Thread: Theft by officials in aid for poor scheme widespread

BUENG KAN – Korntip Daroj, acting secretary-general of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), has reported that embezzlement of financial aid intended for the destitute has been uncovered as graft busters expand their investigation in rural provinces, and the corruption appears to be well organized.


He said checks on a protection centre for the poor in Ban Tha Sa-ard village of Seka district in Bueng Kan province found that most of the people recorded as aid recipients did not even know they were on the list.


He quoted villagers as saying they had filed copies of their ID cards to register for local career training, and had no idea their documents were abused for purposes of embezzling funds.


“There were skillfully written signatures of elderly people who actually cannot write. There is a list of 36 recipients, but only four of them actually receive the 3,000 baht each,” Lt Col Korntip said, referring to the monthly payment due to registered poor.


He said about 2,400 destitute people were officially entitled to the financial assistance in Bung Kan. They were poor or HIV-infected people. Most HIV patients received the aid.


The same fraudulent practices had been uncovered at local welfare centres elsewhere in the Northeast, Lt Col Korntip said.


There was evidence of the same corruption in Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Bung Kan, Nong Khai and Surat Thani provinces. Evidence was still being gathered in many more provinces in the various regions.


PACC member Pol Gen Jaramporn Suramanee said in Surat Thani on Monday that destitute people had been ordered to sign empty pieces of paper to show they received financial aid. Some received some of the money, and others received nothing, he said.


Each case of fraud involved 3-5 culprits, and the method of embezzlement was the same when it came to paperwork, document filing and distribution of money, he said.


“The PACC will find out from the evidence if this involves any senior executive at the Ministry (of Social Development and Human Security). At the least, it is obvious that such wrongful conduct damages the national welfare system,” Pol Gen Jaramporn said.


Those responsible faced criminal and disciplinary charges relating to malfeasance, embezzlement, document forgery and confirmation of forged documents, he said.


The scandal came to light after Panida Yotpanya, 22, a social science student at Maha Sarakham University, and three friends working as interns at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute lodged a complaint with the National Council for Peace and Order.


The students, who attended job training there last year, said they were ordered by the centre’s director and senior officials to fill in forms and sign receipts for 2,000 villagers, for payments worth nearly 7 million baht.


Bangkok Post

“There were skillfully written signatures of elderly people who actually cannot write."

Fredwiggie where are you now?
Maybe this belongs in famous quotes, Bantongboy beware.

It's a wonder these people who steal from the poor and elderly can sleep at night.

Originally Posted by misskit

It's a wonder these people who steal from the poor and elderly can sleep at night.

We would think that way.
But some people in Thailand who hold positions in government do not think twice about people of lower status. It's the way of the world to them. The natural hierarchy. They are above frogs, dogs, and peasants. In turn, they're obsequious to the hiso's of even higher status.

(And I say "some people" above to be conservative).

^ As a Thai friend of mine says, "Oh, they can sleep. They can sleep very well!"

Originally Posted by misskit

It's a wonder these people who steal from the poor and elderly can sleep at night.

Simply preserving a Thai tradition, I'm sure they sleep very well.

The scandal came to light after Panida Yotpanya, 22, a social science student at Maha Sarakham University, and three friends working as interns at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute lodged a complaint with the National Council for Peace and Order.

The students, who attended job training there last year, said they were ordered by the centre’s director and senior officials to fill in forms and sign receipts for 2,000 villagers, for payments worth nearly 7 million baht.

One hopes they have the appropriate personal protection. Someone will want payback.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Someone will want payback.

probably the ministry of thai culture .....

Originally Posted by baldrick

probably the ministry of thai culture .....

Well it's definitely the culture, you're not wrong there....

PACC visits Beung Kan to investigate destitute fund embezzlement

BUENG KAN, 20 February 2018 (NNT) – Officials from the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) visited Thailand's northeastern province of Beung Kan to investigate the alleged embezzlement of state funds intended for the destitute.

The acting Secretary-General of the PACC, Korntip Daroj, and his entourage on Monday (February 19th) visited the protection centre for the poor in Ban Tha Sa-ard village of Seka district, Bueng Kan province.

Mr. Korntip said evidence suggests that state officials in at least five provinces, namely Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Beung Kan, Nong Khai, and Surat Thai, may have embezzled state funds intended for the destitute.

The PACC plans to investigate at least 37 out of 70 centers for the destitute across Thailand before the end of this May. The commission has already set up 15 teams to investigate these centers.

National News Bureau Of Thailand | PACC visits Beung Kan to investigate destitute fund embezzlement

Harry called this one right.


Protection for Welfare Fund Whistle-Blowers


KHON KAEN – The Public Sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) has praised a university student and a former employee of a welfare centre for low-income earners in Khon Kaen for exposing corruption at the centre and provided protection for them.

Lt Col Korntip Daroj, acting secretary-general of the PACC, on Tuesday presented certificates to honour Panida Yospanda, a student at Maha Sarakham University’s humanities and social science faculty, and Natthakarn Muenphol, a former employee of Khon Kaen welfare centre, for their roles in exposing alleged falsification of receipts for reimbursement at the centre.

MORE https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gen...whistleblowers

Former Social Development Minister denies neglect of duty

BANGKOK, 23rd February 2018 (NNT) – Pol Gen Adul Saengsinghkaew has assured the public that he did not neglect allegations of malfeasance within the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security pertaining to its welfare program, during his time as minister.

Current Minister of Labor, Pol Gen Adul Saengsinghkaew has responded to claims that during his time as Minister of Social Development and Human Security he failed to act on a report by the Office of the Ombudsman indicating irregularities in payments made through the office’s welfare scheme.

Pol Gen Adul acknowledged that the report was forwarded to him twice, in early and late August 2017, but explained that the one page document only outlined suspicions of minor graft with no further details or identification of suspects. He said the document resembled frequently received complaints and said that he forwarded it to his Permanent Secretary at the time, Maitree Intusut, who carried out a seven day fact-finding mission, which uncovered corrupt officials and resulted in punishments being meted out in October 2017.

On Director of the Social Development and Welfare Department Putipat Lertchaosit, being implicated in the matter but still being made a Permanent Secretary, Pol Gen Adul explained that the promotion took place in July, well before any reports of misconduct were made and that the decision was appropriate at the time. The minister stated he is confident that he worked with transparency and without neglect.

National News Bureau Of Thailand | Former Social Development Minister denies neglect of duty

Corruption probe expands to cover all provinces in Upper North



The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) is now expanding corruption probe to cover all eight provinces in Upper North after earlier probes in Chiang Mai and Nan gained strong grounds of corruption by local authorities of the centres for the protection of the destitutes.


PACC Region 5 director Krisana Krasaevej said random checks of the destitute people in Chiang Mai and Nan provinces by his officials initially gained grounds of irregularities by local authorities.


He said PACC officials spent over two weeks in making random survey of destitute people in Chiang Mai and Nan. Some destitute people asked by the PACC officials said they were visited by social welfare workers and asked for photo copies of their ID cards with claim that they would used to reimburse funds for them.


He said evidences collected now were substantial to indict these officials for corruption.


The irregularities were categorised into four groups, he said.


The first group comprised destitute people whose signatures were forged in the cash receipts as recipient of the fund, but they didn’t receive any money.


The second group comprised destitute people who had proper documentation but received partial payment from the fund.


The third group comprised destitute people whose documents and signatures were forged and received partial payments from the fund.


The last group comprised those who received full payment, but checks found they were not qualified to receive the fund for the destitute.


Beginning next week, Mr Krisana said the PACC officials would expand investigation to cover all the remaining six provinces in the Upper North region including Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Phrae, and Mae Hong Son.


A source said Nan Protection Centre for the Destitute was allocated 1.3 milllion baht budget to distribute to destitute people in the province, including the poor, the handicapped, and AIDS patients, while Chiang Mai Protection Centre for the Desitute was allocated over 10 million last year.


There were around 1,000 destitute people qualified to receive the aid money in Chiang Mai. Of this number, 500 were in Fang district alone and this was suspicious, according to the source.

Corruption probe expands to cover all provinces in Upper North - Thai PBS English News

As this trick looks widespread why not check the issue nationwide? That doesn't require much investigation work...

Originally Posted by misskit

It's a wonder these people who steal from the poor and elderly can sleep at night.

Have they no shame or even a moral mindful compass.

Khon Kaen honors young whistleblowers for exposing welfare fraud scam

KHON KAEN, 3 March 2018 (NNT) – Khon Kaen Chamber of Commerce has given honorable certificates to young whistleblowers who have exposed a fraudulent scam preying on a low-income welfare fund.

Provincial Governor of Khon Kaen Somsak Jungtraku and Khon Kaen Chamber of Commerce President Khemchart Somjaiwong delivered a certificate and scholarship to Panida "Bam" Yotpanya, a student at Mahasarakham University, and Nattakarn "Games" Muenpon, a former staffer at Khon Kaen shelter for persons in need, who exposed the alleged fraud involving the fund for underprivileged persons and HIV patients.

The exposure led to investigation into Khon Kaen shelter and others across the country where similar fraudulent scams had been alleged.

Panida Yotpanya said she appreciated the moral support and that those were the highest gift which she and her family have received. She said her action was meant to protect what was right, and she fought for the underprivileged persons, and that she hoped to become a good community development worker in the future.


National News Bureau Of Thailand | Khon Kaen honors young whistleblowers for exposing welfare fraud scam

PACC to probe all provinces for graft in the welfare program

BANGKOK, 8 March 2018 (NNT) – Thailand's Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) is to establish committees to look into five more provinces where corruption is suspected of taking place in the welfare program with an aim to complete probes of all provinces within May this year.

PACC Secretary-General, Lt Col Kornthip Daroj, revealed that evidence has been found indicating state officials, unrelated to centers for the destitute providing welfare to impoverished AIDS sufferers, engaged in graft by using the identities of unqualified individuals to apply for the assistance funds. However, individuals are yet to be named and investigations are ongoing.

The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is to provide all information to the PACC so that it may expose the guilty parties. The data is to be given to committees established to deal with the matter.

Five more committees for the provinces of Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Trat, Nan and Surat Thani are to be setup today with several more to follow. So far, 37 provinces have been assigned probe committees with 24 confirmed to have experienced corruption. All centers for the destitute across the country are to be investigated by May this year.


National News Bureau Of Thailand | PACC to probe all provinces for graft in the welfare program

Video footage ‘implicates school director’

Locals told to lie over destitute fund payments

A VIDEO CLIP showing a school director lobbying local people to tell lies in an apparent bid to protect the allegedly corrupt chief of the Nakhon Phanom Protection Centre for the Destitute has been handed over to anti-graft officials.


The clip, now in the hands of the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), confirms initial reports that officials outside the Social Development and Human Security Ministry were also implicated in the alleged embezzlement of the ministry’s funds for the underprivileged.


“Our key witness says the lobbying took place on February 27, just before our team arrived at the province to gather information directly from the people,” Korntip Daroj, acting secretary-general of the PACC, said yesterday.

He said the witness revealed that the school director had told locals to sign a receipt as well as a certified copy of their national identification card claiming that their old documents were no longer valid for reimbursement. Locals were paid between Bt50 and Bt100 each as compensation when they met the school director.



“The locals were asked to lie and to insist to the PACC team that they had already received money from the centre,” Korntip revealed.


The PACC has started investigating provincial protection centres for the destitute across the country after Mahasarakham University student Panida Yotpanya, who worked as a trainee at the Khon Kaen Protection Centre for the Destitute, blew the whistle about alleged irregularities there.


The ongoing probe has now covered provincial centres that received budgets of more than Bt1-million for the poor. Officials said irregularities had already been detected in nearly 30 provinces, including Nakhon Phanom. The PACC team gathered information in Nakhon Phanom from Monday to Thursday.


The team found that many people had never received any financial assistance from the Nakhon Phanom Protection Centre for the Destitute but their names and documents were used for reimbursement.


Many other people revealed to the team that they were paid Bt1,000 in the middle of last month, after investigations had already begun into alleged corruption in disbursement of the fund for the destitute.


According to the team, they were also told by local leaders that they should tell the PACC they had received money on the date appearing on the receipt.


“The team also reported that some locals were in fact paid just Bt50 to Bt100 each to sign the documents. But records at the centre show they received more than Bt5,000 from the centre,” Korntip said.


He said the centre’s implicated officials would not be able to evade legal punishment, even if they arranged retroactive payments.


“Their alleged actions constitute offences, which are punishable with minimum life imprisonment,” Korntip said.


He vowed to investigate further to nail down those engaged in the corruption.


“At present, several people are still reluctant to speak up about the alleged corruption because they are worried about conflicts with local officials,” Korntip said.


In Trang province, two more volunteers for social development and human security came forward yesterday to lodge a complaint with police that their names were illegally used to claim welfare assistance of Bt2,000 while they had received just Bt500 as wage to conduct a survey on the poor.


Video footage ?implicates school director?

It took them 15+ days to figure out that this corruption may be widespread...they are either dumb or eager to give the culprits some time to cover up their deeds...

Aid for the rich is seldom challenged, tiz karma

‘New kind’ of corruption feared

Warning sounded as nationwide scandal at destitute centres implicates dozens

THE RECENT corruption scandal involving state-run protection centres for the destitute has revealed a worrying form of graft that is much harder to investigate, an anti-corruption watchdog has said.


This was because the alleged corruption – where money meant for the poor was allegedly diverted to state officials – occurred in many regions, and there were many potential suspects and witnesses, said Mana Nimitmongkol, secretary general of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand.


“A gigantic number of files for investigation are in the hands of junior officials across the country,” he said. “Information used to back the investigation will also have to come from grassroots people. How many of them will dare to speak up?”






MORE ?New kind? of corruption feared

Originally Posted by tomcat

why prosecutions of well-connected officials or the wealthy take months, years, decades while a mushroom picker in a protected forest has his case wrapped up in days

Cuz one can afford a lawyer. The other admits to his wrong doing because he can't afford one.

Stealing from the Poor to give to the Rich- a very Thai style Robbing Hood. I think (except for the minister in charge) these dudes are not military- so maybe some concrete action might follow. This one will be interesting to follow, along with black panther soupman.

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Have they no shame or even a moral mindful compass.

A foreigner's thinking whom places so much importance on materials. In truth these can be anyone's and morality is an illusory.



^How was that?