Move Forward MP Pijarn Chaopattanawong speaking during the censure debate. Photo: Thai Rath

 

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

 

CORRUPTION AND PAYOFFS have become sort of a “culture of crooks in uniform” among those in the military and police circles and would continue to thrive under the powerful Sam Por trio, said Move Forward MPs today (Feb.16).

 

The powerful Sam Por refers to Prime Minister-cum-Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister/former defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, the first two of whom have already planned to contest an upcoming general election as partisan candidates for prime minister.

 

During a second day of censure debate without a subsequent vote of confidence at parliament, Move Forward MP Padipat Santipada charged that Prayut, Prawit and Anupong had ultimately failed to combat corruption in the army of which they all had earlier been in charge as army chief.

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2023/02/16/culture-of-crooks-in-uniform-thrives-under-sam-por-mps/

 

-- © Copyright  THAI NEWSROOM 2023-02-17

 

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7 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prime Minister-cum-Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha,

The culture of the payola system didn't start under the leadership of the current PM nor the one before him or before the one either, it's part of the Thai culture where everyone is a party to it and willingly and happily too, so this guy is not saying anything new here, just the same ol' accusations.

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The culture of the payola system didn't start under the leadership of the current PM nor the one before him or before the one either, it's part of the Thai culture where everyone is a party to it and willingly and happily too, so this guy is not saying anything new here, just the same ol' accusations.

Agreed.

The junta isn't clever enough or simply doesn't care if the payola system is more overt via internet services etc.

Just another level of the inclusiveness of Thai thinking mainly via a poor education system.

Absolute power absolutely corrupts.????????

Regarding the above posts:  Just because the Thai people know they have to pay bribes to get things done doesn't mean that they like it.  Most Thai people would welcome honest government.

 

MP Padipat Santipada is stating the obvious, but stating the obvious can be dangerous when it upsets those in power.  I hope corruption becomes a key election issue, even though any government attempting to eliminate corruption will probably trigger another coup.

 

 

Totally correct.. the army and the Government .......corrupt and incapable to rule the country, as shown the last 8 years...but impossible to get rid of them unless that the people vote for non army conneced Government, but again  probably a new coup will take place as they will never give up power...

3 hours ago, webfact said:

CORRUPTION AND PAYOFFS have become sort of a “culture of crooks in uniform” among those in the military and police circles and would continue to thrive under the powerful Sam Por trio,

Rotten to the core.

Prayut stated he would end corruption, under his term in office it has reached an all time high.

27 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Totally correct.. the army and the Government .......corrupt and incapable to rule the country, as shown the last 8 years...but impossible to get rid of them unless that the people vote for non army conneced Government, but again  probably a new coup will take place as they will never give up power...

The people get the vote but the senate have the last word.

Time for the population to voice their disgust with this regime.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“culture of crooks in uniform”

Some of them even wear suits! 

37 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The people get the vote but the senate have the last word.

Time for the population to voice their disgust with this regime.

Nah, too busy eeking out an existence!

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

The people get the vote but the senate have the last word.

Time for the population to voice their disgust with this regime.

The people don't say too much......

this is a kingdom, so nothing will change except the faces that spout the same rhetoric 

3 hours ago, heybruce said:

I hope corruption becomes a key election issue,

How?  Do candidates outline their policies?  Do parties have an agenda that they present to the public? 'We are anti-corruption'.  From what I hear, the voters sell their vote to the highest bidder.

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

Nah, too busy eeking out an existence!

Maybe if thousands of vendors eeking out a pittance set up shop outside parliament house every day I wonder what would happen?

Douse the BBQ's with water canons?

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

The people don't say too much......

That's education!

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

The people don't say too much......

They do in our village, and surrounding areas. The problem is, and they always tell me, is that the Government has the guns. 

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

The culture of the payola system didn't start under the leadership of the current PM nor the one before him or before the one either, it's part of the Thai culture where everyone is a party to it and willingly and happily too, so this guy is not saying anything new here, just the same ol' accusations.

Culture is indeed slow to change.  A root cause is that corruption is fostered by the heavy influence of Patronage in Thai culture.  The Patronage aspect of Thai culture starts at the top.  The very very top.  I think you know what I mean without saying so (Les majeste you know).

 

5 hours ago, heybruce said:

Regarding the above posts:  Just because the Thai people know they have to pay bribes to get things done doesn't mean that they like it.  Most Thai people would welcome honest government.

 

MP Padipat Santipada is stating the obvious, but stating the obvious can be dangerous when it upsets those in power.  I hope corruption becomes a key election issue, even though any government attempting to eliminate corruption will probably trigger another coup.

 

 

A honest government ,yes But where would one Find one?  

Thai people are born into corruption ,so one has to pick the best out off the whole Bad bunch.

I doesn't matter what country one looks at All governments are crooks in one way or an other.

Just look at all the promises they make to get in ,Than when they are voted in the trouble starts, they lower some tax/payment ,but they take it away in a bigger tax/fee on something else, Or they renege on their promises..

You may look 

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

A honest government ,yes But where would one Find one?  

Thai people are born into corruption ,so one has to pick the best out off the whole Bad bunch.

I doesn't matter what country one looks at All governments are crooks in one way or an other.

Just look at all the promises they make to get in ,Than when they are voted in the trouble starts, they lower some tax/payment ,but they take it away in a bigger tax/fee on something else, Or they renege on their promises..

You may look 

If you are arguing that there are no perfect governments, I agree.

 

If you are arguing for apathy and resignation, I disagree.  Corruption is like weeds in a garden; it takes a lot of work to clean things up when the place is overrun, but then you can have a reasonably functional government/garden through constant vigilance.

 

The problem is that there are no quick fixes.  After the 2014 coup a lot of westerners who should have known better argued that since a few years of democracy hadn't solved corruption it was time to give Prayut a chance.  They actually believed Prayut when he promised a war on corruption.  Not very bright of them.

 

Democracy in Thailand is always precarious.  A genuinely democratic government that immediately started locking up generals, senior civil servants and those affiliated with he-who-must-not-be-named would trigger another coup.  Democracy must be established long enough for military rule to cease to be considered normal, and then longer so it doesn't seem at all acceptable.  That's how country's that have successfully made the transition from corrupt military rule to reasonably clean democracy have done it.  It takes many years, but it's worth the effort.

7 hours ago, heybruce said:

I hope corruption becomes a key election issue,

It was a key election issue at the last election.

Uncle Tu promised to clamp down it.

The result seems to be that more people in uniform are taking larger 'bonus's'. ie uniforms first.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

CORRUPTION AND PAYOFFS have become sort of a “culture of crooks in uniform” among those in the military and police circles and would continue to thrive under the powerful Sam Por trio, said Move Forward MPs today (Feb.16).

couldn't agree more with him, for once he/they got it right, hope Thai people listen..... I know, I know it's a long shot but we never know, sooner or later Thais have to open their eyes and mind

A post with a trolling meme has been removed.

53 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

It was a key election issue at the last election.

Uncle Tu promised to clamp down it.

The result seems to be that more people in uniform are taking larger 'bonus's'. ie uniforms first.

I don't think you can call that a real election, and I don't think anybody with any brains believed Prayut.  If the next "election" is held with the same rules it will give the same BS results.

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Totally correct.. the army and the Government .......corrupt and incapable to rule the country, as shown the last 8 years...but impossible to get rid of them unless that the people vote for non army conneced Government, but again  probably a new coup will take place as they will never give up power...

It just takes some general with a cash register in his head to get soldiers guns and tanks behind him, and "Hey! Presto!" we have a coup and a very rich unelected PM.

Is that not the present unelected PM, or maybe his sleeping ex partner?

What is the colour chart the MP is holding up? A selection of sex toys for sale on Sukhumvit Road?

9 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Rotten to the core.

Prayut stated he would end corruption, under his term in office it has reached an all time high.

Carefully honed his skills in the black art of corruption. 

15 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Agreed.

The junta isn't clever enough or simply doesn't care if the payola system is more overt via internet services etc.

Just another level of the inclusiveness of Thai thinking mainly via a poor education system.

Absolute power absolutely corrupts.????????

.....and been in place and well entrenched for ages. 

It's as if we're just learning of it - pointing the finger at the usual suspects and scapegoats. 

 

The rich cycle of rhetoric can be amusing.

17 hours ago, OneZero said:

Culture is indeed slow to change.  A root cause is that corruption is fostered by the heavy influence of Patronage in Thai culture.  The Patronage aspect of Thai culture starts at the top.  The very very top.  I think you know what I mean without saying so (Les majeste you know).

 

VERY top indeed.

22 hours ago, 2baht said:

Some of them even wear suits! 

Or shirts with dollar signs patterned in.????????

 

And one can only wonder why young Thai guys wish to pursue a career in policing.

The popularity has increased ten fold in the last generation.

44 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

And one can only wonder why young Thai guys wish to pursue a career in policing.

The popularity has increased ten fold in the last generation.

Sad, but my Mrs' cousin just quit the police after 30 years..... starting at the bottom. Feedback was, as he moved up more and more corrupt behaviour was expected and demanded of him, and he felt shamed (took long enough!). There is a selection process that requires dubious qualities!