BANGKOK, 20 December 2013 The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is accelerating its investigation into irregularities behind the government’s rice pledging program, expecting charges to be filed against culprits within January.
NACC Commissioner Vicha Mahakhun, in his capacity as head of the subcommittee probing the alleged corruption in the rice mortgage scheme, disclosed that documents detailing irregularities found in the scheme had been received from the Thailand Development Research Institute recently. He said besides the institute, there had been many parties who voluntarily gave the NACC tip-offs on corruption acts.
Mr Vicha believed the extensive amount of information obtained so far would be beneficial for the investigation. The commission will from now interrogate all entities and individuals who have purchased rice from the government. By mid-January, a conclusion is expected to be drawn whether or not charges will be lodged against former Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom as well as civil servants involved in the G-2-G deal with China.
The NACC has also set up a new panel to look into another rice deal with the Indonesian government after irregularities were reported by Ombudsman Siracha Charoenpanij.
