's comments on Wednesday about the existence of such opportunistic people, Yingluck said that if the deputy premier had evidence, the claims must be investigated. She instructed all ministries and provincial governors to find ways to prevent such corruption and stop officials from taking advantage of the people.

I'm sure they've contemplated that one way to prevent it would be to simply cancel the compensation payments to the South, even though they are already only one-fifth of the amount paid in compensation payments to others who did support the Pheu Thai Party.

Gosh, it sure would be a convenient excuse reason to shift the monies elsewhere.

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Wasn't there problems like this just after the tsunami? Officials skimming a bit off the top?

Wasn't there problems like this just after the tsunami? Officials skimming a bit off the top?

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