NBO deputy chief facing probe transferred
THE SCANDAL-HIT deputy director of the National Buddhism Office (NBO) has now been transferred out of her post to facilitate ongoing probes against her.
Pranom Kongpikul is accused of embezzling funds that the NBO allocated for temple renovations. Several monasteries allege that she and some other NBO officials had asked that portions of project funds be returned, claiming that these portions would be used to help other religious sites.
In the wake of the scandal, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha signed an order to transfer Pranom to the Office of the Civil Service Commission.
“Her transfer takes place to facilitate the work of two fact-finding committees established by the NBO,” PM’s Office Minister Ormsin Chivapruck said yesterday.
If found guilty, Pranom will face both disciplinary and legal actions.
Pranom will reach her mandatory retirement age at the end of September.
“We are also investigating other accused officials,” Ormsin said. He added that temples had provided good cooperation to investigators.
In a related development, Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana disclosed that he had already assigned the Anti-Corruption Centre to discuss with the National Police Office’s Counter Corruption Division and the NBO how it can help facilitate their investigations.