BANGKOK, May 18 – (TNA) The Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) proposes independent committees be set up to check the spending of the 1-trillion-baht loan that the government will borrow to shore up the economy and society affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
ACT chairman Pramon Sutivong said he agreed with an executive decree empowering the Finance Ministry to seek the loan but without thorough examination there could be chances of convenient and severe corruption because some important rules might be lifted for the sake of quick economic and social rehabilitation.
He proposed an independent supervisory committee be formed for the spending examination and work with support from the State Audit Office. He called for decisive punishment against corrupt parties and a specific website to share updated information on rehabilitation projects, their procurement budgets and relevant complaints.
“The government should work with transparency and allow people to participate and check the work. There should be measures for checks and balances and reliable and independent probe systems. Punishment against corruption must be swift and fair. This will raise public confidence and Thailand will receive high scores in the Corruption Perceptions Index because this is the big issue closely watched by all parties and the international community,” Mr Pramon said.
He said his biggest concern rested with the spending of 400 billion baht out of the 1-trillion-baht borrowing on economic and social rehabilitation projects. The money could be spent inefficiently or in the way that facilitated policy corruption, he said.
He also proposed acceptable committees be formed to scrutinize projects and supervise disbursement. (TNA)
