Over 800 probe teams to be formed to investigate rice pledging scam

[snoop1130]

Over 800 probe teams to be formed to investigate rice pledging scam

 

 

A total of 853 panels will have to be formed to investigate hundreds of officials in 33 provinces implicated in alleged corruption in connection with the Yingluck government’s rice pledging scheme, said Mr Prayong Preeyachit, secretary-general of the Government Sector’s Anti-Corruption Office, on Tuesday.

 

Hundreds of officials of the Public Warehouse Organization, the Marketing Organization for Farmers and the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives were implicated in 853 cases of alleged corruption.

 

Since each case will have to be handed by a separate panel, Mr Prayong said he would seek an approval from the GSACO’s board for the setting up of the 853 panels which must complete their probes in six months.

 

He said the separation of so many cases and so many probe panels would not cause a delay in the investigation as information was already available and could be shared among the panels.

 

Mr Prayong clarified that his office’s investigation mainly concerned field officials and private individuals such as millers whereas the investigation undertaken by the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor-General’s Office concerns policy-making officials and politicians.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/800-probe-teams-formed-investigate-rice-pledging-scam/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-10-04

[jamesbrock]

Wow, they're really milking this for all the graft they can get for themselves, aren't they?

[harada]

When history repeats itself again in a couple of years there will be 1500 panels investigating the 853 panels. 

[anon467848]

What are the expenses going to be for the 853 panels??? Probably run into 100's millions lol..... with the speed that Thai justice moves at, it will be another 20 years before all rice graft cases, persons are brought to justice... cash cow for all concerned, kerching.. 

[slapout]

Here I was thinking that goverment personel are picked for their position for their individual expertise and decision making skills. It must be quite a chore to suck on 2 or even more teats at the same time. I guess this is called team play by those directly involved.

[ChrisY1]

800 teams :))))............these guys have completely lost the plot........it's almost impossible for them to get 800 people working!

[halloween]

While we are at it, let us know who organised the secret commissions for G2G sales that netted family crony companies billions.

[halloween]

46 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

Wow, they're really milking this for all the graft they can get for themselves, aren't they?

Yes, it would be a shame for crimes like these to be investigated. The shocking waste of paying investigators will never come close to the amount stolen.

[HoboKay]

Is someone keeping tabs on how many committees, panels and teams is concurrently in action? A daunting task not for the feeble.

[anon467848]

Are another 100 panels going to be formed to validate the findings of the 853 panels? Jobs for the boys, they will get some mileage out of this gig...

Edited October 4, 2016 by merlin2002

[Brer Fox]

833 gravy trains. Many snouts but are there enough troughs? That is the big question.

[KMartinHandyman]

Obamas boy Rahm Imanuel said a few years back "you never let a serious crisis go to waste"
Someone here was listening.

[webfact]

RICE-PLEDGING SCANDAL

Paiboon seeking way to speed up rice cases

THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- JUSTICE Minister Paiboon Koom-chaya has called a meeting of agencies and prosecutors next week to discuss how to expedite hundreds of cases linked to the rice-pledging scandal. “I will try to speed up the legal process to file lawsuits against the wrongdoers,” he said yesterday.

 

Paiboon oversees the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (PACC), which is investigating 853 reports of irregularities in the rice-mortgaging scheme. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Paiboon-seeking-way-to-speed-up-rice-cases-30296897.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-10-05

[jerojero]

Are these the same teams that 2 years ago couldn't properly count the rice inventories?

[harada]

10 hours ago, HoboKay said:

Is someone keeping tabs on how many committees, panels and teams is concurrently in action? A daunting task not for the feeble.

I believe a parliamentary inquiry is to be set up to address this problem. 

[HoboKay]

1 minute ago, harada said:

I believe a parliamentary inquiry is to be set up to address this problem. 

 

How long of a deliberation would a cohort of feeble incompetence and possibly incontinence in a parliamentary setting take? 

[PatOngo]

With some creative management, the investigation will cost more than the original scheme.

[Thailand]

Are they still telling farmers not to plant so much rice as they still  have so much "rotten" rice they continue to sell?

 

The witch hunt to end all witch hunts that will no doubt come back to haunt them.

[NongKhaiKid]

853 panels but it doesn't say how many people will sit on each panel so it literally it could become the ' cast of thousands '.

Will they be allowed to hire family members as aides and advisors ?

[jamesbrock]

So, let me get this straight: we have the Government Sector’s Anti-Corruption Office (GSACO) setting up 853 panels to investigate 853 cases of alleged corruption mainly concerning field officials and private individuals such as millers.

 

While, concurrently, we have the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (PACC) investigating 853 reports of irregularities in the rice-mortgaging scheme concerning policy-making officials and politicians? Do they need 853 seperate investigation panels as well?

 

Are these two agencies investigating the same 853 cases twice? My head hurts at how stupidly inefficient, and, therefore, costly, this witch hunt is becoming.

[angmo]

What about the Abhisit government? They also ran this for a while and did not stop it so are they to be investigated too?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[maoro2013]

I thought this was all done and dusted.  They have Yingluck in court over this and still don't know the  details!!

 

Probably why YL will get off.

[greenchair]

Didn't I say in another thread, today news will have a big story about the rice scheme. This is the popular "let's avoid every scandal story "

Like my nephew got 155 million baht army contract for his company with capital of 145 million. 

Or 20 million baht for 38 official on a private jet, but we don't want to release names of "officials "

Or my brother hired his son for a great army job, that sidestepped recommended guidelines. 

Or for some reason Prayuth is a perfect angel and nobody ever has anything to say about him.

But but but the rice scheme. 

[greenchair]

22 minutes ago, angmo said:

What about the Abhisit government? They also ran this for a while and did not stop it so are they to be investigated too?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Abhisit start it. Aren't there other programmes like this to the rubber growers and also continuing subsidies for rice growers that  all continue to be full of corruption? ??

[AGareth2]

lol

throwing good money after bad

must be jealous 

[halloween]

2 minutes ago, greenchair said:

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Abhisit start it. Aren't there other programmes like this to the rubber growers and also continuing subsidies for rice growers that  all continue to be full of corruption? ??

You are wrong. Rice pledging emerged as a major scam during the Thaksin era, with the government paying excessive prices and then having companies owned by cronies sell the rice. the Democrat's scheme was price support, with all monies paid directly to farmers.

[Srikcir]

More importantly - will there be in the near future a Techniques for Investigating Crop Scams in Honolulu, Hawaii that will require all the committees to attend? Thai Airways charters are standing by.

[chainarong]

14 hours ago, HoboKay said:

Is someone keeping tabs on how many committees, panels and teams is concurrently in action? A daunting task not for the feeble.

30 are working on the sub purchase, 300 on the Chinese tanks , 400 on the new advanced fighter without engines and 2 cousins working on the aircraft carrier. .................................................

[chainarong]

There must be a job here for me somewhere.........................................

[jamesbrock]

3 hours ago, angmo said:

What about the Abhisit government? They also ran this for a while and did not stop it so are they to be investigated too?

 

2 hours ago, greenchair said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Abhisit start it. Aren't there other programmes like this to the rubber growers and also continuing subsidies for rice growers that  all continue to be full of corruption? ??

 

2 hours ago, halloween said:

You are wrong. Rice pledging emerged as a major scam during the Thaksin era, with the government paying excessive prices and then having companies owned by cronies sell the rice. the Democrat's scheme was price support, with all monies paid directly to farmers.

 

holloween is correct in that the Democrats' policy was to pay the farmers the difference between the market price and 11,000 baht per ton. They didn't buy the rice, store the rice or hold the rice, so there were no insurance companies, warehouse owners, millers or inspectors to be paid by—and rip off—the government, or to rip off the farmers. (Interestingly, the then army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters in 2012 that the government had asked the army to come up with storage space for stocks, which he duly did...)

 

This 11,000 baht per ton was 3-4000 baht above market rates, but was still not enough for the farmers who—in 2009—mounted national protests demanding the government increase the reference price from 10,000 to 14,000 baht, raise the quota from 25 to 40 tons per household. This is where Yingluck's core policy came from - the famers themselves, although she was offering 15,000 baht per ton.

 

The Democrats' policy cost 67 billion baht in direct payments to 4 million rice farmers in the 2010-2011 production year.

 

A Thailand Development Research Institute study that found for every Bt100 of the government's spending on the Pheu Thai scheme, only Bt17 reached the rice farmers.