Campaign policies to combat Thailand’s multibillion-baht corruption problem

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World’s Political Desk

 

Thais’ tolerance for deep-seated corruption appears to be wearing thin, putting pressure on political parties to stop paying lip service to the problem and start rolling out tangible solutions.

 

Estimates indicate the country loses billions of baht each year to graft as public money is siphoned into the bank accounts of corrupt officials. Earlier this month, a senior official at the revenue office in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district was charged with taking bribes of about 4 million baht in exchange for waiving 40 million baht in building-and-land tax. A search of his home revealed the modestly paid bureaucrat somehow owned assets worth over 100 million baht.

 

Meanwhile earlier this year, Ratchada Suriyakul Na Ayutthaya was fired for taking bribes during his tenure as director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

 

“Corruption has not subsided in spite of the fact that our country has implemented more anti-graft mechanisms,” lamented Mana Nimitmongkol, secretary-general of the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT).

 

How corrupt is Thailand?

 

Thailand ranks 101 out of 180 countries in the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, compiled and released by Transparency International. The latest ranking saw Thailand climb nine places from 2021. But when it came to the transparency score, Thailand had risen by just one point.

 

Mana complained that Thailand’s corruption situation has seen little improvement over the years no matter what parties were in power. Thailand’s score has ranged between 35 and 38 out of 100 during the past decade.

Yet, Mana refuses to give up hope. He believes that promises made by politicians – no matter how empty they seem at first glance – offer a foundation for anti-corruption work in the future.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/campaign-policies-to-combat-thailands-multibillion-baht-corruption-problem/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-20

 

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[dinsdale]

Not a chance. Thais hate it except for those that benefit from it. Corruption is rife top to bottom. To clean up corruption would probably mean sacking all those in positions of power and that aint going to happen. Local authorities, school directors, government depts, politicians, police, armed forces etc, etc.

[actonion]

So corrupt officials are going to head the campaign  for those corrupt officials  ........ yeah sure 

[seajae]

a couple of years ago they did a survey on corruption/bribes and 65% said it was fine as long as the got some of it, just goes to show how many thais think and why its so hard to wipe out. Anything to do with govt requires back handers and I have seen this first hand involving huge amounts of money, you only have to look at the pathetic state of the roads etc to see how bad corruption can be, problem is that many thais regard money as the be all and end all, doesnt matter how they get as long as they do and govt jobs/contracts give them the ability to do it. We had a friends husband shot and killed over a govt contract after he won it, killer was never identified, can bet that certain people were paid off to look the other way, surveyors and their families threatened with death if they dont sign off on a project/work done, customs officials threatening to stop exports unless they get a certain percentage, all common place here 

Edited April 20, 2023 by seajae

[webfact]

Promises of a corruption-free Thailand: Will political parties deliver their election pledges?
by Bob Scott

 

 

For more than a century, corruption, graft, kickbacks, and bribery have been entrenched in the culture of Thailand. However, political parties in anticipation of the upcoming May 14 General Election are promising to eradicate these issues in their election pledges. But will they?

 

Mana Nimitmongkol, the secretary-general of the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT), said that despite the implementation of numerous anti-graft mechanisms in the country, corruption has not diminished.

According to Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Thailand is ranked 101st out of 180 countries. However, this marks a slight improvement from 2021, with Thailand climbing nine places in the ranking. Despite this, Thailand’s transparency score only increased by one point, Thai PBS reported.

 

Mana expressed disappointment that Thailand’s corruption situation has remained largely unchanged over the years, regardless of which political party was in power. Over the past decade, Thailand’s score has fluctuated between 35 and 38 out of 100.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/promises-of-a-corruption-free-thailand-will-political-parties-deliver-their-election-pledges

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-04-20

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[Will B Good]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s corruption situation has seen little improvement over the years no matter what parties were in power.

Of course not......who are the biggest beneficiaries of corruption?.....the very people in charge of preventing it.

[rbkk]

Yesterday the buzz around here was that 500 baht cash was on offer to anyone (Thai 18+) willing to sit for an hour and listen. Today the envelopes arrived a bit lighter (300 baht) as so many turned up! Not to worry our household sent 2 pax. Just waiting for the next mob to swan into the soi; ka-ching. 

[dinsdale]

5 minutes ago, rbkk said:

Yesterday the buzz around here was that 500 baht cash was on offer to anyone (Thai 18+) willing to sit for an hour and listen. Today the envelopes arrived a bit lighter (300 baht) as so many turned up! Not to worry our household sent 2 pax. Just waiting for the next mob to swan into the soi; ka-ching. 

I assume your talking about vote 'buying'. Normal part of Thai elections. I remember the Taksin election in 2004 I think it was. A militaty helicopter stacked with loudspeakers was flying around telling people to vote for him.  My 1st year here. I couldn't believe what I was seeing or more to the point hearing as it was very very loud.

[smedly]

a good start would be forcing those that have been in charge these last 13 years to disclose their earnings while in office and where the money came from, all police and army high ranks can do the same 

 

 

being able to hide it does not inspire confidence does it ?  - one of the first things Prayut did when he took office - remove the need for finacial disclosure - that is a red flag right there  

[Mad mick]

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Edited April 20, 2023 by Mad mick

[digger70]

Combat the Deep rooted Bred in since year Dot corruption .

Good luck with that in the next couple hundred years.

[madmitch]

Any party with anti-corruption policies that then proceeds to offer cash for votes is lying from the outset.

 

 

 

 

[vivananahuahin]

April joke a little bit late.

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand ranks 101 out of 180 countries in the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index,

that's a good rating (sarcasm intended)....would have guessed 170-175 out of 180, ok maybe next year will get there

[mfd101]

Nothing short of a firing squad for the top 10000 will change anything. Where's Fidel when we need him?

[DUNROAMIN]

The country runs on brown envelopes, always has, always will. New politicians will just come up with better ways to use brown envelopes.

[Srikcir]

"Corruption Soars Under the Watchful Eye of Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha"

Dec. 19, 2020

chiangraitimes.com

Prayut's position:

• Cannot reveal the names of the culprits who cheat the system
• Monitoring for government graft was the media's job
• Government officials preferred working behind closed doors
• Better to publicize the achievements of his government, look at cases already closed

Yet now Prayut is running for re-election as PM promising in part to solve corruption?

 

[Dave0206]

I think there is or should be a law about unaccounted for wealth but who in government would pass the sniff test?

The excuses are so stupid a child would blush ???? 

And on this they try to stop corruption I bought this job now I need to make it pay

[spidermike007]

Any sort of lies, PR campaigns, promises or rhetoric by the toxic leaders, who are desperate to maintain control, has to be dismissed completely. Cha Cha, you had 8 years to do something. If anything, corruption has gotten worse under your watch. You are a failed leader and a very small man, who is roundly despised, by nearly all. 

 

Most of us look forward to your political exile, and quite possibly your physical exile, once the many crimes of your administration have been unearthed. 

Edited April 20, 2023 by spidermike007

[wealthychef]

Removing corruption from politics is an endless project and somehow nobody ever accomplishes it.  This is another place where I have to remind folks that Thailand is not unique in its corruption.  The problem is that the vast majority of those with the real power to correct it are neck-deep in it, in every country I know of at the moment.  

[Mickboy]

Campaign policies to combat Thailand’s multibillion-baht corruption problem

 

Corruption ha ! you'd need a CCTV camera on everyone of them.

[rudi49jr]

6 hours ago, seajae said:

a couple of years ago they did a survey on corruption/bribes and 65% said it was fine as long as the got some of it, just goes to show how many thais think and why its so hard to wipe out. Anything to do with govt requires back handers and I have seen this first hand involving huge amounts of money, you only have to look at the pathetic state of the roads etc to see how bad corruption can be, problem is that many thais regard money as the be all and end all, doesnt matter how they get as long as they do and govt jobs/contracts give them the ability to do it. We had a friends husband shot and killed over a govt contract after he won it, killer was never identified, can bet that certain people were paid off to look the other way, surveyors and their families threatened with death if they dont sign off on a project/work done, customs officials threatening to stop exports unless they get a certain percentage, all common place here 

“a couple of years ago they did a survey on corruption/bribes and 65% said it was fine as long as the got some of it”

 

They have been doing that survey many times, for decades. The outcome is always more or less the same, that 60 to 70% of Thai people have absolutely no problem with corruption, as long as they can profit from it. And that is the key issue here: if that mindset (corruption is okay as long as I profit from it) doesn’t change, the whole system will never change either. I guess it also has to do with the educational system (which is pretty archaic, to say the least), and how Thai society works, that people always have to bow down to and obey those who are higher up in the hierarchy.

 

[mrfill]

An article that answers the question 'Is there an election coming up?"

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, Will B Good said:

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s corruption situation has seen little improvement over the years no matter what parties were in power.

Of course not......who are the biggest beneficiaries of corruption?.....the very people in charge of preventing it.

Yes. Wasn't the head of the anti-corruption office arrested for corruption?

[soalbundy]

Complaining about corrupt politicians anywhere in the world is like complaining about birds flying or that rain is wet. The special hallmark of Thai corruption however is that it is a pursuit without shame and almost no consequences. Mark Twain said that mankind is the only animal that blushes....or needs to, the Thais have set themselves in their own ball park on that one, they see no need to.

[stoutfella]

This will be interesting/amusing to watch.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Thais’ tolerance for deep-seated corruption appears to be wearing thin, putting pressure on political parties to stop paying lip service to the problem and start rolling out tangible solutions.

Prayuts promise to stop corruption fell rather short of expectations, like most of his other policies.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Earlier this month, a senior official at the revenue office in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district was charged with taking bribes of about 4 million baht in exchange for waiving 40 million baht in building-and-land tax. A search of his home revealed the modestly paid bureaucrat somehow owned assets worth over 100 million baht.

Tip of a very large ice-berg.

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

public money is siphoned into the bank accounts of corrupt officials.

AKA - politicians.  Of course they're going to keep spouting the same mealy-mouthed platitudes whilst doing nothing.

[berrec]

This says it all, just another money grabbing day in Thailand!