Former Thai Education Officials Tied To Corruption

[webfact]

Former education officials tied to corruption

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former education minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, a deputy minister and two senior education officials are accused of being involved in the purchase of overpriced school supplies, the Department of Special Investigation said yesterday.

Chinnaworn, former deputy minister Narissara Chawantanpipat, Jiang Wongsawassuriya of the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (Ovec) and Bamrung Aramrueng, director of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Technical College, are to report to the DSI on Thursday to acknowledge the negligence-of-duty charges, said DSI director Tharit Phengdit.

According to a DSI investigation, Chinnaworn appointed officials close to him to committees that handled the purchases of substandard school supplies at greatly inflated prices.

Items sold in one set at Bt1 million were purchased for Bt3 million with 19 sets sold to Ovec at Bt57 million - Bt38 million higher than the market price.

Substandard items bought through the Chinnaworn-appointed panels were supplied to two technical colleges, Tharit said.

Apart from the principal offence under Criminal Code Article 157, Tharit said the four officials had also violated regulations regarding bidding and purchases.

Former Ovec secretary-general Sasithara Pichaichannarong might be spared as a prosecution witness during a subsequent trial, after her cooperation in providing useful information, Tharit said. However, she still might face prosecution if the DSI detects any wrongdoing by her.

"The DSI is still probing the scandal to identify other people involved," Tharit said.

Chinnaworn, now serving as a Democrat MP, said he was not worried about the DSI probe and was confident that Narissara would clarify the matter either publicly or to the DSI, because she supervised Ovec during the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva.

However, an unnamed member of the House of Representatives anti-corruption committee said Chinnaworn should not escape responsibility because he submitted the purchases to the Cabinet for approval.

-- The Nation 2012-11-13

[MikeOboe57]

What's the point of becoming a minister when you can't make money from it?

Serving the country? My [expletive]!

[rkidlad]

Shock horror!

It's a cancer here. A cancer which people are too afraid to see the doctor about and begin to get cured.

[Mitker]

There is a day for clearing garbage from the diving sites

There is a day for removing the rubbish from the beaches

They even try to eliminate spatial waste in orbit

When will there be a day for getting rid of rotten stuff on earth?

[Thai at Heart]

Sets of what?

Must be training day again at the nation

[jaltsc]

Well someone needs to set an example so those with money and power can bribe school officials to give their children good grades. Just ask the PM how she received top grades in her English classes...But don't ask her in English. It would be impossible to understand her answer.

[asiawatcher]

Simply another example of how corrupt these people are, and at the expense of education of future generations. Great message to send... Idiots. Throw the book at them all.

[fareastguy]

It's endemic in Thailand, the scale of which is so high that I believe it will never be solved.

From the lowest levels to the highest reaches of society corruption is prevalent. The reason for corruption at the bottom of the ladder I can understand, with poor salaries & working parents it's a means of daily survival, however at the top it's just greed, pure & utter greed !!

I'm not saying anyone is more or less guilty than anyone else, I'm not saying it's restricted to government officials either. At all levels, within all businesses small & large it is the Thai way of life. From the smallest of Pop & Mum's shops to the largest of organisations it is rife.

And as we all know within the corridors of power lurks the cancer that is killing Thailand.

From the very highest levels corruption is not only practiced it is almost encouraged, on a scale that if really known would rock the foundations,

From a young age children learn that corruption is a way of life, desensitised all their lives it is witnessed, practiced & tolerated on a daily basis and seen as being the norm.

Therefore with this level of exceptance coupled to a blind eye it will prevail & fester.

No one in Thailand has the will to even go down the road of curing this disease, it is too beneficial for so many that it will always exist in some form.

There is maybe only one way to start to solve this rot within the country & I think that it is a word from the only man, the one true leader this country has ever seen who has shown an exemplary way of life & that is the king himself.

If only he could summon the strength & will to hold an audience with those in powerful places & let it be known that enough is enough & no more will he sit still & watch his beloved country dragged into the gutter by self indulgence on a scale that is obscene.

Then maybe people will reflect on the countries current political & social path to self destruction & do something before it is all too late.

[noitom]

Criminal code this, criminal code that. How about hit and run Thai cop killers? Where's the follow up and priority?

[belg]

djees, no need to wonder why there is no education standard in this country

look at the smile on his face... he will just buy out his way out of this, like every other corrupted hiso wannabee

[clockman]

Yet again practising true buddhist tenents!

[TackyToo]

I'm getting tired reading about the only unique culture in this country!

Regarding the word "unique" - I almost forgot the quote of one of the officials saying: there was no corruption in Thailand before the Chinese migrated here...

[sprq]

If you ever wondered why the Thai public education system is so bad and why it never improves, the main answer is here: the kind of people who run it.

[drdoom6996]

Oh wow corrupt educators, YA THINK?.

[h90]

I think it would be news if one politician is not corrupt.

[YourMomma]

Shocking - absolutely shocking. My boss (Dean of a well know, quality faculty at one of the top unis and an honest decent guy) was actually offered the job of Minister of Ed last month by the Man from Dubai. He turned it down (gracefully), telling me "There is no point, you can't change anything with a job like that, so no use in trying".

[catmac]

Well someone needs to set an example so those with money and power can bribe school officials to give their children good grades. Just ask the PM how she received top grades in her English classes...But don't ask her in English. It would be impossible to understand her answer.

Strange, I thought those involved in this particular scam were Democrats. Still, for those of you who believe that Abhisit and his bunch of poodles were so squeky clean, I suppose you have to try to drag the present PM into it in the hope that you can shift the blame a bit!

[Baerboxer]

Just look at the ratio of actual cost to inflated price. Pure greed and couldn't care less about the consequences. Whole system rotten to the coare. Many countries have had to face up to corruption and more must. It still happens everywhere but most countries want to fight against it - here, there is no appetite to change.

[culicine]

Simply another example of how corrupt these people are, and at the expense of education of future generations. Great message to send... Idiots. Throw the book at them all.

Let's not stop there..how about investigating current officials for similar crimes. This is endemic and not attached to any particular party - different pigs, same trough...

[culicine]

Well someone needs to set an example so those with money and power can bribe school officials to give their children good grades. Just ask the PM how she received top grades in her English classes...But don't ask her in English. It would be impossible to understand her answer.

Strange, I thought those involved in this particular scam were Democrats. Still, for those of you who believe that Abhisit and his bunch of poodles were so squeky clean, I suppose you have to try to drag the present PM into it in the hope that you can shift the blame a bit!

No one ever said the dems were squeaky clean... an impossible dream in this country.

[ramrod711]

Well someone needs to set an example so those with money and power can bribe school officials to give their children good grades. Just ask the PM how she received top grades in her English classes...But don't ask her in English. It would be impossible to understand her answer.

Strange, I thought those involved in this particular scam were Democrats. Still, for those of you who believe that Abhisit and his bunch of poodles were so squeky clean, I suppose you have to try to drag the present PM into it in the hope that you can shift the blame a bit!

I certainly hope that you aren't suggesting that the current government is "squeaky clean"

[HerbalEd]

It's endemic in Thailand, the scale of which is so high that I believe it will never be solved.

From the lowest levels to the highest reaches of society corruption is prevalent. The reason for corruption at the bottom of the ladder I can understand, with poor salaries & working parents it's a means of daily survival, however at the top it's just greed, pure & utter greed !!

I'm not saying anyone is more or less guilty than anyone else, I'm not saying it's restricted to government officials either. At all levels, within all businesses small & large it is the Thai way of life. From the smallest of Pop & Mum's shops to the largest of organisations it is rife.

And as we all know within the corridors of power lurks the cancer that is killing Thailand.

From the very highest levels corruption is not only practiced it is almost encouraged, on a scale that if really known would rock the foundations,

From a young age children learn that corruption is a way of life, desensitised all their lives it is witnessed, practiced & tolerated on a daily basis and seen as being the norm.

Therefore with this level of exceptance coupled to a blind eye it will prevail & fester.

No one in Thailand has the will to even go down the road of curing this disease, it is too beneficial for so many that it will always exist in some form.

There is maybe only one way to start to solve this rot within the country & I think that it is a word from the only man, the one true leader this country has ever seen who has shown an exemplary way of life & that is the king himself.

If only he could summon the strength & will to hold an audience with those in powerful places & let it be known that enough is enough & no more will he sit still & watch his beloved country dragged into the gutter by self indulgence on a scale that is obscene.

Then maybe people will reflect on the countries current political & social path to self destruction & do something before it is all too late.

While I agree with what you say, I still have a ray of hope engendered by the many wonderful people I find throughout Thailand ... e.g., the sweet Thai food vendor or taxi drives who points out that I've mistakenly given them a 1000-baht note instead of the intended 100-baht; the clerk that runs to give me my forgotten change, etc. They too are frustrated and shamed by the terrible corruption in their homeland. Edited November 13, 2012 by HerbalEd

[TheSalayaKid]

Shocking - absolutely shocking. My boss (Dean of a well know, quality faculty at one of the top unis and an honest decent guy) was actually offered the job of Minister of Ed last month by the Man from Dubai. He turned it down (gracefully), telling me "There is no point, you can't change anything with a job like that, so no use in trying".

My boss told me the same thing - what are the odds?

[OzMick]

The purchase price of nearly a million tablets and very close to the individual retail price leads me to think little has changed in the interim.

Government officers (including elected) are entrusted to work for the people of this country, so why shouldn't the penalties for corruption match the treachery of their theft. Death penalty for theft of over a million baht, with limited appeals and no bail might be a step forward, if you could find an MP willing (and sufficiently clean) to support it.

[Colabamumbai]

The country is nice, the people are corrupt. I get sick of listening to it and reading about it everyday.

And please don't tell me if I don't like it I can leave.....yes I know I can.

[osiboy]

i hope they ALL get some monkey house time ,10 yr min, even the secretary who informed on them should do a couple of years, ..........send out a message to all these pigs that are ruining thailands future ,.... talk about taking candy from a baby ,..........<Snip!> low lifes !

Edited November 13, 2012 by metisdead

[silent]

Shock horror!

It's a cancer here. A cancer which people are too afraid to see the doctor about and begin to get cured.

Certainly is, but at least it's more evident and doesn't cost near as much to try and irradicate a tumor here.

[jaltsc]

Well someone needs to set an example so those with money and power can bribe school officials to give their children good grades. Just ask the PM how she received top grades in her English classes...But don't ask her in English. It would be impossible to understand her answer.

Strange, I thought those involved in this particular scam were Democrats. Still, for those of you who believe that Abhisit and his bunch of poodles were so squeky clean, I suppose you have to try to drag the present PM into it in the hope that you can shift the blame a bit!

I certainly hope that you aren't suggesting that the current government is "squeaky clean"

As they say: "They might be crooks, but they are our crooks" Edited November 13, 2012 by jaltsc

[EarthAlien]

Former education officials tied to corruption

I was shocked and horrified to read that headline,.. and just when I thought that things were really set to change in Thailand!

What about a newer style of headline,.....

"Former Democratic PM gets ousted for being too straight and honest"

[rubl]

Thai politicians! A bounty should be put on them, all of them!

The 2012 fiscal year saw a THB 420 billion budget for the Ministry of Education. About 18.5% of the National budget and the single largest chunk out of it. So, how satisfied are Thai with the really great, efficient way the MoE budget gets translated in superior educational standards and results ?