Politics Sudarat's Last Stand: Iron Lady Fights Corruption in Thai Politics

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Facebook คุณหญิงสุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธุ์ Sudarat Keyuraphan

 

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, renowned as the "Iron Lady" of Thai politics, is rallying forcefully to cleanse the tarnished reputation of her workforce, the Thai Sang Thai party.

 

The 64-year-old stalwart recently committed to restructuring the party she founded in 2021 to tackle corruption that has deeply entwined the country's administration. Her defiant stance comes amid allegations against some members of her party of straying from integrity.

 

A storm of controversy swirls around Thai Sang Thai, as key figures have leapt ship. Former MPs Anudith Nakornthap and Karoon Hosakul, once loyal to Sudarat, have aligned themselves with other political factions, leaving behind an internal rift.

 

Yet, Sudarat remains adamant, asserting that reform is the pathway to restoring public trust in politics defined by law and morality.

 

Launching her banner of “honest politics”, Sudarat spotlighted devastating corruption as a catalyst for Thailand’s economic stagnation.

 

She criticised an entrenched cycle of vote-buying leading to power abuse and capital accumulation at taxpayer expense. Her pledge is clear: motivated leadership is essential to uprooting this malady from the nation's political landscape.

 

Despite being urged to retire, Sudarat insists her mission against corruption is critical. She intends to reinvigorate the political battlefield, urging citizens to reject the pervasive money-empowered political cycle.

 

Her message resonates deeply amidst increasing public frustration with longstanding dishonest practices.

 

With a career spanning decades and having held prominent cabinet roles like public health minister, Sudarat's resolve is unwavering.

 

She originated in politics with the Palang Dharma Party in 1992, then joined forces with Thaksin Shinawatra to create the Thai Rak Thai Party, which solidified a historic electoral victory in 2001.

 

Her journey experienced highs and lows, including a five-year political ban after Thai Rak Thai’s dissolution in 2007.

 

Recently, Sudarat made notable electoral strides in 2023 as Thai Sang Thai’s sole list MP, although she relinquished the position to support the party’s secretary-general.

 

While she hints that if current efforts falter, she might retreat from politics, her determined crusade for a corruption-free Thailand still reverberates strongly, setting a bold precedent in Thai political circles.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai PBS World 2025-06-09

 

 

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

The 64-year-old stalwart recently committed to restructuring the party she founded in 2021 to tackle corruption that has deeply entwined the country's administration. Her defiant stance comes amid allegations against some members of her party of straying from integrity.

Corrupt to the core... she has no chance

[FlorC]

So a bit like Big Joke for the police , but then he got into a bit of trouble himself.

[klauskunkel]

Quote

 Iron Lady Fights Corruption in Thai Politics

The cynic in me says, it's just a platform to run on for her... 

[spidermike007]

Her defiant stance comes amid allegations against some members of her party of straying from integrity.

 

Is that part of a George Carlin routine? Where did that come from? That would be amusing if it weren't so tragic. 

 

It's encouraging to think that there is actually somebody out there fighting corruption here, but one wonders if there's any possibility of her putting even a dent into the issue, it's so pervasive, it's so widespread, where would one even start? 

 

Every single department in Thailand is corrupt from the local, to the state government, to the federal government. You cannot get a position within the government at any level, the police, customs or immigration without buying that position. Everybody knows that and fortunes are being made on a daily basis.

 

My woman's sister-in-law just paid 200,000 baht for a lowly 10,000 baht a month position in their local village. It's so common. Millions upon millions of baht are being made from this these kind of practices and this has been going on for a century perhaps, or longer. The RTP, Customs, and Immigration, all of these departments are simply pyramid schemes with bribes being funneled to those in power. Is there any will to stop these kind of practices? 

 

Of course this is just a silly dream, everybody's making so much money with this bizarre patronage system, when hundreds of thousands of baht are being paid for a low position and millions are being paid for a high position. The fortunes that are being made and the illegal and illicit funds that are being collected are astonishing and shameful. 

 

 

[digger70]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

My woman's sister-in-law just paid 200,000 baht for a lowly 10,000 baht a month position in their local village. 

This is a bit hard to believe , If one has got that kind of funds one can Buy a better paying job. 

I could be wrong but that is what I think.

[lordgrinz]

13 minutes ago, digger70 said:

This is a bit hard to believe , If one has got that kind of funds one can Buy a better paying job. 

I could be wrong but that is what I think.

 

You're forgetting about the share of the brown envelopes she will more than likely get, it pays to be a government (local/national) employee.

[spidermike007]

44 minutes ago, digger70 said:

This is a bit hard to believe , If one has got that kind of funds one can Buy a better paying job. 

I could be wrong but that is what I think.

Well I'm certainly not making it up, and this is a story coming directly from my woman who is pretty straight with me. As a matter of fact we lent them the money so they could get this position, and by the way we were paid back in full. As is always the case with any member of her wonderful family. 

[quake]

Quote

rallying forcefully to cleanse the tarnished reputation of her workforce, the Thai Sang Thai party.

 

One more Dog & Pony show.