2016 Corruption Perceptions Index for Thailand worsens

[webfact]

2016 Corruption Perceptions Index for Thailand worsens

 

BANGKOK, 15th February 2018 (NNT) - A survey conducted domestically shows signs of a slight improvement in the level of corruption in Thailand, while the international Corruption Perception Index of 2016 was not as optimistic. 

President of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) Sauwanee Thairungroj revealed today that the UTC's corruption perception index for December 2017 had surveyed 2,400 respondents from the government, private sector, and the public. The survey scored the country 52 out of 100, where the lower the score the better. The score was a 1 point decrease from June 2017. The assessment was made based on four categories, consisting of violence and law enforcement which showed no signs of improvement, and prevention of corruption and instilling of values which improved slightly. 

When asked whether businesses had to bribe public officials in exchange for permit approvals, 54 percent said they didn't have to, while 24 percent said they did. The amount paid out was an average of 5-15 percent of the project's entire budget. Of the 2.9 trillion baht 2017 fiscal budget, approximately 100-200 billion baht is expected to be lost to bribes and corruption, thereby decreasing the country's GDP growth by 0.41-1.23 percent. 

Director of the UTCC's Center of Businesses and Economic Forecasting, Thanawan Polvichai said that although the CPI index for Thailand had slightly decreased, the country has seen consistent improvement since 2015 when Thailand scored 56. He said that the government must press on with its anti-corruption policies, especially this year when many infrastructure projects are scheduled to happen which can be exploited by corrupt officials.

 

He added that the ethics index has increased to 62 points, up from the previous score in June last year of 60 points. This reflects a growing sentiment of intolerance of corruption. 

However, the 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International did not agree with the UTCC's survey, as it dropped its ranking for Thailand from 76 in the previous year to 101. Thailand's score dropped from 38 to 35 out of 100. Unlike the UTCC's scoring, the better the score, the less corrupt the country.

 

-- nnt 2018-02-15

 

[webfact]

Thai public see corruption same or worse, despite junta’s 2014 promise

By The Nation

 

 

Corruption has got worse in Thailand, according to a survey released on Thursday by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand.
 

The Corruption Situation Index (CSI) points to a worsening of corruption, despite the junta’s longstanding claim that the 2014 coup was aimed at eliminating widespread corruption.

 

In a survey conducted last December, 37 per cent of respondents said corruption had increased from the year before, 33 per cent said it had remained the same, and only 30 per cent said it decreased. The survey questioned 2,400 Thai residents, business people and government officials nationwide.

 

Asking about the outlook for corruption this year, 48 per cent said it would increase, 27 per cent believed it would stay at the same level, while 23 per cent thought it would lessen. About 2 per cent said they had no idea.

 

The top five causes of corruption as identified by respondents were: State officials have too much discretionary power as authorised by laws, there is a lack of transparency in the political system and there are obstacles to scrutinising it, law enforcement is weak, there is a lack of good governance and mechanisms to ensure checks and balances are ineffective, and there are complicated regulations within government agencies.

 

Major type of corruption identified by respondents included bribery, nepotism and favouritism, policy corruption, collusion of government projects and kickbacks.

 

The release of the survey coincided with a scandal over luxury wristwatches involving a very senior junta Cabinet minister.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30338922

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-15

[Cadbury]

If, by some strange miracle, corruption could be eliminated overnight then the whole Thai economy would collapse. Sad that it may be it is the grease that keeps the wheels turning. With few exceptions it is everywhere within all sectors of the population and is surely proportional to the incomes of the elite, senior civil servants and police officers down to food barrow ladies or the dirt farmer.

[darksidedog]

Stopping corruption across Asia, with the exception of Singapore, is pretty much an impossible task for any regional Government in its lifetime. I don't think anyone expects it to get dramatically better any time soon and people just figure it into the costs.

Thailand won't work furiously to stamp it out, because it is continuously in denial of anything negative existing, which allows it to continue unaddressed and unabated. Plus of course, those who are in positions where they could try, are generally in it up to their necks anyway.

[The Old Bull]

Most people living in a society that pays a living wage will not risk getting pinched for getting involved in any form of corruption for a little extra cash. Paying better wages would help solve some of the problem but a lot is built into the system and hard to remove.

[Eligius]

When a certain person who seized power a few years ago and proclaimed from the rooftops that he was here to rid Thailand of corruption - and then just a few weeks later appointed his own brother to a very high position in the 'government', well, then I knew that the noble-sounding words were a pack of lies and bluster.

 

It worsened when a few weeks later that same person went down to Koh Tao and congratulated and rewarded the police there on capturing the (innocent) Burmese Two for the slaughter of the two British tourists. That was enough for me. I already knew the real inner nature, spiritual and moral, of this individual - and  it ain't pretty ...

 

What has happened ever since just confirms the ethicality and morality of this individual in spades and barrel-fulls ...

[observer90210]

Corruption !?!!....in Thailand ?!!........now that's hard to believe !!

[off road pat]

3 hours ago, The Old Bull said:

Most people living in a society that pays a living wage will not risk getting pinched for getting involved in any form of corruption for a little extra cash. Paying better wages would help solve some of the problem but a lot is built into the system and hard to remove.

Hmm,...there is corruption in every country, people with very high wages working in government are caught on a daily basis,.... read the newspapers !!! it doesn't matter how high wages they get they still want more ?!?!? it's the nature of the beast !!!

Edited February 15, 2018 by off road pat

[rtco]

"surveyed 2,400 respondents from the government, private sector" ... mmmmmmm ... surveying the very people that are at the heart of corruption ... talk about a skewed result!

[sammieuk1]

A diet of greasy palms and roadkill makes up my 5 a day. 

[manhood]

As long curroption is tolorated deeply in a a society, such as Thailand, you wont get it out of the mind of the people at all as it's part of the life from top to bottom.....and the most looser are the poor ones in this country! To sad but yes tolorated and the children learn that from their childhood (parents pay to the teachers) and have it in their blood!

[colinneil]

17 hours ago, The Old Bull said:

Most people living in a society that pays a living wage will not risk getting pinched for getting involved in any form of corruption for a little extra cash. Paying better wages would help solve some of the problem but a lot is built into the system and hard to remove.

Sorry but i have to disagree with you.

Here it is the people on the biggest salaries that are the most corrupt.

The higher up the pecking order, the bigger cut they want.

[peperobi]

How can you think is better than before when more government members, soldiers, police officers and other leaders show expensive watches, cars and, and, and.

[peperobi]

12 minutes ago, manhood said:

As long curroption is tolorated deeply in a a society, such as Thailand, you wont get it out of the mind of the people at all as it's part of the life from top to bottom.....and the most looser are the poor ones in this country! To sad but yes tolorated and the children learn that from their childhood (parents pay to the teachers) and have it in their blood!

This is part of the brainwashing....

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, peperobi said:

How can you think is better than before when more government members, soldiers, police officers and other leaders show expensive watches, cars and, and, and.

 

 

The value of one expensive watch hardly compares to the value of a telecommunications company................... or a rice-scam scheme.

[Katipo]

I guess it's hard to climb the anti-corruption ladder when your arms are covered in watches.

[peperobi]

10 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

The value of one expensive watch hardly compares to the value of a telecommunications company................... or a rice-scam scheme.

Corruption is corruption, is not matter 1 Baht or 100 million Baht...

[Bob12345]

16 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

The value of one expensive watch hardly compares to the value of a telecommunications company................... or a rice-scam scheme.

And how does the combined value of 25 watches, 3 submarines, chinese tanks, fighter jets, missiles, the rubber scam scheme, hispeed rail, the economic damage of a coup, government contracts going to buddies, giving jobs to your family members, etc etc etc etc compare to said company or the rice scam scheme?

[Lupatria]

18 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Stopping corruption across Asia, with the exception of Singapore

If almost everything is owned and controlled by one party (family), there is no need for corruption.

[gamini]

20 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Stopping corruption across Asia, with the exception of Singapore, is pretty much an impossible task for any regional Government in its lifetime. I don't think anyone expects it to get dramatically better any time soon and people just figure it into the costs.

Thailand won't work furiously to stamp it out, because it is continuously in denial of anything negative existing, which allows it to continue unaddressed and unabated. Plus of course, those who are in positions where they could try, are generally in it up to their necks anyway.

The Singapore government and government officials are so highly paid that there is indeed very little corruption in this sector.

However the private sector is massively corrupt. You cannot get business without giving bribes. I paid nearly10% of my companies profits in bribes, And the Singapore tax department let me claim them as business expenses.

[brucec64]

And how does the combined value of 25 watches, 3 submarines, chinese tanks, fighter jets, missiles, the rubber scam scheme, hispeed rail, the economic damage of a coup, government contracts going to buddies, giving jobs to your family members, etc etc etc etc compare to said company or the rice scam scheme?

And don't forget the 100 billion Thai Niyom vote buying scheme, from a junta that vowed to end populist schemes.

All combined are much more than the rice scheme, but with a self granted amnesty, the junta will never be held accountable.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Becker]

2 hours ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

The value of one expensive watch hardly compares to the value of a telecommunications company................... or a rice-scam scheme.

If you believe that a few watches is the extent of #2 toad's undeclared assets/"borrowed items" then may I respectfully suggest you have just broken the world record in naivety...

And then we have the "unusual" wealth of the junta leader as well as the rest of the dino club.

[meechai]

Rank of corruption 76th dropped to 101

28% worse jumpin Junta

Edited February 16, 2018 by meechai

[timendres]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

approximately 100-200 billion baht is expected to be lost to bribes and corruption, thereby decreasing the country's GDP growth by 0.41-1.23 percent

Depends on where that corruption money is in turn applied. It does not just vaporize.

[Jip99]

3 hours ago, peperobi said:

Corruption is corruption, is not matter 1 Baht or 100 million Baht...

 

 

 

I think you will find that it makes one hell of a difference.

[Jip99]

46 minutes ago, Becker said:

If you believe that a few watches is the extent of #2 toad's undeclared assets/"borrowed items" then may I respectfully suggest you have just broken the world record in naivety...

And then we have the "unusual" wealth of the junta leader as well as the rest of the dino club.

 

 

Where did I say that was the full extent!   Please do not misquote me.

 

 

Neither do I believe that the Thaksin's corruption stopped at Shin Corporation and rice scams.

[Jip99]

3 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

And how does the combined value of 25 watches, 3 submarines, chinese tanks, fighter jets, missiles, the rubber scam scheme, hispeed rail, the economic damage of a coup, government contracts going to buddies, giving jobs to your family members, etc etc etc etc compare to said company or the rice scam scheme?

 

 

Insignificantly.

 

 

That is how it compares.

[Becker]

Just now, Jip99 said:

 

 

Where did I say that was the full extent!   Please do not misquote me.

 

 

Neither do I believe that the Thaksin's corruption stopped at Shin Corporation and rice scams.

I didn't misquote you. In fact I didn't quote you at all. I said: "If you believe...."

Understand?

 

quote

kwōt/

verb

 

1. 1.

   repeat or copy out (a group of words from a text or speech), typically with an indication that one is not the original author or speaker.

 

[Becker]

2 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Insignificantly.

 

 

That is how it compares.

Please make up your mind. You admit that you don't know the extent of the undeclared assets of the junta yet at the same time you claim they are insignificant compared the bogeyman's assets.

Which one is it, because without having inside info on the junta's undeclared wealth you can't possibly know if they're insignificant or not?

[EnlightenedAtheist]

It depends how you define "corruption" because it exists in the West as well. Of course, if you only get 1.45 minutes to talk about it! What a sham! Are public donations acceptable? I am sure there is a law that makes it acceptable. Is it?  Is being removed from speaking on these matters acceptable?  I am sure there is a law that makes it acceptable. Is it? They have the gall of calling these personal attacks to prohibit free speech like people speak of trolling. Sham and shame!

 

This lady is what most people should do, instead of complaining or preventing people from speaking, as these guys do. She should be rewarded for her work! 

 

http://truthinmedia.com/woman-pulled-public-hearing-corporate-donations-reps/

 

There are also those dinners and those trips paid as well. Tell me they don't exist. Sorry for my French: 

 

 

It could be in English, in the UK or the USA, you can be sure. It starts as she enters this fabulous dinner where politicians and energy representatives are set to "talk about food". The reporter has brought some tap water that has a pesticide (Atrazine) that has not yet been banned in France and that is dangerous for children. Will they drink it?