The War Veterans Organisation of Thailand (WVO) lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) against 20 government workers, alleging their involvement in a bribery scheme involving drug prescriptions issued by the Veterans General Hospital (VGH).
Gen Detnithit Luang-Ngam, WVO director-general, and Tanadej Pengsuk, a Bangkok MP of the People's Party, on Monday filed the complaint with Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and Bhumivisan Kasemsook, secretary-general of the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). Mr Tanadej, who serves as a deputy on the House committee on military affairs, said on his Facebook account on Monday that an investigation during the past month found over 100 people to have been involved in the scheme, resulting in millions of baht in damages.
Meanwhile, Gen Detnithit said that WVO had been working with the PACC to investigate the scheme. Findings from a WVO fact-finding committee said that the bribery had been going on for at least a decade, facilitated, he said, by a core group of about 20 government workers, both present and retired.
Gen Detnithit said he noticed irregularities during the first few months after he was appointed as the WVO director-general in October 2023. At the time, he found the same number of patients, 10-20 of them each time, and all were transported by vans from Lop Buri province and were prescribed the drugs at the centre of the probe on a monthly basis.
Mr Bhumivisan, from the PACC, said whether or not the bribery scheme involved military agencies, the probe would continue to be tough on all misconduct by officials at all levels, with the law equally applied.
"Those involved with the scheme should turn themselves in [before more accusations are put forward]," Mr Bhumivisan added.