As of February 2017[update] the president of the NACC commission is Police General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, a political appointee.
[4] An NCAA secretary-general, Warawit Sukboon, in the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (ONACC), reports to the president.
A similar organization, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) under the Ministry of Justice focuses on corruption by low-level governmental officials.
All but one involve infractions by mid- or low-level administrators such as mayors, school directors, policemen, clerks, and registrars.
[15] Not all cases are equal in the eyes of the NACC, according to Srisuwan Janya, a government transparency activist, and Somchai Preechasilpakul, a law lecturer at Chiang Mai University.
They maintain that the NACC shows selective enthusiasm by expediting cases against the political opposition while ignoring those brought against those in power.
[12] As of 2018[update], fourteen years after the Thai military and police spent millions on fraudulent GT200 "bomb detectors", the NACC investigation is still "on-going".
[16] Surasak Keereevichien, an NACC member, stated in August 2018 that it is difficult for the anti-graft agency to ascertain whether there was any wrongdoing committed in the 1.13 billion baht purchase of fake "remote substance detectors".
The NACC will not allow the statute of limitations to expire...." Surasak claimed that officials bought the devices despite their exorbitant price tag because they thought they would work.
"[17] When the GT200 scandal first came to light, the equipment was tested by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and it found that the GT200 consisted of two pieces of plastic and lacked any electronic components, as was advertised in a brochure distributed to potential customers.
[18] According to the Bangkok Post, "Because it was so thoroughly and risibly cheated, the army has never fully accounted for the GT200's cost, in baht and in human lives.
[20] The Bangkok Post fumed that, "The disappointing and unsatisfactory outcome of this astoundingly long investigation shows up the enormous failings of the anti-graft commission.
The Bangkok Post reported, "The press release announcing the new tie-up made no mention of the scandal revealed two years ago showing that Thai government officials had received Rolls-Royce bribes to buy the firm's engines.
Subsequently, PTT Chairman and CEO Tevin Vongvanich said that the company was unable to find anyone who "allegedly took bribes".
[34] Critics have questioned why the NACC appears to be giving Prawit special treatment and ignoring its standard operating procedures in his case.
They have pointed out that Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, the incumbent NACC president, is a former Prawit subordinate and a political appointee of the ruling junta.
It intends in a couple of weeks, possibly, to consider steps that will lead to starting to get ready to prepare to study an entirely objective fact-finding into how a self-sacrificing minister of defence can live so frugally off a monthly salary that he can pick among Milles (3), Rolexes (7), Patek Philippes (4), Piguets (2)...every morning before setting off to work.
"[44] As of July 2018[update], the NACC had still not concluded its eight month-long investigation, citing the "refusal" of Thai watch retailers to provide information on timepiece serial numbers.
[47] On 3 January 2019, the NACC was asked in a letter from an opposition politician to explain why it did not find Prawit guilty of failing to declare 22 borrowed watches.
[49] The core mandates of the commission are to root out corruption by investigating unusual wealth or abuses of power for personal gain committed by government officials or politicians.
"[62] The NACC is known for its lengthy investigations of corruption complaints filed by the public and for its lack of success in prosecuting the rich or powerful.
Typical is the assessment of a Bangkok Post editorial, "The biggest disappointment, as it has been for years, is the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).