Welfare probes ‘severe enough’: ministry

The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security said yesterday that severe disciplinary inquiries have been conducted into welfare directors facing allegations of embezzling state funds after an online watchdog criticised it for treading too lightly with suspects.

In Thailand probes can be conducted at different levels of severity. Probes that delve deeper and scour for more serious offences, considered a “severe” inquiry, can stain a civil servant’s record even if they are later found to be innocent.

Napa Settakorn, director-general of the Social Development and Welfare Department, said the ministry has launched a severe disciplinary inquiry into welfare centres in Khon Kaen, where 6.9 million baht is said to have been embezzled, and Chiang Mai. He said the results are due in late April and May.

The officials involved, including Khon Kaen welfare centre director Phuangphayom Chitkhom, were dismissed from the civil service in March.

A “lighter” probe will focus on Khon Kaen welfare officers like Ms Phuangphayom and two witnesses to her alleged graft to see what regulations were breached.

The latter order was criticised by the @ Watchdog.Act Facebook group for being overly lenient.

The probe into the provincial centres for the protection of the destitute comes after Mahasarakham University student Panida Yotpanya and three friends who worked as interns at the welfare centre in Khon Kaen lodged a complaint with the National Council for Peace and Order.

Ms Panida claimed the group were ordered by centre director Phuangphayom Chitkhom and other senior officials to fill in forms and sign receipts on behalf of 2,000 villagers worth a total of 6.9 million baht.

Meanwhile, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) secretary-general Korntip Daroj said the PACC will not interfere with the ministry’s probe.

However if the PACC comes to a different conclusion from the ministry, the wrongdoers will be punished as the PACC deems fit, he said.

Initial investigations have found irregularities in 56 of 77 welfare centres nationwide, and probing committees have been set up to look into 33 of the centres, he added.

He expects that any progress made by the investigations into the irregularities at the welfare centres, including the Education Ministry’s Sema Phatthana Chiwit Fund, will be taken to the PACC board next week.