KHON KAEN: The Public Sector Anti Corruption Commission (PACC) has found grounds for a full investigation into the alleged falsification of receipts for reimbursement at a welfare centre for low-income earners in this northeastern province, said the agency's assistant secretary-general Pol Lt Col Wannop Somchintana on Sunday.
The allegation was made by four students in Maha Sarakham University’s humanities and social science faculty who worked as interns at the welfare centre between August and November last year. They had earlier lodged a complaint with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The PACC had also been alerted to the issue.
The four students said they were forced to make fake receipts for 2,000 people, including patients with HIV/Aids, for the reimbursement of about 6.9 million baht.
During a meeting at the 4th PACC Regional Office in Khon Kaen on Sunday, Panida Yospanya, one of the four Maha Sarakham University students, asked Pol Lt Col Wannop for a progress report about the investigation into the allegations. The 22-year-old student also submitted a request for protection. Members of the media and outsiders were not allowed to cover the meeting.
Pol Lt Col Wannop said the PACC received an instruction from the NCPO secretary-general to investigate the allegations. A preliminary investigation by PACC officials found the allegations had merit, and the PACC will proceed with a full investigation, he added.
The PACC assistant chief said that in fiscal 2017 the Social Development and Human Security Ministry's Social Development and Welfare Department allocated a budget of 493.7 million baht to assist low-income earners.
The welfare centre in Khon Kaen was allocated 6.85 million baht from that account, to be divided among three groups: 2000 baht each for low-income earners without other sources of help, 2,000 baht each for HIV/Aids patients and 3,000 baht each for low-income earners to start their own businesses.
Pol Lt Col Wannop said PACC officials conducted interviews with the recipients of the welfare funds in Phu Wiang, Phu Pha Man, Waeng Yai, Nam Phong and Muang districts.
They found that during the period between November 2016 and January 2017 those in the group of low-income earners without other sources of help received no welfare payment at all, the HIV/Aids patients received 1,000 baht each, and those entitled to the 3,000 baht start-up funds received 1,000-2,000 baht each. However, the Khon Kaen welfare centre received the reimbursement in full, he said.
He said officials at the welfare centre were involved in the corrupt practice.