NACC chief wants high-ranking tax officials, police to declare their assets
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is planning to propose an amendment to the current law that requires high-ranking government officials to report their assets and liabilities before taking office, to include those from agencies with high risk of corruption as well.
These high-risk agencies include the Revenue Department, Excise Department, and Royal Thai Police, NACC president Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said on Friday, adding that the move would further help ensure transparency in government administration as well as law enforcement.
Watcharapol was speaking at a seminar to raise understanding of legislative officials in submitting asset reports, hosted by King Prajadhipok's Institute in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Senate and NACC.
Watcharapol pointed out that the current law requires holders of political positions, judiciary officials, and high ranking government officials to report their assets and liabilities, as well as of their spouse and children not yet of legal age to the NACC before taking the office.
“Submitting asset lists is one of the measures to screen position holders and prevent them from using their position and power for corruption,” he said. “After inspection, the NACC will publish the lists for the public, allowing them to help look for irregularities, thus effectively making everyone a potential whistleblower.”
Watcharapol added that with the expansion in the scope of the law, the NACC would ensure that it assigns enough personnel to investigate the submitted asset lists to ensure transparency in all processes.
During the seminar, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the Senate, urged lawmakers to cooperate with the NACC in submitting asset and liability reports as required by the law.
“Revealing one’s assets to the public is not only a duty. It’s also a show of sincerity and good faith that one will not use the position or powers for one’s own profit,” he said.
He warned that not submitting the report or falsifying it could result in serious legal action in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Case Division for Persons Holding Political Positions.
