Thai Democrats Urge Yingluck To Investigate China Rice Deal

[webfact]

Democrats urge PM to investigate China rice deal

The Nation

Opposition keeps up the pressure on range of corruption allegations

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party yesterday urged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to investigate alleged irregularities in the government-to-government rice deal with China.

"If she's sincere about her vow to combat corruption, she must do it," Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said. Although Yingluck survived last month's no-confidence debate, the alleged graft in her government's rice dealings has continued to haunt her.

Opposition MPs have been digging deeper into this hot issue.

According to the Democrat Party, the Thai government is preparing to sell rice from the government's rice-pledging scheme in a manner that suspiciously will allow certain individuals and firms to reap huge profits at the expense of the state coffers. Democrat party-list MP Ongart Klampaiboon said he and other Democrats would today submit additional evidence of corruption in connection with the rice-pledging scheme.

Chavarong also urged the prime minister to launch a probe into allegations of corruption in the use of disaster-rehabilitation funds and suspected irregularities in the project to shore up agricultural produce.

Meanwhile, government agencies scored 6.6 out of 10 points on the transparency index - with work relating to public health, finance and science achieved highest scores, according the results of a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) survey released yesterday.

The survey, conducted for the 2011 fiscal year, found disclosure in procurement processes to be the weakest point in the transparency assessment, followed by public participation in government work, NACC member Vicha Mahakun said.

Three departments - Customs, Revenue and Provincial Administration - did not take part in the survey.

"The NACC survey was aimed at assessing the transparency of departments or equivalent units based on job performance in order to get a true picture of each department, overcoming bias created by public sentiment," Vicha said.

He called for agencies to step up disclosure on procurement projects in order to boost transparency. He also said several agencies appeared unwilling to rectify flawed procurement processes as recommended following audits.

The survey covered four areas - work strategy, work implementation, work assessment and compliance with the national strategy to root out corruption. The average score for work strategy was 6.8, while that for work implementation was 5.5. Work assessment scored 6.1 and anti-corruption compliance received a high score of 8.

Some 45 government agencies participated in the survey. The agencies were responsible for five work groups - public services, social affairs, justice and national security, economic affairs, and policy and academics. Key agencies included Land Transport, Provincial Roads, Irrigation, Highways, Harbour, Public Health, Royal Thai Police, Lands, Treasury, Excise, Science and Fiscal Policy.

The NACC will today organise a ceremony to recognise three agencies from the Public Health, Finance and Science ministries that received the highest scores on transparency.

-- The Nation 2012-12-03

[lujanit]

Quote Meanwhile, government agencies scored 6.6 out of 10 points on the transparency index - with work relating to public health, finance and science achieved highest scores, according the results of a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) survey released yesterday.

This is another one of those unfortunate translation errors. sip has been substituted for roi; honest mistake!

Quote Three departments - Customs, Revenue and Provincial Administration - did not take part in the survey.

No, no. I mean yes yes they did take part, it is very unfortunate that our excellent results were omitted by a clerical error

[waza]

Well the NACC is no longer independant, what do you expect. Corruption is the rule of law in aThailand

[fareastguy]

We can all guess the outcome of that investigation.. if it ever happened. would be something like this:

Yingluk

(Q) Has any one done anything corrupt ??

(A) No

Yingluk.. investigation carried out in a fair & transparent manner.. no corruption.

Next question.

[chainarong]

Like pouring water over a ducks back.

[saltandpepper]

Sooner or later the sh*t will hit the fan, and Thai people will eventually realise what is happening to this country.

[khunken]

But hasn't she the ace sleuth Chalerm to investigate corruption?

He'll no doubt sort it out in 3 or 6 or whatever months. However his 'sorting it out' means his mates are clean as a whistle & scapegoats found who coincidentally are from the other side.

[timewilltell]

Why am I not surprised the whole rice pledging scam is all about corruption. Said it when they started it and now here it is. Treason to steal from the treasury isn't it? This is the whole purpose of the government in Thailand - to get into power to steal from the country. And then they have the audacity to pass a defamation law so you can't say if you know they are doing it and also the audacity to prosecute people for lese majeste - their actions are far worse. Out with them all and off with their heads said the Queen in Alice In Wonderland!

[CantSpell]

Treason to steal from the treasury isn't it? This is the whole purpose of the government in Thailand - to get into power to steal from the country.

No no no...

This government is not stealing any money...

They are just employing all means necessary to give back to Mr T what has been "stolen" from him....

[Thai at Heart]

Meanwhile, government agencies scored 6.6 out of 10 points on the transparency index.

Three departments - Customs, Revenue and Provincial Administration - did not take part in the survey.

This has to be one of the funniest surveys of the year. So anyone know what the average would have been if these three paragons of clean dealing had taken the survey?

Back to the headline, are the Dems crazy. "Oh, yes please forward me all the evidence you've got so I can make sure I bury it so deep, you'll never find it."

[Tippaporn]

Corruption is the rule of law in Thailand

Corruption is the rule of law in the governments of most countries.

[maidu]

Do they need to beseech Yingluck to head the investigation? That's like asking the fox to find out why the raucus in the chicken coop.

Yingluck was told by her brother to implement the rice pledging scam and it's the same brother who is #1 in insisting on keeping it going. Are he and the Shinawatre clan and their friends profiting from it? If so, it certainly won't be Ms Yingluck who spills the beans. If anything, she should recuse herself from being involved and instead appoint an independent (ha ha) committee to investigate claims of impropriety.

[SOTIRIOS]

...when a government is 'out of control'....and does as it pleases...what are the chances that it will police itself......

[khaowong1]

Do the Dems really expect her to step up to the plate and say; Yes, it's a big scam and all the money is going into my brothers and friends and immediate families pockets.. get real. There isn't a government entity in Thailand that isn't controlled by the Shinawatra's that has the power to uncover this scam.