The Problem of corruption has been around for a long time in Thailand and its roots are
deep in the culture.
Officials were traditionally not paid salaries but were entitled to retain a 10 to 30 percent portion of the money involved as a fee for their services. Even at these times wrong-doers were around and were called ging maung (“eating the state”).
In traditional Thai value system merit is derived from power and in this way forms a basis for patron-
client relationship in the political society. There is also a tradition of presenting gifts to
high officials. In this context you see that some things used to be legitimate under the
traditional patronage system but are clearly to be considered problematic in modern legal
system. Thais still accept paying fees to officials as sin nam jai, the 'gifts of good will' and do not see that as a form of corruption. Much more they see taking things, even small ones like pencils, home from office corrupt