AMLO transaction committee head Athikhom Inthuphuti signed an order number 15/2017 early this month for the temporary seizure of assets linked to the crime.

The 229 impounded items, worth Bt384.13 million included bank accounts and properties.

The order stemmed from a report by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) into Ubon Ratchathani’s spending of emergency funds for a pest outbreak in 2011-12. In the wake of the pest outbreak, it found many officials in 14 district offices bought chemicals in purchase deals worth over Bt674 million from eight private companies for distribution to farmers. The probe found that officials at various districts allegedly acted in a way that violated the Rigging in Public Sector Contract Bidding Act 1999.

The case also led to serious disciplinary probes against many Interior Ministry personnel including the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office head and officials, district-level committees to provide emergency aid (who approved the chemical procurement), and panels in charge of inspecting the chemicals.

The AMLO transaction probe found convincing evidence that 65-year-old Surapol, plus Nareumon Maliwan, general administration head at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Region 13 centre in Ubon and others benefited from the wrongdoing.

The agency obtained the 229 assets on a temporary asset-seizure order – in effect until April 29 – to ensure the items would not be removed before the court gives a ruling.

During this time, the authorities will allow “owners” of the assets to present evidence to prove that the items were not gained via illegal action, the source said.

A National Anti-Corruption Commission sub-panel is probing the case within a timeframe of six months.