More petitions calling for intervention by independent organisations in the government's digital wallet handout scheme have been lodged, with critics saying the 500 billion baht scheme may jeopardise the country's fiscal security if it doesn't go well.
Pisit Leeahtam, a Democrat Party list-MP and former deputy minister of finance, petitioned the State Audit Office (SAO) on Friday to determine whether the scheme could breach the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act.
The SAO is also being urged to take action to ensure the scheme is legitimate, worth investing in and able to avoid unnecessary fiscal damage, he said.
Political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana said he petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to probe a cabinet decision made on Tuesday to approve the scheme.
The cabinet’s resolution was reached despite concerns by several organisations over its legality, including the Budget Bureau, Council of State, National Economic and Social Development Council and Bank of Thailand, he said.
Prior to last week’s cabinet decision, these organisations submitted documents highlighting concerns about the plan. The activist wants the NACC to find out whether the government is truly ready to implement the scheme considering the available resources and its commitment to anti-corruption.
In terms of risk management, for instance, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) are required under the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act to put in place a contingency plan to deal with losses that might occur if the scheme fails, he said.
The government plans to use funds from the BAAC, worth 172 billion, as one of the three main sources of funding for the scheme.
Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC secretary-general and spokesman, said the NACC may form a sub-committee to study the details before making any further suggestions to the government.
The NACC identifies obvious signs of corruption in government policy, without having to wait for a formal petition to be submitted, he said. He was referring to the cabinet’s April 23 resolution endorsing the scheme.