Centre boss faces shunt over fraud

BUNG KAN: The director of a provincial welfare centre could face a transfer order after a preliminary Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) probe found possible irregularities in its financial management.

Napa Setthakorn, director-general of the Department of Social Development and Welfare, yesterday said the transfer order would be issued if a full investigation confirms the PACC’s initial findings that the centre was embroiled in embezzlement of state welfare funds.

She said the Bung Kan Protection Centre for the Destitute was the third welfare centre under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to be accused of corruption in distribution of money to underprivileged and HIV patients.

The first two centres were in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai where both directors have already been transferred to an inactive post.

For Chiang Mai, the Office of AntiCorruption in Public Sector Area 5 on Saturday found evidence of irregularities in the financial management of the centre.

The move came after university students, who worked as interns at the Khon Kaen-based centre, lodged a complaint with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), saying they were forced to falsify receipts totalling 6.9 million baht for welfare and other payments.

The PACC later expanded the investigation to 70 other welfare centres across the country.

To prevent the recurrence of such incidents, Ms Napa said new measures have been rolled out.

Photos must be taken of both payers and recipients to be used as evidence of disbursement.

Random inspections will be conducted every 15 to 30 days by the centres’ superiors and authorities from central agencies after money was handed to receivers.

In addition, Ms Napa said a welfare budget allocation committee would be set up next week to oversee the fund distribution from central to local administrative agencies

The committee will be chaired by her deputy.