Thailand Ice Hockey Association accused of budget fraud
Athletes and the owner of the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena (TIIHA) in Bangkok are calling for an investigation into alleged budget fraud involving the Ice Hockey Association of Thailand (IHAT).
TIIHA owner Jumphol Darusakdapong filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), alleging IHAT sought a 700,000 baht budget from the Sports Authority of Thailand to pay arena rent, despite the actual rental cost being about 200,000 to 300,000 baht.
IHAT denied the allegation and released a rental receipt issued by TIIHA, stating the amount was 700,000 baht. IHAT officials said Jumphol was the person who issued the receipt and that the figure matched what was shown in the document.
Jumphol said the receipt was prepared by an employee, and he was unaware that the amount listed was 700,000 baht. He said he did not approve the receipt himself and only later noticed the amount and found it suspicious.
Jumphol suspected some officials may have asked his employees to issue a receipt with a higher specified amount. He said his employees may have believed he knew about it, but he did not, and he did not want to be involved in corruption, which is why he took the issue to the PACC.
He said he built the arena to support his children, who aspire to become national ice hockey athletes, and not for business gain, adding that he had no motive to commit fraud.
Separately, some ice hockey athletes also made allegations about allowance fraud. They claimed their names were used to withdraw budgets even before they became national athletes.
The complainants said they reviewed documents used for allowance withdrawals and found signatures were forged. They said they had never signed the documents and that the allowances they received were less than the amounts stated.
According to Siam Sport, the complainants also alleged IHAT requested a budget for a foreign coach and accommodation for the coach, but no coach was hired.
Channel 7 reported that Jumphol and the athletes visited the PACC office yesterday, March 30, to follow up on the investigation. Details of any progress were not disclosed publicly.
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