Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered authorities to look into the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) to ensure its funds are being spent to improve people's health and promote the well-being of the general public.
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Monday the premier's order for comprehensive checks on the foundation's expenditure do not mean corruption exists in its projects.
However, Gen Prayut's order followed the National Council for Peace and Order's (NCPO) audit panel report which found ThaiHealth's budget this year may not have been spent properly.
The report found that more than half of the foundation's funds went on financing political reform projects, election procedures and assessing the Thai political landscape, which were not related to health promotion.
The examination is to ensure ThaiHealth's funds are being spent effectively and prudently for the benefit of the people, Maj Gen Sansern added.
The fund's objectives are intended to improve people's health and promote well-being as well as support activities to enhance the quality of life, he said.
The Public Health Ministry is drafting guidelines for ThaiHealth to follow, Maj Gen Sansern said.
The government spokesman said the premier had assigned the Public Health Ministry to devise measures to tackle the problems and work in accordance with the government's policy to help ease people's health problems.
In similar comments, Gen Chatudom Tittasiri, chairman of the NCPO-appointed panel to look into suspicious spending of state funds, said the review does not mean the foundation's projects have been cancelled.
The examination is to ensure transparency while it is important to put in place spending guidelines for ThaiHealth, he said. The foundation receives its budget from "sin taxes" (taxes on alcohol and tobacco).
Gen Chatudom was speaking as he revealed the findings on the spending of funds under ThaiHealth.
The report on the agency's spending has been forwarded to Gen Prayut for scrutiny, he said.
Expenditure on more than 1,000 projects is being looked into, according to Gen Chatudom.
If any irregularities in spending are found, the premier would order the Justice Ministry to investigate the party which authorised the spending, Gen Chatudom said.
"We do not want to have an enemy. People won't benefit from the project if the funds were not spent effectively," he added.
Meanwhile, ThaiHealth manager Krissada Rueng-areerat said the foundation has implemented its projects in accordance with the objectives set out to promote the health of people across all age groups.
It has also succeeded in raising public awareness about the health risks posed by consuming alcohol and smoking tobacco, he added.
Every single project the foundation approved received prior screening by experts and specialists in respective fields. Even small projects were audited by two or three experts.
Projects worth more than 20 million baht had to be scrutinised by a special vetting committee.
Mr Krissada added that for projects already approved, there will be no budget cuts or suspensions.