COPS SEEK COOPERATIVE EMBEZZLERS
>> KALASIN: Cooperatives authorities have asked the police to arrest the leaders of a school savings cooperative said to have embezzled at least 10 million baht from its members, mostly students’ parents and alumni.
Ronnachai Phukhongthong, head of the provincial savings cooperative, said yesterday his agency had looked into the Khammanpla Padungwit School savings cooperative in Huai Mek district of the northeastern province and found it was not registered.
The alleged embezzlement by cooperative executives, who were former executives and teachers at the school, had adversely affected people and caused damage to the savings cooperative system, Mr Ronnachai said. The names of the suspects were not disclosed.
Mr Ronnachai said Pichet Viriyapaha, deputy director-general of the Cooperatives Promotion Department, had asked the Kalasin cooperative to investigate complaints of embezzlement.
“Our investigation found several irregularities in the setting up of the school’s cooperative. It was set up without permission,’’ he said.
The move came after a group of students’ parents and alumni of the school filed a complaint with the Dhamrongtham centre in Huai Mek against the former school executives and teachers, claiming they had lost more than 10 million baht. They also filed a complaint with local police.
They also said that they had deposited money into the cooperative for 20 years, but found they could not withdraw their funds. The executives could not be contacted and were said to have disappeared from the district.