Analysis: Thailand struggles against tide of corruption

[buksida]

From minor bribes to dubious multi-billion-dollar procurement deals, corruption is as endemic as ever in Thailand despite the fastest economic growth in 13 years and a government led by an Oxford-educated technocrat.

British-born Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a 46-year-old economist, signaled zero-tolerance for graft when he took power in December 2008 with fellow a Oxford University alumnus, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij. But corruption indicators show graft remains deeply rooted two years into Abhisit's administration.

The reason lies in one of the fundamental weaknesses of his premiership -- he holds on to power only with the support of networks of politicians, generals and bureaucrats whose reputation for probity does not match his own, and who epitomize the patronage politics that has long bedeviled Thailand.

"The regulatory framework in Thailand is quite good but whether it is put into practice is a different issue," said Kanokkan Anukansai, Thai programme manager of anti-corruption watchdog Transparancy International.

"The lack of stability makes it hard to make tough, potentially politically damaging decisions."

Corruption allegations have shadowed a $42-billion government-spending plan to rescue Thailand from recession. Questions were raised over procurement projects involving security forces, while abuse-of-power complaints against police and provincial officials remain a staple of local media reports.

Abhisit faces an uphill struggle if he is to get his fractious coalition government under control, rally popular support and challenge his backers to achieve much-needed reforms.

Full Story: Reuters

[Spitfire]

Yeah, report from Reuters seems spot on.

Going to need more than just a new PM and his alumni mates saying fine words from ivory towers in the capital to change anything on this front. Well intentioned he is, I'm sure, but once you get out of BBK and into the real Thailand then this issue is a big fat monster named "Leviathan" that doesn't want to hear such sound bites or even lip service to the notion.

Same story, different day. See nothing remotely in the future that would have a chance of changing this one.

All been left too long to infect everything to a DNA level here.

[sandman67]

You cant just get into office and wave a magic wand and get rid of corruption in the space of a couple of years. Its so deeply ingrained here it would take major social uphevals and changes from the grass roots upwards.

What would help is if the big offenders were made to face the full force of the law. A recent example is giving TaxSins wife back her dosh PLUS interest.....why? Give her the dosh back, but interest on top? For being complicit in a land scam???? IMHO they should keep the lot and say thats what y get for trying to pull a fast one you bum faced old ratbag.

If an official is found to have taken a bribe you fine the bugger hard and send them to jail for a couple of years.

Here we live in the land of amnesties and avoiding enforcing the law.....and thats what powers corruption.