NACC launching panel to find corruption loopholes in digital wallet scheme

NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said the process of selecting specialists for the panel had begun.

The NACC announced the move after 99 academics and former central bank governors signed a petition urging the government to cancel the plan to hand out 10,000 baht to all Thais aged 16 and above via a Blockchain digital wallet.

Coalition leader Pheu Thai incorporated the scheme as a core policy of its election campaign.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to continue with the scheme despite opposition, saying it was needed to stimulate the economy.

NACC chief Niwatchai said the panel would analyse the scheme for flaws and potential corruption. He added that the anti-graft watchdog is empowered to initiate such probes without waiting for complaints, and suggest preventive measures for any project that is found susceptible to fraud or corruption.

The NACC will compile a list of arguments on the scheme while the panel will offer opinions on potential loopholes for corruption.

The opinions will then be sent to the Cabinet or the government agency in charge of the digital handout.

Niwatchai said the study would be similar to the NACC’s probe into the Yingluck Shinawatra government’s rice-pledging project. That probe saw the NACC list points of concern that went unheeded by the Yingluck government, which eventually led to corruption charges against Yingluck and some Cabinet members.

Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn warned that going ahead with the scheme would result in an NAAC graft probe against the Srettha government.

Posting on Facebook, Somchai said he was not against the handout but insisted the distribution of cash must be legal. He explained that the 2024 fiscal budget would not have cleared Parliament by the time Srettha plans to launch the digital handout on February 1. As such, the government would not be able to fund the project from the national budget.

The budget bill is normally enacted before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1 but was delayed this year by the election and formation of the new government. The first reading of the bill is scheduled in early January and the second and third readings in early April.

Somchai said it would be risky for the government to borrow money from state enterprises to finance the handout.

He added that the scheme would be checked by the NACC for transparency – especially in the selection of a private firm to manage its Blockchain system.

Somchai said the project was also open to abuse from recipients and shops collaborating to fake digital-money purchases with help from corrupt officials.