The junta has ordered the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to rid the armed forces of corruption.
“Even soldiers like myself are required to abide by this [anti-corruption] law. The NCPO has ordered the PACC to inspect weapons procurement projects as well,” said assistant army chief Phaiboon Khumchaya, who oversees legal and judicial affairs for the junta. “No exceptions are made as soldiers are civil servants, too.
“People who have not done anything wrong need not panic,” he added after a meeting with the PACC.
At the meeting yesterday, the PACC was told to implement measures to prevent and tackle corruption in state agencies.
Citing the national economic and social development plan, Gen Phaiboon said Thailand has set out to obtain a score of at least 50 out of a total score of 100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index.
The index is calculated by Transparency International and announced annually.
Last year’s report, conducted by international anti-corruption organisations, gave Thailand an overall score of 35.
This placed it at 102 out of 177 member countries after being ranked at 88 in the previous report.
If measures employed previously to fight corruption in the public sector were insufficient to curb the problem, tougher measures would be necessary, said Gen Phaiboon.
All state agencies are now required to accelerate spending pending corruption-related probes, he said.
Every state agency is required to follow anti-corruption laws enforced in the public sector, and publicise the prices in every procurement project that costs 100,000 baht or more, he said.
As well as state agencies, state enterprises and local administration organisations will face tougher corruption inspections by the PACC, said Gen Phaiboon.
Less than half of 8,000 corruption cases lodged with the PACC are being investigated, he said.
Meanwhile, Jare Phanprueang, deputy secretary-general of the House of Representatives, in his capacity as acting secretary-general of the House, said yesterday he had ordered a panel to probe all procurement projects undertaken by the lower House which are suspected of lacking transparency.
He insisted, however, that no particular project has been singled out.
Mr Jare said no time frame has been set for the panel to complete its work because he wanted it to take as much time as it needs.
If the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) rules that any civil servants of the lower House office are guilty of involvement in corrupt procurement projects, they will face immediate disciplinary action, as required by the law, he said.
So far, none of the lower House office’s civil servants have been implicated in any corrupt procurement project, he said.
Meanwhile, the area in front of army headquarters on Ratchadamnoen Ave has become a frenetic scene as people from across the country turn up to complain, seek help and propose changes.
During the first few hours of the work day yesterday alone, five groups of people showed up to file petitions and recommendations with the junta.