Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concern over the safety of National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) members and suggested they come to unanimous decisions on cases for their own protection.
Speaking at an event organised by the anti-graft agency, Gen Prayut said the NACC has faced threats and danger when dealing with previous corruption cases after people were unsatisfied with its work.
Gen Prayut suggested that NACC members should ensure all case decisions are unanimous so that no members can be singled out for revenge.
"You have to protect yourself. When you have to raise your hands to make a decision, you all have to do so. Do not decide with 5-4, 4-3, or abstentions," Gen Prayut said.
The premier sought to re-assure the NACC members that their safety would improve now that all cases are under the judicial system.
"We have to take care of you because we know you are working under pressure," Gen Prayut said.
The prime minister was presiding over a prize-giving ceremony at the NACC headquarters, honouring organisations with transparent management.
Independent agencies, including the NACC, may encounter threats, not only targeting members, but their families too, Gen Prayut said.
This is because some ill-minded people who disagree with the agencies' actions may respond to the actions via illegal means, he added.
The NACC has investigated many high-profile cases, including alleged corruption in the rice-pledging scheme, in which the former Yingluck government attempted to solve problems related to low crop prices by paying farmers for their rice at prices much higher than the world market.
The anti-graft agency decided to charge Ms Yingluck in connection with alleged irregularities in the scheme, resulting in dissatisfaction among Ms Yingluck's supporters. In March this year, the People's Radio Media for Democracy Group, a faction of the pro-Thaksin red-shirt group, led about 50 rally-goers to block the NACC's office in Nonthaburi in protest against the decision.
However, the NACC continued with its investigation. Even though the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) in September said it would not indict Ms Yingluck because its probe was incomplete, the NACC went ahead to petition the National Legislative Assembly the next month to impeach the former prime minister. She is accused of failing to stop corruption and losses in the rice-pledging scheme.
Ms Yingluck's case is expected to be discussed further during a meeting between the NACC-OAG joint committee on Dec 16, NACC chairman Panthep Klanarongran said yesterday.
The anti-graft agency expects its panel will finish investigating alleged malfeasance in the rice-pledging scheme's government-to-government deal this month, he added.
The suspected irregularity involves former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and five other officials.
The government and the NACC are preparing for new measures to rid state agencies of corruption.
They will introduce an assessment of agencies' performance by looking into their transparency, said NACC member Phakdi Phosiri.
"This will allow us to identify problems," he said.
"Agencies which gain low marks for transparency will be prompted to improve. After this, the country's position on the Corruption Performance Index (CPI) will improve," he said.
Thailand is ranked 85th, up from 102nd last year, on the Transparency International's CPI, which looks into how corrupt the public agencies in 175 countries are perceived to be.