FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Graft-accused former school director takes another five days off after transfer

Graft-accused former school director takes another five days off after transfer

Somchao Sithichen, accused of lunch-budget graft in his former role as director of Ban Tha Mai School in Surat Thani’s Tha Chana district, has taken another five days off from his new workplace at the Surat Thani Primary Education Service Area Office 2 in Phun Phin district.

Office deputy director Jakkarin Apisamai said that Somchao, reported this morning to his new office job, submitted a request for another five days off as is his right, and then returned home immediately.
A video recently circulated on social media showing kindergarten pupils at Ban Tha Mai School eating only fermented rice noodles with fish sauce, a meal that does not meet required nutritional standards.
Somchao was then transferred out of the area on June 1 and took time off. He could not be reached for comments.
An initial fact-finding panel concluded that Somchao had seriously violated the civil service disciplinary code and recommended that the provincial education office dismiss him from service – either with or without pension. The panel initially found evidence of five areas of wrongdoing by Somchao: the insufficiently nutritious lunch meals for students, alleged graft linked to concrete road pavement within the school compound; selling soda pop to pupils at school, selling the school’s oil palms and allegedly pocketing the money, and alleged corruption linked to lamp poles within the school compound.
In a related development, Ban Tha Mai villagers said during a 100-strong meeting on Sunday that they were pleased to hear the provincial governor had apologised over the Surat Thani Dhamrongtham Centre’s recent statement about the Somchao case, which had also attached the list of names of villagers who filed complaints against Somchao.
The name list caused villagers to fear for their safety and some criticised the move as being inconsiderate. The governor apologized for the error and promised to launch a probe into the officials involved and to provide police protection to the plaintiffs, the villagers were told.

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