BANGKOK, Dec 10 – Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will press on with its investigation on alleged irregularities in the government’s rice pledging scheme despite the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s attempted intervention, a senior official announced.
NACC President Panthep Klanarongran said the NACC will carry on its duty as authorised by the Anti-Corruption Act until it finds facts relating to the charges.
Some Pheu Thai MPs said earlier they would seek the Constitution Court’s injunction to the NACC’s investigation on the rice pledging scheme, reasoning that the NACC is not in a position to do so since it is a disputant with the government.
Mr Panthep said the NACC is in the process of setting up a fact-finding sub-committee involving the allegations and the Pheu Thai’s move will have no impact on its work.
On Transparency International’s ranking Thailand at 88th for corruption, he admitted he felt sad with the result. He called on Thai people to jointly reduce, and eventually eliminate, corruption in the country.
The government has at least signalled its cooperation in eradicating corruption, he said, adding that corruption charges under the NACC’s investigation mostly involve politicians, state and provincial officials.
