No irregularities were found at nine welfare centres for the underprivileged as the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission's (PACC) concluded its nationwide probe Monday.
PACC secretary-general Kornthip Daroj said the officials have so far found no witnesses or documents suggesting irregularities at the nine centres after two field inspections.
However, he said the initial findings do not confirm these centres are graft-free.
"This doesn't mean they have been cleared of corruption. Officials went there twice on inspection but couldn't find any documents or witnesses that could prove irregularities," Mr Kornthip said.
The nine welfare centres are in Sing Buri, Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nonthaburi, Phrae, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.
He said the PACC launched the investigation into 76 welfare centres for the underprivileged in the middle of February and completed it Monday. The probe was limited to the 2017 fiscal year.
The large-scale investigation was prompted by Panida Yotpanya, a 22-year-old intern, who blew the whistle on possible embezzlement at Khon Kaen centre where she worked as an intern. Ms Panida claimed she was ordered to fill in forms and sign receipts on behalf of 2,000 villagers worth a total of 6.9 million baht.
Mr Kornthip said that of 67 centres where alleged graft was detected, the PACC has already put 43 centres under the microscope to find wrongdoers and is expected to launch probes into the remaining centres when it meets on Thursday.
At least 250 people are likely to be investigated in connection with the alleged irregularities at the 67 welfare centres, according to the PACC secretary-general.
So far, a list of 189 officials implicated in the irregularities has been sent to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to consider disciplinary action, he said.
He said the irregularities at those centres had similarities, involving tampering with papers to enable the officials to siphon the money with one method involving use of the villagers' ID cards.
However, Mr Kornthip said there was no evidence to link the irregularities to a network, "but the welfare staff might have spoken to each other as they imitated the method".
