The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has denied its probe into alleged corruption in gold mining concessions has stalled, after the retirement of a former graft-buster who headed the investigation.
Pol Col Ittipol Kisuwanna, an aide to the NACC's secretary-general, said the agency's investigators were still collecting evidence in areas affected by gold mining in the provinces of Pichit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
"We have not stopped our work," he said, although no progress reports have been presented to the NACC since last year.
The commission has not yet appointed a new head to replace former commissioner Vicha Mahakun, who retired at the end of last year and used to chair the sub-panel.
He was speaking after a group of locals protesting against gold mining activity yesterday asked about progress in the case and offered additional evidence to the NACC, urging it to find out whether public officials had lapsed in their duties.
Pol Col Ittipol said the process to appoint a new sub-panel chairman is still ongoing, adding a large number of cases are currently facing similar delays, resulting from the retirement of five former commissioners.
At the moment the NACC cannot make official requests for information from other state agencies.
He said the lack of a sub-panel chairman is significant in this case, as the chairman was the key to contacting the Australian Securities Investment Commission.
The commission previously provided the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with claims that the company operating gold mines in the three provinces -- with an Australian firm as a major shareholder -- bribed Thai public officials to secure the concessions and permission to explore the areas for minerals.
Arom Kamchring, a Phitsanulok activist, urged the NACC to look at the Industry, Public Health and Environment and Natural Resources ministries to see if any officials were negligent in handling locals' complaints that the soil and water in areas close to the mines were contaminated with poisonous substances.
Blood tests have been carried out since 2010 which showed traces of manganese and cyanide, but there is no proof yet pinning these to the mines, she added.