Thai PM sends list of corrupt officials to supervisors

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) - In an attempt to get rid of malpractices in Thailand, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says the list of corrupt government officials has already been sent to their immediate supervisors for further action. Stressing that his interim government is accelerating on anti-corruption law, Prime Minister General Prayut told journalists of the move on Friday (Apr 17), hinting that those on the list include at least a permanent secretary, the most senior civil servant at a ministry. The prime minister noted that investigations will be first made against the suspected corrupt officials, who will be ordered to cease working, and if they are found guilty they will face criminal charges. Meanwhile, the prime minister, in his capacity as Chief of the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), acknowledged that he signed an order on April 16 to transfer permanent secretary for education Suthasri Wongsamarn to become the ministry’s secretary-general of the Office of the Education Council and appointed Kamjorn Tatiyakavee, secretary-general of the ministry's Office of the Higher Education Commission to be the new permanent secretary. The prime minister reasoned that the transfer was to pave the way for the country’s education reform and to boost efficiency of the ministry’s administration. (TNA)