PACC steps up local checks
Two anti-graft bodies plan spending checks on local administration organisations as they widen the net on corruption. Prayong Preeyajit, secretary-general of the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corrup tion Commission(PACC), said staff have received many complaints about suspected corruption involving these organisations and are stepping up checks on their activi- ties nationwide. Mr Prayong said the PACChad discussed with the Comptroller-General's Depart ment(CGD) a plan to get all state agen- cies linked up with the CGD via a computer network which will require them to share details of all project expenditures. Graft-busters will gain access to the budget which each agency receives, details of project procurements and information on companies winning bids to implement them, Mr Prayong said The Department of Local Adminis- tration, which serves as a conduit for distributing state money to provincial administration organisations and tambon administration organisations, has yet to connect to the CGD database, he said. Meanwhile, the PACC is still looking into the Rajabhakti Park scandal, includ ing whether foundries hired to make the giant statues in the park made illegal com mission payments to an amulet trader who approached them to do the work. The amulet trader cited"people in authority" to demand commission fees from some foundry owners who were con tracted to cast the statues of the Thai kings, Deputy Defence Minister Udomdej Sitabutr has revealed. Gen Udomdej said he sent a negotia tor to ask the amulet trader to return the money to the foundry owners. When the money was returned, the foundry owners"donated" the money to the park, he said.