Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has praised the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) for thwarting corruption scandals and helping the country to improve its track record on graft, putting it behind only Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia in the region.
"The anti-graft watchdog has stepped in to probe graft in connection with rice-pledging schemes and the embezzlement of funds set aside for temples, the poor and schools," the deputy premier said yesterday on the 11th anniversary of the PACC.
"The agency has become a useful mechanism for helping to cut the cycle of corruption."
Corruption in Thailand has gradually dropped, said Mr Wissanu, citing the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2017 released in February last year by independent watchdog Transparency International (TI).
Thailand scored 37 points to sit 96th out of 180 countries in 2017 and 35 in 2018. A lower score indicates less graft. The country now ranks fourth in the Asia-Pacific, by Asean's estimates, in terms of how well it has managed to clean up graft. Singapore was No.1 in the region. Mr Wissanu said he hopes to see the PACC expand its network with state, private and international players for more exchanges of information to better thwart graft.
Moreover, it should raise awareness of lines that cannot be crossed based on PACC regulations, he added. The commission has received 35,580 complaints during fiscal 2018-2019, according to Pol Lt Col Wannop Somjintanakul, its acting secretary-general.
It has already looked into 23,176 cases, he said. Of those, 4,584 cases were accepted for further inquiries while 7,451 were dismissed. Meanwhile, officials have been asked to seek more evidence in 1,248 cases.
Pol Lt Col Wannop said 8,961 cases have been forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation, and 883 cases sent to the police.
.jpg?w=600)
