Destitute centre fraud found in 67 provinces

The PACC probes didn’t find evidence of, or witnesses to, wrongdoings at the centres in Sing Buri, Chacherngsao, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nonthaburi, Phrae, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, and Uttaradit, said PACC secretary-general Korntip Daroj.
The PACC, which has been investigating the allegations since February, issued a summary on Monday. Korntip said the PACC board had set up sub-committees to further investigate 43 of the 67 provincial centres. Setting up sub-panels to further probe the other 24 centres would be considered on Thursday, he said.
The PACC had previously passed on the names of 156 state officials and employees for the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to consider appropriate punishments, Korntip said. 
Another 33 names have since been sent to the ministry for consideration. This brings the total number of state officials and employees facing accusations to 189, Korntip said. Once all inquiries by PACC sub-panels were completed, that number might raise beyond 250 state officials and employees, he said. 
The wrongdoings at 67 centres were similar, and included taking villagers’ ID cards for “activities arranging” but actually using them to forge state documents to withdraw allowances that were later paid only partially to the villagers or not at all, he said. 
There was insufficient evidence that the wrongdoings were orchestrated by an organised group, he said. It was more like that the allegedly corrupt officials shared information about their wrongdoings, resulting in copycat behaviour by officials at other centres. 
From Tuesday, the PACC would proceed with “phase three” of its separate corruption probe against 28 self-help settlement centres, hilltribe development centres and co-op co-ordinating centres under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, involving damages worth Bt100 million. This is expected to be completed in 90 days, he added.