Senior Officials Implicated in Theft of Welfare Funds Face Transfer – “Not Dismissal”

BANGKOK – About 20 middle-ranking officials of the Department of Social Development and Welfare will face transfer this month as the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission has discovered that up to 89 percent of the 109 million baht fund for the destitute for 2017 fiscal year were embezzled by corrupt officials.

The department chief Mrs Napa Setthakorn said that the planned mass transfer stemmed from the PAAC’s investigation which has implicated the 20 officials of alleged involvement in the cheats, adding that the PAAC’s investigation outcome matches with that undertaken by the department.

PACC secretary-general Lt-Col Korntip Daroj said its investigation found irregularities concerning the fund disbursement in centres for the destitute in 56 provinces.

He said that only 11 percent of the 109 million baht fund allocated for 2017 fiscal year actually reached the poor and the destitute while the bulk of the fund was stolen.

Of the 56 centres where irregularities were uncovered, PACC has agreed to conduct further investigation into 33 centres.

Besides the centres for the destitute, PACC has also found out that about 80 percent of the 135 million baht fund allocated for eight self-help cooperatives were believed to be embezzled.

Source: Thai PBS