NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol made it public that the committee has already started the process of electing specialists for the panel. This announcement followed after the signing of a petition by 99 academics and former heads of the central bank, who called on the government to abandon their plan to distribute 10,000 baht to every Thai citizen aged 16 and over, using a Blockchain digital pocketbook.
The leading party of the Coalition, the Pheu Thai, made this scheme a key element of its electoral campaign. The Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has made a strong commitment to the scheme even with its opposition, stating that it’s necessary to stimulate the economy.
Niwatchai, in his role as the head of the NACC, revealed that the panel would examine the scheme, uncover flaws, and spot potential corruption. He also pointed out that the anti-corruption agency can initiate such investigations without being prompted by external complaints, and can recommend preventative measures for any project that appears to be susceptible to fraudulent activities or corruption.
The NACC will compile a list of debates pertaining to the scheme and the panel will provide insights on potential corruption gaps. These views will then be passed along to the Cabinet or the relevant government agency responsible for the digital handout.
Niwatchai compared the study to the NACC’s inquiry into the rice-pledging project of former government of Yingluck Shinawatra. The investigation conducted by the NACC listed matters of concern that were ignored by the Yingluck government, leading to corruption allegations against Yingluck and a few members of the Cabinet.
NACC’s plan to proceed with the scheme was criticized by former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, who warned about a potential NACC corruption examination against the Srettha government.
Somchai expressed his concerns through a Facebook post, clarifying that he bears no opposition to the scheme itself, but insisted that the cash distribution should be lawful. He mentioned that as per the 2024 fiscal budget, the project might not get a green signal from the Parliament before its planned launch date of February 1 for the digital handout. This implies the government would not be able to fund this project from the national budget.
He predicted a delay in the enactment of budget bill prior to the commencement of the new financial year on October 1 due to the election and the formation of a new government. The first reading of the bill is scheduled for early January with the subsequent readings in early April.
According to Somchai, it would be a gamble for the government to depend on borrowings from state enterprises to fund the handout.
He pointed out that the NACC would scrutinize the scheme for transparency, particularly in the appointment of a private firm to handle its Blockchain management.
Somchai also highlighted potential abuse of the project by recipients and shops conspiring to create fake digital-money purchases, with the help of corrupt officials.
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