The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) is expanding its probe into the welfare fund embezzlement scandal to cover 28 more organisations that received 103.8 million baht in total in fiscal year 2017.
Secretary-general of the PACC Lt Col Tip Daroj revealed the news yesterday, saying it was currently in the third phase of the investigation into the nationwide embezzlement scandal.
The 28 organisations being investigated are two operation centres for the destitute, five provincial offices for protection of those in poverty, two village co-operatives coordination centres, nine provincial self-help community projects and 10 highland people development centres.
The embezzlement scandal came to light in Khon Kaen in January when a group of Maha Sarakham University students claimed the local centre chief and other senior officials ordered them to fill in forms and fake signatures on receipts for 2,000 villagers amounting to nearly 7 million baht.
They were working as interns at the Khon Kaen Protection for the Destitute Centre last year.
The case sparked a large-scale investigation into the welfare projects. Khon Kaen welfare director Phuangphayom Chitkhom was the first to face the axe when he was dismissed from the civil service in March.
Last Friday (April 27), the PACC was expected to launch an inquiry into 189 people for their alleged involvement in irregularities in three state projects.
The three programmes under question are the welfare project for the underprivileged and HIV patients, the self-help community project, and the village cooperative project, according to PACC member Pol Gen Jarumporn Suramanee.
