MORE IRREGULARITIES UNCOVERED

       The Rural Doctor Society has found more irregularities in the procurement of medical equipฌment under the Thai Khemkhaeng package with instances of the same items being purฌchased under different names and at different prices.
       Dr Arak Wongworachart, a former chairperson of the society, said his team is now investigating the procurement of medical equipment after also finding that some items, such as sterilisers, had been unnecessarily imported when these items could have been purchased from local manufacturers.
       Dr Kriangsak Watcharanukulkiet, the society's chairperson, said the society also found inequity in budget allocations under the Thai Khemkhaeng stimulus package.
       The provinces which enjoyed a higher allocation compared to nearby areas were Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ratchaburi, and Prae. All of these provinces are overseen by some politicians.
       "Surat Thani has been allocated more than Bt3 billion to construct hospital buildings while more than Bt2 billion has been allocated to Nakhon Ratchasima province," Dr Kriangsaksaid. "The society will continue to investigate the irregularities in this budget allocation."
       Kriangsak added that the society's director will review all medical items required to be purchased under the Thai Khemkhaeng budget and submit the results to the Public Health Ministry.
       Kriangsak said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has appointed Dr Banlu Siripanich, a former deputy permanent secretary at the Public Health Ministry, and former police chief Pol General Pratin Santiprabhob to an independent panel with the authority to summon officials and politicians to provide information to the committee.
       "We have to open the way for the independent committee to fully investigate this issue. We are ready to support and provide any information that would assist in the investigation," he said. "No one pressured us and asked us to suspend the investigation."
       Abhisit has appointed Banlu as a chairperson of the committee while Pratin was appointed deputy chairman.
       The independent committee comprises Dr Vichai Chokevivat, Government Pharmaceutical Organisation's board chairperson, Dr Vachira Botpiboon, Nakhon Ratchasima's Chumpoung Hospital director, Dr Nivatchai Sujarit, Nan province hospital's director, and Banjerd Singkaneti, a former member of the Assets Examination Committee. This committee will take 30 days for the investigation.
       "I am confident that I can identify the person behind the scandal," said Pratin.
       "We will follow the evidence that we already have. These can lead us to the source of the corruption," he added