PACC board to be asked to form 24 panels to probe destitute’s fund cheats

The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) will ask its board at a meeting on Thursday to set up 24 investigative panels to probe alleged cheating of fund for the destitute in 24 centres for the destitute, said PACC secretary-general Lt-Col Kornthip Darote on Tuesday(Apr 3).

Acting on a tipoff that some outsiders were allegedly involved in the cheating scandal, he said the PACC, citing NCPO Order 69/2557, set up a special panel to look into this case which eventually led to the discovery of three high-ranking officials, one junior official and one retired official of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security of alleged involvement in the embezzlement of fund for the destitute.

The PACC secretary-general said he was awaiting an updated report from the Anti-Money Laundering Office about the money trails of the three high-ranking officials, adding that the information available matched with the information obtained by the ministry which was used as a basis to launch a disciplinary probe against the three senior officials.

Of all the 76 centres under investigation, he said that 56 of them were found to be tainted with corruption and 96 people were implicated. 19 investigative subcommittees have been formed to probe alleged corruption in 19 centres.