Graft probe sees 71 senior and local officials shifted
THE NATION



Article 44 used to move Permanent Secretary of Tourism, Chonsawat Asavahame, and NHSO's Winai

BANGKOK: -- WIELDING THE powerful Article 44 of the interim charter, the government yesterday ordered the transfer and suspension of 71 high-ranking civil servants and members of several local administrative bodies, including the Tourism Ministry permanent secretary to an inactive post and influential Samut Prakan figure Chonsawat Asvahame away from his long-standing stronghold.

Those affected include a number of deputy secretaries-general, public prosecutors and heads of tambon (TAO) and provincial administrative organisations (PAO), mayors, school and hospital directors, and one director-general, said Deputy Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, reading out the order published yesterday in the Royal Gazette at a press conference.

Sansern called on the public to believe in the government's intent to tackle corruption comprehensively, saying that the junta-established National Corruption Prevention Commission was set up to mean business.

He urged the public to supply information about corruption involving civil servants and politicians.

Among the high-profile transferees are Kamphaeng Phet Deputy Governor Chaiwat Phannara, Rangsan Maneelek, a deputy secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission, and Dr Winai Sawasdiworn, secretary-general of National Health Security Office, Pornchai Kowsurat, head of Ubon Ratchathani PAO, and Kwanchai Wongnitikorn, directorgeneral of Community Development Department, under the Interior Ministry.

Winai has been accused of a lack of transparency in his duties, which allegedly resulted in several government hospitals suffering huge losses.

Former Tourism Ministry permanent secretary Suwat Sithilaw, now a special adviser to the PM's Office Ministry, has reportedly been accused by the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission of benefiting from several sporting-equipment purchases. He had been included in a previous transfer, but because of an administrative issue he was not reshuffled.

The Office of the Auditor-General found that Chonsawat had subsidised an unusually large amount of money to sponsor a local temple in Samut Prakan. The action was scrutinised as a result of complaints from local residents.

The order divided the transferees in four categories: civil servants, TAO officials, PAO staff and mayors, and members of municipal assemblies.

Only the civil servants will continue to receive their salaries while investigations into the alleged wrongdoings are under way.

The mayors and members of municipal assemblies must not be reassigned to areas where they have previously been based, but are allowed to be sent elsewhere in the same province under a case-by-case consideration by provincial governors.

The transfers, made under Order 16/2015 of the military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order, gives special authority to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha or a minister of his choice to issue organic regulations to readjust conditions in the transfer order.

It is alleged that Suwat, the highest-ranking official being transferred, purchased sports equipment at above-market prices that is expected to cause damages of more than Bt3.2 billion and perhaps reach Bt5 billion.

Suwat was appointed permanent secretary during previous government to mainly to run sport events.

The Tourism Ministry has been dominated by the Chart Thai Pattana Party for more about a decade since being established.

Suwat was fired along with Patanachart Kridiborworn, director-general of the Department of Physical Education, Niwat Limsuknirun, deputy director-general of the same department, and Anupap Kasornsuwan, director general of the Tourism Department. The foursome have been investigated since last year after the military coup.

It is alleged that Patanachart, Niwat and Anupap were also involved in the scheme to purchase over-priced equipment for use nationwide.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Graft-probe-sees-71-senior-and-local-officials-shi-30263150.html

-- The Nation 2015-06-26

A few faces being lost here.

Im sorry Mr. P but suspensions and moving people to inactive posts is not tackling corruption. It is delaying or relocating the problem to another place or delaying it for the future to happen again. You may want to try arresting them and prosecuting them if you want to lay claim to tackling the problem

Wow, a former permanent secretary at the Tourism Ministry, so while inflating tourist arrival figures he was also inflating the figures in his bank account.

Transferred until it blows over, what BS. Jail them and confiscate their ill gotten gains if you want to "mean business". These crooks need stringing up because they do leach off the honest and hard working & they do it shamelessly and with absolute vigour

Its about time they knocked on the front door of Koh Samui Immigration office.

They got rid of a big man in Phuket. Let the cleaning begin, I say!

" the government yesterday ordered the transfer and suspension of 71 high-ranking civil servants and members"

Until and when headlines like the above will read instead of ' transfer, suspend, inactive post, will read

prosecuted, found guilty, shammed and stripped of rank and ill gotten wealth and imprisoned

for many years, corruption, greed and rort will continue to be a part of the Thai society, when

a would be rouge official will know that he stand to lose everything and go to jail, he might re conceder

his action, the way it is like now, what stops him/her from being on the take?

All bank accounts and all lands, businesses, and anything of value frozen. Thoroughly and independently investigate each and everyone of them and their family's, then send in a second team of investigators to be sure that ACCURATE info is given and no PAID blind eye's are turned.

Then the guilty publicly brought too justice, with all the finger pointing that they love here, the cop's with their look see me I'm doing my job photo op's

And full transparency as to the amounts that were stolen and returned to the people.

OOP'S my bad I was just thinking out loud again.

Musical chairs,if you are allegedly corrupt or failing to do your job,

you get moved,no wonder corruption is endemic here,no one has

to pay the ultimate price of a jail term,moving them is not a punishment

for anyone.it seems the majority of public officials are corrupt in one way

or another, but,you could count on one hand how many have been caught,

charged,taken to court,and ended up in jail.

regards Worgeordie

I wonder how many of these "corrupt" officials are being targeted because they are "red shirt" supporters. It's been quite obvious for over a year now that this military government is doing all they can to stamp out "red shirts" and their supporters.

Dear General, I like the idea behind what you are doing, but can you give it a rest with the musical chairs and inactive posts, they don't achieve anything (which is the point I guess) ... charge, prosecute and jail them if they've done something illegal, seize assets they've stolen, seize monies they've stolen ... they are not above the law (if that's what you are using as an excuse for all of this).

I wonder how many of these "corrupt" officials are being targeted because they are "red shirt" supporters. It's been quite obvious for over a year now that this military government is doing all they can to stamp out "red shirts" and their supporters.

Just the criminal element amongst them. Won't leave many though, will it?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Beaglefamily.png

Corruption to be tackle comprehensively? Khun Sansern, what about the Parliment clock system which the OAG detected for corruption or the high-tech microphone overprice. Perhaps more selective than comprehensive.

suspension with salary?

why not jailed? fined ? defrocked ? assets impounded ?

anyone unusual rich during their "office" ?

Im sorry Mr. P but suspensions and moving people to inactive posts is not tackling corruption. It is delaying or relocating the problem to another place or delaying it for the future to happen again. You may want to try arresting them and prosecuting them if you want to lay claim to tackling the problem

Maybe you missed the following:

"Only the civil servants will continue to receive their salaries while investigations into the alleged wrongdoings are under way."

They have to transfer and suspend. Everyone has so much dirt on everyone that noone can be prosecuted for fear of repraisal.

I recently became aware of this shift on a personal level. A "friend of a friend" situation, I saw a BiB who has been taken off of the graft because he was no longer part of the "cool kids club." He is now in financial ruin, selling all his possessions and suffering the banks repossessing cars because there is simply no way to live off his base salary. Now, my initial reaction was "Great, the government is taking on corruption!" Then I saw how this BiB was replaced immediately with new "friends of the current leaders" who are essentially taking over his graft.

its clear to me that the real issue is the high concentration of corruption areas results in toes getting trodden on. Were one to spread the corruption out, less toes would be trodden on, and more money could be made in other provinces.

what a clever plan -

or total inability to do anything even slightly resembling punative measures means incompetant justice system moves the buggers on to make space for upcoming corruptors/corrupted

suspension with salary?

why not jailed? fined ? defrocked ? assets impounded ?

anyone unusual rich during their "office" ?

The anti-corruption legislation in Hong Kong has a section covering civil servants in possession of wealth not commensurate with their official emoluments.

Imagine that here, not that such a law would ever see the light of day, with police and military officers, civil servants etc having to explain where all the assets came from ? Instead, as soon as the PM appointed his handpicked cronies, and having promised transparency in all govt business, he promptly made it clear that their assets were off limits and that's how it goes no matter who is in power.

Perhaps the punishment of being moved to new position is that might take a little time to figure who to put the squeeze on. Temporary dip of income.

If Organic Laws have been violated, why does Prayut have to resort to the unconstitutional Article 44 to isolate and investigate people?

Maybe because UNDER THE LAW there is insufficient cause for taking any action against suspects.

But Article 44 only requires a name to be placed on a list of suspects.

Suspects are held guilty until proven innocent.

Welcome to the Junta's Reform of Justice.

I wonder how many of these "corrupt" officials are being targeted because they are "red shirt" supporters. It's been quite obvious for over a year now that this military government is doing all they can to stamp out "red shirts" and their supporters.

Didn't take long for that xxxx to come out!!!

Ever thought that the lack of proper punishment is to ensure that the grafters don't blow the whistle on others?

If you're staring at financial ruin and 10 years in jail, you ain't got much to lose

That's why no one goes to jail

The old faces of corruption will soon be replaced with the new. The winners replacing

the losers. Different pile of poo but same smell.

Game of checkers anyone?

But you'll have to play red as its been yellows go since they got crowned last year.

Ever thought that the lack of proper punishment is to ensure that the grafters don't blow the whistle on others?

If you're staring at financial ruin and 10 years in jail, you ain't got much to lose

That's why no one goes to jail

+1. Post of the month...

Would just add that: if they started to blow the whistle, there would not be enough jail cells even if they released all the current inmates...

hope many foreign investor read this story !

With Thai Gvt officials you can make good business !

But dont forget - tea time is always much appreciated !!

A few more zeroes need to be added to that number to even START to make a credible effort.

I wonder how many of these "corrupt" officials are being targeted because they are "red shirt" supporters. It's been quite obvious for over a year now that this military government is doing all they can to stamp out "red shirts" and their supporters.

I wonder how many of these corrupt officials are "red shirt" supporters.