'Politicians implicated' in Bt30m flood money embezzlement

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- An ongoing investigation has suggested that up to Bt30 million - nearly half the money reimbursed for flood victims' food in four Bangkok districts - might have been embezzled during the severe inundation last year.

"The investigation has implicated some politicians," Chanchai Issarasenarak yesterday said in his capacity as an adviser to the House subcommittee on budget use for flood-relief operations.

Chanchai said the investigation is already 90 per cent complete and it is quite clear who were involved.

"We have found that most people identified in documents as food-box suppliers in fact are those who were not involved in the services at all and were not aware their names had been abused," Chanchai said.

The alleged corruption in these claims involves Bt61 million in funds allocated by the Social Development and Welfare Department for flood victims in Bangkok's Lat Krabang, Klong Sam Wa, Min Buri and Nong Chok districts.

Chanchai said the Department of Special Investigation, the Revenue Department and Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission had assisted in the ongoing probe.

Moreover, he said the House subcommittee found that the Cabinet on March 6 approved a huge budget for the Highways Department's construction of embankments along floodways.

"To approve the budget, the Cabinet specified dike construction in many places. However, the Royal Irrigation Department has disclosed that it has not yet identified the floodways," Chanchai said.

The House subcommittee has summoned Highways Department officials to testify on the issue on May 16. The budget approved for the Highways Department's construction projects on March 6 came from the massive loan the current government sought in the wake of the 2011 flood crisis.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday said he had no plan to investigate an allegation that the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) did not pay Good World Intertrade for 36,000 bags of relief items it supplied to the DPMD during the flood crisis. Each bag was worth Bt500.

The company has already filed a petition with the Central Administrative Court.

"I won't order a probe because the DPMD director-general has insisted a purchase order was issued," Yongyuth said.

-- The Nation 2012-05-04

Shocking accusations! Can't possibly be true!

I wonder how much of the of the donations for the 2004 tsunami got snarfed as well.

All sorts of greatly needed supplies from drinking water to boat engines were involved.

Chuwit is really becoming quite the corruption buster.

Daily News (article in Thai)

http://www.dailynews.co.th/politics/112787

Love Chuwit. It'll be interesting to see if these implicated politicians ever get arrested?

It was only a matter of time before this corruption comes out.

Props to "Uncle Chewy" for getting some of this stuff out to the public.

No doubt he does have some long standing axes to grind with certain factions,

but fair play, he is outing a lot of dirt and this is rarely done here.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by animatic

Love Chuwit. It'll be interesting to see if these implicated politicians ever get arrested?

I am only amazed at the low amount. Given the umpteen millions of baht flying around, this seems like chump change. And no, there is not need to speculate whether or not politicians that were in fact robbing flood victims will be arrested.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by EyesWideOpen

Love Chuwit. It'll be interesting to see if these implicated politicians ever get arrested?

I am only amazed at the low amount. Given the umpteen millions of baht flying around, this seems like chump change. And no, there is not need to speculate whether or not politicians that were in fact robbing flood victims will be arrested.

The amounts of the flood relief and prevention schemes suspected of corruption are much higher in this morning's other paper's lengthier report.

.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by Buchholz

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday said he had no plan to investigate an allegation that the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) did not pay Good World Intertrade for 36,000 bags of relief items it supplied to the DPMD during the flood crisis. Each bag was worth Bt500.

The company has already filed a petition with the Central Administrative Court.

"I won't order a probe because the DPMD director-general has insisted a purchase order was issued," Yongyuth said.

Is this someone else who provides the Thai Government with a service and then does not get paid for it? Since when was issue of a purchase order proof of payment? One day when this country has another emergency the Government will turn to various agencies and companies for emergency equipment and everyone will say ...No!

I every operation, there will be about 0.1% left over.

Love Chuwit. It'll be interesting to see if these implicated politicians ever get arrested?

Cockroaches have an uncanny ability to make themselves scarce when a light is shone on them.

Exactly as I expected when I first started to read the acticle. One man finds corruption and the other says never mind. What a way to run a country.

Great work Chuwit and others, really refreshing to see news like this. Now wait for the names and the following lynch mob that will go after those politicians

Shocking accusations! Can't possibly be true!

I wonder how much of the of the donations for the 2004 tsunami got snarfed as well.

88 Million Thai Bahts, happily pocketed by the police colonel Pornprasert Kanjanarin, which is still at large, he also changed name at least 1 time and was asking for 280 Millions when he was still in charge, to be able to accomplish his job...

http://www.thaivisa....-press-charges/

Edit:

Further info here : http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/03/02/national/national_30096973.php

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by surayu

I every operation, there will be about 0.1% left over.

Just where do you get that figure from?

I just cant believe somone would have the idea to put tsunami relief funds in the hands of the royal thai police

But then it seems government ministers did the same as the police with flood relief money, Why am i not surprised.

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by tingtongfarang

Plus ça change....

Shocking accusations! Can't possibly be true!

I wonder how much of the of the donations for the 2004 tsunami got snarfed as well.

People who left Phuket after the tsunami have talked about the people who were in the most desperate need got nothing while goverment officials and employees built themselves some very nice new homes, purchassed new cars and personal items that they were desperate for.

Love Chuwit. It'll be interesting to see if these implicated politicians ever get arrested?

They'll be moved to inactive posts, told to sit in the corner and told how naughty they have been, then strenuously told to never do that again.

Great work Chuwit and others, really refreshing to see news like this. Now wait for the names and the following lynch mob that will go after those politicians

+1

No doubt there will be several politicians and officials rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of how much they will be able to milk from funds allocated for whatever disasters strike in 2012.

hey thai people and lovers, half empty / full glas situation, at least they did not steal everything

Jonclark-Earthalien, the spelling was ok, 2 hats would have been as good.

I every operation, there will be about 0.1% left over.

just here were FULL stores which were not distributed when needed most.

A video made with a cell phone camera was brought in the middle of the flood by ASTV....

So:

1) not left over

2) not 0.1 %

3) well known and enough time to improve but nothing happened

4) No excuse for that.

hey thai people and lovers, half empty / full glas situation, at least they did not steal everything

...and then the remaining half of the glass got nicked....hey but i am still alive, who cares about the glass? and then the thief come back again and kill you because there is nothing left to steal and becomes upset....but nevermind, he's still alive isn'it ??? Love & Peace

i got a tricky riddle for all...

what's the difference between the thai politicians embezzling flood relief funds and the american red cross "helping" during the u.s. katrina hurriance disaster?

answer: the red cross is american.

maybe thailand is more honest in their dishonesty?

No doubt there will be several politicians and officials rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of how much they will be able to milk from funds allocated for whatever disasters strike in 2012.

How do you bleed a drought dry?

They'll try.

Profanities have been removed.

i got a tricky riddle for all...

what's the difference between the thai politicians embezzling flood relief funds and the american red cross "helping" during the u.s. katrina hurriance disaster?

answer: the red cross is american.

maybe thailand is more honest in their dishonesty?

Are you insuating that the Red Cross embezzled money during the Hurricane Katrina disaster? That sir is a moronic statement, and you are the person saying it, so what does that make you?

Edited May 4, 201214 yr by Farfetched

maybe thailand is more honest in their dishonesty?

Maybe they are really more honest, or maybe they are just not caring as the way "justice" is administered here should be well known even to foreigners by now...

Politicans in Thailand depend on several doors to hide behind. The first and maybe the most effective is the lack of anyone to sort out the individual by name. There are so many "Mr. big, Mr. Influential, Mr.Connected, Mr. Highranking, Mr. Unnamed, Mr. Immunity, etc, that the officials cannot sort out the ID to match the guilty party.

It is kind of like the war against drugs, we see a lot of mules/users being pointed at, we read about the officials taking credit for a job well done and all parties have recongizable photos and names. Its just the former group that seem to be teflon coated.