Ex-mayor of Kathu embroiled in corruption scandal

The former Mayor of Kathu Subdistrict Municipality has been indicted on corruption charges, with accusations of paying a road contractor before work was completed.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Region 8 dropped the bombshell at a press conference yesterday, September 25 in Krabi, revealing widespread corruption across southern Thailand.

Suchart Kruaykittanon, Assistant Secretary-General of the NACC, confirmed the charges.

“The NACC in Phuket province has indicted the former mayor of Kathu and his associates for disbursing funds to a contractor prematurely.”

This case is just one of seven uncovered by the NACC, which reported total damages exceeding a staggering 7 million baht across the southern provinces. Nakhon Si Thammarat topped the shame list with the highest number of complaints.

The list of corruption cases presented was jaw-dropping:

• In Nakhon Si Thammarat, the mayor of the Krungyan subdistrict and five others allegedly embezzled 39 cheques totalling over 3.4 million baht.
• In Chumphon, 10 executives from Chumphon Vocational College were indicted for improper fund disbursement, losing over 3.3 million baht.
• In Krabi, Krabi Hospital officers misused more than 1.2 million baht in overtime payments.
• Several other former mayors and officials were implicated in dodgy deals, from awarding contracts to friends to skimming housing fees.

The NACC is currently handling a whopping 734 cases, including 376 preliminary investigations. Complaints span public utilities, construction, natural resources, and procurement issues, with Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, and Phuket leading the way, reported Phuket News.

The corruption scandal follows the dismissal of former Kathu Mayor Chai-anan Suthikul, booted last year after a separate investigation involving a lagoon at the Tin Mine Museum. His successor, Wannayut Suthikul, took over the troubled office earlier this year.

In related news, Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) seized over 5 billion baht in assets this year, targeting fraud, online gambling, and corruption.

AMLO Secretary-General Theppasu Bavornchotidara, along with Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) assistant Secretary-General, Bhumivisan Kasemsook, disclosed the outcomes of the year’s 11th AMLO Transaction Committee meeting.