Corruption remains a vital problem for Thailand

[buksida]

The Yingluck Shinawatra government has failed to deliver its promised crackdown on corruption, according to a poll at Bangkok's Dhurakij Pundit University (DPU)

DPU research centre director Kiat-anan Luankaew said the government’s anti-corruption performance received 4.6 of a total 10 points, describing corruption as a deep-rooted culture in Thai society, particularly in the political and public sectors.

The only anti-corruption alternative left is to strengthen the public sector, in cooperation with the media, to strenuously follow the performance of politicians and government officials while educating the public on the cancerous nature of corruption.

“Lessons learned from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong prove that it is a curable problem if we persistently fight against it,” he said.

The survey on corruption in Thailand was conducted Aug 26-Sept 4 and announced Wednesday on the eve of National Anti-Corruption Day. A total of 1,028 people in 20 provinces were questioned in the poll.

Asked if corruption is a vital problem for Thailand, 88.3 per cent of the respondents agreed that it was serious while 7.2 per cent said it was not and 4.5 per cent said they were not sure.

In dividing graft to three categories: political, state and private sectors, 81.9 per cent, 72.5 per cent and 54.7 per cent of the respondents said corruption has increased in the political, state and private sectors.

In addition, the respondents predicted increasing corruption rates next year with 72.2 per cent, 65.5 per cent and 50.1 per cent of respondents seeing more corruption in the political, state and private sectors.

Source: MCOT

Thought: Agree, since Pua Thai took over I have observed an increase in "difficulties" with govt departments (imm/land/utilities etc) getting things done unless an envelope is involved. The story about the anti-corruption chief getting "transferred" because he was too good says it all IMO.

[MrPlum]

Thought: Agree, since Pua Thai took over I have observed an increase in "difficulties" with govt departments (imm/land/utilities etc) getting things done unless an envelope is involved.

Do you mean nationally, locally or both?

[buksida]

Both, personally and observed from conversations with others.

[Spitfire]

It'll be a long time before any progress is made on this issue (generation or two maybe). I remember that thread we had long ago about where in society it starts.......lots of good stuff in it and as relevant now as then.

I'd also agree with the article that it has probably increased as we all, whether Thai or foreign, seem to ever need more and more money in image-driven societies.

Money seems to be the only religion or motivator these days to a disproportionately large section of people, especially the youth.

[johnnyk]

I think its too ingrained to ever wipe out. Corruption flourishes where the state is a weak presence in most people's lives, where there is little or no social safety net and where greed seems embedded in the DNA.
Someone once described LoS as "62 million people engaged in a vast criminal conspiracy". Some truth in that.

[MrPlum]

My own experience of corruption is fairly limited. Traffic Police extracting a small fine, usually deserved. Nothing at Immigration, nothing at vehicle licencing. One occasion of a senior Policeman seeking to skim 10% off purchase orders. I didn't bite. Can't think of any other occasion.

I'm not condoning the practice and agree it is corrosive to society but there are occasions when it can work for you. Even with the little I have experienced, I regard fines as topping up low wages. Also, when you look at the low levels of taxation here, the odd occasion where you are required to cough up, hardly compares to the myriad of ways monies are extracted from us back home.

[buksida]

Minor traffic fines are absolutely no problem as you've 'usually' done something to deserve them (no lid, wrong u-turn etc), what I was referring to is an increase in 'officers' and govt departments wanting a bribe just to do their job when you have already provided all that is legally required for them to do so.

[MrPlum]

Minor traffic fines are absolutely no problem as you've 'usually' done something to deserve them (no lid, wrong u-turn etc), what I was referring to is an increase in 'officers' and govt departments wanting a bribe just to do their job when you have already provided all that is legally required for them to do so.

Thanks for clarifying. How do you deal with it? Or do you have no choice?

[buksida]

No choice.

[dozer]

There is no doubt that corruption is rife in Thailand, but compared to the industrialized Western countries, they are in the little league.

[Dannie Boy]

Minor traffic fines are absolutely no problem as you've 'usually' done something to deserve them (no lid, wrong u-turn etc), what I was referring to is an increase in 'officers' and govt departments wanting a bribe just to do their job when you have already provided all that is legally required for them to do so.

Just gone through it at the land office in Cha Am. have been waiting about six months to get the chanute processed on a new piece of land where we are building a house and the woman dealing with the chanute said it would be ready while we were on holiday in the UK. She claimed it couldn't be done any quicker and that if we missed our slot, we would have to start again. In the end, 6k got it processed in 3 days!!

[blue05]

I doubt it will change much in the next 100 years

[Spitfire]

I think its too ingrained to ever wipe out. Corruption flourishes where the state is a weak presence in most people's lives, where there is little or no social safety net.....

Which applies not only to the urban folks but also to the vast majority of the rural settings too everywhere that are left to fend for themselves.

Think you are spot on there JK......absolutely.

[johnnyk]

The petty corruption doesn't bother me personally, it helps things keep moving along. Thailand's problem IMO is the massive, institutionalized corruption that rips off millions (dollars, not baht) from tax revenues, gov't projects etc. When the metro opened Mr. T's kid bagged a huge contract for the in-station advertising despite having no experience in any related field. When the new airport was coming on stream they needed seveal dozen state-of-the-art scanners made in the USA, I think. Contract was worth quite a few million $US and was given to a company incorporated just a few days before without any tendering process. The lucky company was either HQed in the British Virgin Islands (well-known tax haven) or a subsid of a BVI company.
Let's not even think about the rakeoffs that must come from military procurement, the holy grail of grafters everywhere.

[buksida]

'No sincerity in tackling corruption'
Thailand is entering an era of massive corruption, as the authorities have no sincerity in tackling the problem, while business people remain willing to pay bribes and even the media now lacks the courage to dig deep, the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) said yesterday, at a press conference launching its "Act Now" campaign.

The government, despite declaring its intention to combat corruption, has made little efforts, especially in high-budget schemes like rice pledging, said ACT chairman Pramon Sutivong, at an event at Siam Paragon to launch the "Act Now" campaign.

Business people are selfish and willing to bribe officials or politicians to secure high-cost government projects, he said, adding, "Honest officials have been abused or demoralised by the 'sales and purchases' of high-profile positions." He said even the media lacked the courage to hound corrupt officials and politicians, as those who were professional had been frequently abused, either legally, or secretly through indirect methods.

Full Story: The Nation

Thought: Anyone surprised considering how the government's number one family came into power?