Observers sceptical about junta graft purge

Despite the passing of laws and introduction of regulations aimed at combating graft, observers were sceptical that they would work in reality.

At a symposium on the country’s democracy held at Rangsit University yesterday, Veera Somkwamkid, secretary general of Anti-Corruption People’s Network, said he felt the country’s anti-corruption agency was discriminatory.

He said that while cases involving the current regime were mostly dismissed, the National Anti-Corruption Commission dealt harshly with its political opponents.

Although the draft constitution which passed a referendum last month was dubbed “the anti-graft manifesto”, Veera said there still had been no serious investigation into conflict-of-interest allegations involving prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s brother.

General Preecha Chan-o-cha, who recently retired as permanent secretary of the Defence Ministry, was alleged to have appointed his son to a post in the Army despite not having a relevant degree. The general’s other son was recently criticised after winning Army construction deals worth more than Bt100 million.

Veera said he had lodged a petition with the commission to investigate Preecha’s order to appoint his son as a military officer, but the anti-graft agency rejected the case without asking him to testify.

The political observer said that such a practice made it difficult for the public to have faith in the regime’s pledge to combat corruption.

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which took power two years ago, promised to eradicate corruption before returning power to the people next year. 

The latest constitution draft that the junta sponsored laid out many rules to prevent corrupt politicians from entering politics as well as harsh measures against graft in the government sector.

However, the regime has also met with criticism for allegedly being involved with corruption. Besides the Preecha allegations, the army was rocked by the Rajabhakti Park scandals in which high-ranking military officers were said to have received commission fees from the park’s construction deal.

Meanwhile, Sangsit Piriyarangsan, dean of the Rangsit University’s Social Innovation College, said at the same symposium that the latest constitution draft could not combat corruption as claimed by the drafters. The scholar said the charter still left room for financiers to monopolise political power. It was the same as the 1997 and 2007 charters, which although admired for following democratic principles, did little to curb corruption, Sangsit said.