PM's hollow words on graft; anti-corruption chief shifted to cover her party's crooks

But on the other hand, she defends the controversial transfer of Pol Colonel Dussadee Arayawuthi, secretary-general of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), just when he was investigating graft in Pheu Thai strongholds, including in state flood prevention projects in the Northeast, saying that as a deputy permanent secretary for justice, Dussadee would continue to oversee PACC operations.

Yingluck, you know better than I that as deputy permanent secretary, Dussadee wouldn’t have as much influence over investigations as if he were still PACC secretary-general, because he couldn’t interfere with the new chief executive officer’s prerogatives. And funny how the out-of-season transfer just happens to come when he’s sniffing around your backyard. You say that the PACC investigations will continue – but they’ll be under a new guy who will be very aware of what happens if he steps on the wrong toes.

Ma’am, I wish that I could believe you, but your acts speak so loudly that I cannot hear you. As John Mitchell said, “Watch what we do, not what we say”.

Burin Kantabutra