PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said alleged corruption in artesian water well-digging projects was being probed and affirmed the government has no hidden agenda in implementing the projects aimed at tackling the drought.

His comments came after the Office of the Auditor-General reported to the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry about alleged corruption in well-digging projects, causing damage of more than Bt100 million. Prayut said the government was investigating such allegations.

“There is no hiding [or sheltering for wrongdoers]. Whoever did wrong will face the consequences… The government implements these projects with the best of intentions and has always instructed those executing the projects to adhere to budget-spending regulations. When something is wrong, they must explain it, and face justice,” he said, adding that after seeing the Office raise the issue of alleged irregularities, he had already instructed related agencies to provide explanations on the contentious points. The premier also admitted he was worried about there not being enough water for people’s use because of the drought.

Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas, earlier yesterday, told Spring News’s “Inside Thailand” radio programme on FM98.5 that he had alerted Minister Surasak Karnjanarat that the Groundwater Resources Department’s artesian water source development projects were found to have irregularities. Some of the schemes were meant for agriculture in drought-hit areas, for drinking water at schools nationwide, and to support Royal Initiative projects.

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Pisit claimed some of the practices were against law and civil service regulations, which have gone on for years resulting in poor-quality artesian water wells. He said illegitimate commissions were allegedly collected in 10-30 per cent of well-digging-related budgets such as for materials, fuel and staff allowances, totalling more than Bt100 million in damages. He alleged that such ill-gotten gains were shared among those involved at all levels. He said there were also forged documents and budget withdrawals in advance of projects, after which some wrongdoers left the civil service with their superior’s knowledge, who were often aware of such wrongdoings. There were also alledged attempts at concealment and lack of legal action to bring the culprits to justice, which could be considered negligence of duty, he added.

The auditor-general’s office had checked the budgets and expenses for fiscal years 2009 to 2016 and the spending on the projects in question. It initially found that the Groundwater Resources Department had received the money and had itself implemented these projects. Hence the auditor-general’s office thought that there should be measures in place to prevent this from recurring, he added.

Meanwhile, the director of the Agricultural Economics Operation Centre (AEOC) of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Bhumisak Rasri, yesterday reported that the KU-OAE Foresight Centre (KOFC) analysis on the drought situation from 2015 until early 2016 found it had already damaged 2.86 million rai of farmland. This has affected 271,341 farmers, leaving them unable to grow crops, especially rice, he said. He added that this issue would, in the long-term, affect production efficiency and have an adverse impact on the community economy. As many farmers found themselves jobless during this drought season, KOFC found the ratio of agricultural manpower in 2012-15 was continuously declining; from farmers making up 39.63 per cent of the country’s employed citizens

in 2012 to just 32.28 per cent in 2015.

KOFC also found an increase in farm workers aged over 60 and a decrease in farm workers aged 15-39, he added.

“The downturn of the economy saw many factories closing, resulting in many losing their jobs, especially those who would normally have moved to the agriculture sector. This year, the drought has already posed problems for farmers and those workers outside the agricultural sector,” he said, also suggesting that farmers must adapt what they produce and can sell according to the situation.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry instructed 62 drought-hit provinces to submit by Monday an updated report on the supplies of water for use and consumption as the drought was expected to last until May, ministry permanent secretary Krissada Boonrat yesterday. The information would be integrated and used in the planning for better water management and remedial measures for those affected, he added.