More petitions have been filed asking for independent organizations to intervene in the government’s digital wallet handout scheme, with critics fearing that the 500 billion baht scheme could endanger the nation’s fiscal security if it does n’t work out.
On Friday, Pisit Leeahtam, a former deputy minister of finance and member of the Democratic Party list, submitted a petition to the State Audit Office ( SAO ) to find out if the plan might contravene the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act.
The SAO is also being urged to take action to ensure the plan is reasonable, worthwhile, and able to avoid unnecessarily fiscal damage, he said.
Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a political activist, filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission ( NACC ) to look into a cabinet decision that was approved on Tuesday.
The cabinet’s quality was reached despite fears by some companies over its propriety, including the Budget Bureau, Council of State, National Economic and Social Development Council and Bank of Thailand, he said.
These organizations submitted documents highlighting issues with the program before last year’s cupboard decision. The advocate wants the NACC to learn whether the authorities, given the available resources and its dedication to combating corruption, is really ready to implement the scheme.
According to him, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives ( BAAC ) are required to put in place a contingency plan to deal with losses that might result from the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act, he said.
The government plans to use money from the BAAC, fair 172 billion, as one of the three major sources of funding for the program.
Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC secretary- public and spokesman, said the NACC does form a sub- committee to analyze the details before making any additional suggestions to the government.
Without having to wait for a proper complaint to be submitted, he claimed, the NACC finds clear signs of problem in government policy. He was referring to the commission’s April 23 decision endorsing the system.