Present was Prof Chaiyasit Trachutham, chairman of the OAG Executive Committee, who only last month announced an aggressive campaign by his office to stem the hemorrhaging of national funds through corruption.
Also present was national Auditor-General Pisit Leelawachiropas, who estimated that corruption cost the nation B2 billion a year.
“And that’s after all the projects that the OAG catches,” he said. “Without the OAG, corruption could be costing the country as much as 4-5 billion a year.”
“We check how the budget of each government department is spent, and this is now our top priority,” he explained.
The OAG, NACC and PACC share information from their investigations, he noted.
“And any people found guilty of corruption face punishment under Article 44,” Prof Chaiyasit warned.
Prof Chaiyasit said the OAG worked the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Public sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).
But tip-offs from the public were crucial for bringing suspect cases to the OAG’s attention, he said.
“One example from local people in Phang Nga is the Andaman exhibition hall built there at under a budget of about B200 million,” Prof Chaiyasit noted.
“The project today sits abandoned. We will go and check what seems to be the problem.”
Leading the contingent of local representatives was Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong, accompanied by Phuket Town Mayor Somjai Suwansuppana and Surin Bamrungphol, president of the Phuket Anti-Corruption Network.
Gov Nisit pointed out that people in Phuket were very active in pointing out any suspicious projects, mostly by reporting them through his Facebook page (Click here)
“People do not hesitate in directly notifying me of any of their complaints. Phuket social media users are very strong in monitoring government officials,” he said.
Mr Surin explained that one of the most important ways to get rid of corruption is to educate a new generation with an entirely new mindset: the corruption is unacceptable.
“Singapore is a good example,” Mr Suirn noted. “The country used to have a lot of corruption, but after the PM Lee Kuan Yew adjusted the system, the nation changed.
“The old generation used to corruption were prosecuted while the new generation were taught to oppose corruption. We can see an obvious good change in this country and we should adopt it for ourselves.”
Any persons suspicious of corruption involving a government office can notify the OAG through website: http://www.oaganticorruption.com.
Complaints can be anonymous.