With Paiboon dead, Phuket corruption hunt for other officials continues

PHUKET: The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is continuing its investigation into financial aspects of the Provincial Hospital, despite the recent death of the probe’s primary target: Phuket’s highest elected official, Paiboon Upatising.

The corruption probe into Phuket's Provincial Hospital continues despite the death of the probe's primary target Paiboon Upatising (pictured). Photo: The Phuket News / file

“The investigation is still going on,” Preechanan Poomlek, chief of the Phuket NACC office told The Phuket News today.

“Of course no charges were placed against Mr Paiboon as the investigation is still ongoing and of course there will not be since he has died.

“But we are still investigating the PPAO and its executive council, as well as any other officers involved.”

“I repeat that no one has been charged yet, we are still investigating.”

Mr Preechanan said he had no expected date of completion for the investigation.

“There are many cases that we have to take of,” he said, without elaborating on exactly which other corruption investigations he was currently involved with.

Mr Paiboon died on August 2 after years of fighting cancer former. At the time of his death Mr Paiboon was president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO or OrBorJor), which operates the Provincial Hospital in Rassada.

By order of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha under Section 44 of the interim constitution, Mr Paiboon was suspended from office on June 25 pending an investigation by the NACC into the Provincial Hospital, at the request of the Office of the Auditor General. (See story here.)

Mr Paiboon was honoured with a state funeral on Monday. (See story here.)