OTEP's assets seized over corruption allegations

[webfact]

OTEP's assets seized over corruption allegations
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The assets of a company found to have done corrupt business deals with an Education Ministry commission will be seized once all previous contracts are revoked pending further criminal action by state investigation agencies, the ministry's permanent secretary Kamjorn Tatiyakavee said yesterday.

The assets and operation of the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel (OTEP), which is a partner of Billion Innovated Group Co Ltd, are being handled by the National Anti-Corruption Administration Centre as ordered by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, he added.

OTEP's assets will be placed in the ministry's security rooms and monitored on surveillance camera and security guards round the clock, Kamjorn said.

Initial scrutiny showed that there were irregularities in a number of contracts between Billion and OTEP, including a Bt2.1-billion solar-cell project in Phetchaburi province.

OTEP, along with its business organisation (OTEP Business Organisation), and Teachers' Council of Thailand (Khurusapa), are under fire as part of the government's crusade against corruption. A large number of senior ministry officials and members of the three bodies' boards have recently been transferred away pending investigation.

Referring to Prayut's order, Kamjorn said OTEP's new board has been instructed to cancel all contracts with Billion. He also said that the anti-graft agency had looked into both parties' previous deals and with the help of the Department of Special Investigation, the National Anti-Corruption Council and the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission will carry out further criminal investigations.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/OTEPs-assets-seized-over-corruption-allegations-30259582.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-08

[jerojero]

Are these same security guards who get paid a couple hundred baht per day? Watchful eyes become pockets full?

[Tatsujin]

For those that have said the PM has done nothing, achieved nothing in his tenure so far, I'd have to say there's a very large increase in these kinds of cases being investigated ... what the actual outcomes will be we'll have to wait and see ... but it does seem (at least on the surface) that they are "attempting" to crack down on (some of) the corruption here a lot more than previously, especially with regards to land titles etc ... and the net result of this won't be seen immediately.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'll start to take any of this anti-corruption crackdown seriously...when I actually read about someone being sentenced to jail...and actually serving their time.

Throughout all these different post-coup corruption cases, the only one I can think of thus far where anyone has actually be sentenced and jailed is the former head of the police CIB... But other than that???

Instead, it's transfers, and lists, and inactive posts, and "disciplined," etc etc. And even a few "impeached"s.... How about JAIL???