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Rygtesmed, Tjaa !!



Froc to investigate hoarding accusation.


Chamroen Yuttithamsakun, the PM's Office inspector-general in charge of approving the distribution of donated goods to flood victims, will be called to clarify suspicions over alleged hoarding of donated items by the the Flood Relief Operations Command.


Donated bottled drinking water, kept in Cargo Building 1 at Don Mueng airport despite the fact that a drinking water shortage has been reported in most flooded areas.

Froc director Pracha Promnok promised to immediately summon Mr Chamroen to clarify the issue after a video clip surfaced on the internet which showed a large number of donated items left unattended in Cargo Building 1 of Don Mueng Airport. Clothing, water bottles and other equipment, including boats and mobile toilets donated by the Japanese government, had been left there after Froc relocated to the Energy Complex of the Energy Ministry to escape flooding.

The video raised doubts among internet users about hoarding by Froc officials. They also slammed the agency for delaying the delivery of relief supplies while many flood victims are in dire need of help.

Mr Chamroen said he was assigned to oveersee the transport and distribution of donated relief items in the form of clothing, household utensils and relief bags only.


Large items such as floating toilets, boats and rafts provided by the private sector and charity organisations were under the supervision of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DPM), not him, he said.

He said the clothes shown in the video clip were waiting to be sent to Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy for laundering.


Toilets donated by the Japanese government are also kept in the building.

A source at Froc who declined to be named said it had been proposed earlier that all donated items should be marked with the "Froc" logo so that they could not be exploited by politicians.

However, the proposal was ignored, leaving room for some politicians to falsely claim the goods were provided by them, the source said without elaborating.

The source said some MPs were able to obtain the donated items freely, while Froc officials themselves had to go through red tape before they could remove the goods for delivery.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said some of the donated items had been brought from Don Mueang Airport to the National Stadium.

Some flood victims at the old airport were insistent on remaining at the shelter there because their homes are in the Don Muang area.

She said the release of donated items was monitored by a committee which ensured the process was above board.

The prime minister maintained the government had not hoarded donations as accused.

PM's Office Minister Krissana Seehalak also said donated goods stored at Don Mueang Airport had been moved to the National Stadium. They are ready to be distributed to flood victims.

The transfer of the items was also confirmed by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Department chief Pibul Sanguanpong said the donated items, including water pumps had been sent to flooded areas and that the department kept records of where donated boats had been distributed.

Læst her: http://www.bangko...accusation