Thai Government To Launch War On Corruption

[george]

Thai government to launch war on corruption

BANGKOK: -- Stung by accusations of high-level graft, Thailand's government Friday promised to carry out a crackdown on rampant corruption, but opposition lawmakers said the move was a publicity stunt ahead of elections early next year.

The announcement comes after an anti-graft campaigner last week claimed that politicians, state officials and others had made 1.2 trillion baht (US$24.3 billion; euro 20 billion) through bribes, embezzlement and kickbacks in the past three years.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, one of Thailand's richest men, is scheduled to chair a special Cabinet meeting later Friday to discuss the anti-corruption campaign, which is due to be launched Oct. 3, Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said.

"Corruption cannot be swept out from this country unless the government is serious about cracking down at all levels,'' Phongthep told reporters.

The anti-graft campaigner, Sumet Tantivejkul, said last week that King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the highly revered constitutional monarch, is very concerned about corruption and wants the public to help fight it.

Opposition Democrat Party lawmaker Nakron Nachim said even though past graft probes have exposed corrupt officials at low level, top judges and powerful lawmakers have been left untouched.

Earlier this month, a London-based tycoon claimed that about 30 ruling party politicians, including ministers, manipulated a local bank's stocks for personal gains. He did not provide any evidence to back his allegation, and stock market authorities said no irregularities were found.

Several Cabinet ministers are big industrialists and Thaksin, who made his fortune in telecommunications, has often been accused of cronyism. Critics say corrupt dealings hide behind a facade of CEO-style management and populist policies.

-- AP 2004-09-17

[BackPackThailand]

Will this latest attempt to stop corruption apply to foreigners who've been stitched and then laughed at by the authorities..??

I think we all know the answer to that one!!

Where do foreigners go who need help with being ripped off..??

[A. BOOZER]

Surely this should have been posted under "Jokes"!

[Donno]

Taksin should start with himself... Start at the top!

[kmanrox]

That's the most hypocritacle thing i've heard all week...

the GOVERNMENT is launching a crackdown on CORRUPTION

LoLoL!!!!!

[george]

Update:

PM convenes special Cabinet meeting to discuss corruption

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today called a special Cabinet meeting for 30 September to tackle the thorny issue of corruption.

This afternoon’s 90-minute meeting was attended by the entire Cabinet, with the exception of ministers currently on foreign visits.

Speaking after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the meeting had been convened to enable Cabinet ministers to speak freely without the sometimes constricting presence of civil servants.

Top of the agenda was the government’s ‘war on corruption’, initially scheduled to begin on 3 October but now brought forward to 30 September.

Mr. Wissanu said that the prime minister had requested all ministers to propose measures to address the problem of corruption among government workers.

Today’s meeting follows talks yesterday between Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanchana and the president of the Clean Thailand Foundation, who proposed a raft of measures including anti-corruption lessons in schools and the amendment of certain pieces of legislation.

--TNA 2004-09-17

[soki]

corruption is like a cancer you have to cut it out at source otherwise you die!

don,t blame the people taking the money ........blame the people giving it.

it,s all too easy when everybody is at it , just bear it in mind the next time you slip the friendly policeman 500 baht so that he lets you off the motoring offence you have just commited.

[Pepe']

corruption is like a cancer you have to cut it out at source otherwise you die!

don,t blame the people taking the money ........blame the people giving it.

it,s all too easy when everybody is at it , just bear it in mind the next time you slip the friendly policeman 500 baht so that he lets you off the motoring offence you have just commited.

Can anyone say "fox watching the hen house."

Corruption will only and always get worse.

Not just in Thailand but everywhere.

Truth is finished...

[h5kaf]

My first thoughts are ha ha; we have outlawed drugs, beaten dark forces and now we turn our attention to corruption. But seriously there are major issues here.

Corruption in Thailand, for me, is the result of a mixture of low wages, envy, greed and outlawry. Well the government can do a great deal to modify corruption if my thesis is correct. I seriously doubt that the government wants to change anything. Like always it TALKS.

Corruption is being fought in the West as well. There it takes very suptle forms and government forces are hard pressed to catch the offenders. But they do get caught. The difference is that in the UK or the USA you can RELY on the law officer to HELP you not to stitch you up. ( At least in thre USA if you are white!!)

It is the variety of the forms of corruption which is confusing here in Thailand. If only it were consistent we would all know where we stand.

[shemmy]

this may sound rediculous but some should start a farang boycott of thailand to let taksin and his bs buddies know we can take are business elsewere,,, the country floats on our backs just examine the #'s the greatest fravtion of gdp is tourism.................we should send a message

[madmitch]

So the whole corruption issue was discussed in ninety minutes! Maybe many ministers didn't have a great deal to say on the matter. And the result was they would start the anti-corruption campaign 3 days early. Can't wait for the results.

[Darknight]

Speaking after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the meeting had been convened to enable Cabinet ministers to speak freely without the sometimes constricting presence of civil servants.

It was just a quick meeting to coordinate their own scheme's don't get uncovered.

He somchai you go take out chuwit , but don't look in my office you hear

[sanook]

Lately has everyone noticed how much Toxin has started caring about the Thai people. To bad his business dealings are not as transparent as he is . Oh, there is an election coming up??

[paulmw]

ha ha ha

[Som Nam Na]

Will they solve thier troubles in seven days like they claimed they could resolve the problems in the South?

[sonnyjc7]

All I can say is hahaha. Who does Thaksin think he's kidding?

[salty]

Drugs have been eliminated, now corruption, poverty next? Lets hear it for the Prime Minister Walter Mitty err Thaskin

[siam]

Prostitution after that lot as well,

[john b good]

Is the head waiter going to give some of his ??? gotten gains from over the years back or is it a war on corruption for the future only i.e. starting from when they can all get their "easymoney" concealed offshore.

I have always said that the biggest joke in the realm hails from Sankhamphaeng

[Zoltan]

Its sounds all so good but saying and doing are two different things. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cant fool all the people all of the time.

[Axel]

I just love it. So much changes.

Let's all fight for Thailand to become a hub in the war on corruption.

[Artisan]

Corruption in Thailand, for me, is the result of a mixture of low wages, envy, greed and outlawry. Well the government can do a great deal to modify corruption if my thesis is correct. I seriously doubt that the government wants to change anything. Like always it TALKS.

It's simple......it's just that nobody in Thailand, absolutely nobody, cares.........about anything. Maybe it's something to do with that typical Thai fatalism.

[stumonster]

maybe the big T should give us his personal definition on corruption.

[Artisi]

I don't think there is really much more to say - so I will just add my little bit - ha ha ha ha.

Lots of luck if your looking for any change.

[Dove]

Drugs have been eliminated, now corruption, poverty next? Lets hear it for the Prime Minister Walter Mitty err Thaskin

"Let's do it his way" (Frank Sinatra).

Shoot 'em all dead. No more corruption.

Next shoot all the poor - no more poverty. java script:emoticon(':P')

smilie

[Dickie]

this may sound rediculous but some should start a farang boycott of thailand to let taksin and his bs buddies know we can take are business elsewere,,, the country floats on our backs just examine the #'s the greatest fravtion of gdp is tourism.................we should send a message

Walking wouldn't be the best option, in my opinion, just have the threat of all the money drying up taken seriously. Obviously harder to do, but if people have no money they adapt. If people have money but are threatened with its loss they tend to take whatever action's necessary to avert that loss.

[royar2002]

Throwing stone in glasshouse.

[arthsch]

everybody is sure about 2 things: in the soi patpong is no prostitution and in thailand ist no corruption!

[kat]

I also read another article today, either in the Nation or BKK Post, that Toxin advised his Cabinent to clear up any irregularities or shady dealings.

It seems they are getting ready for an election folks.

[BronzeRider]

everybody is sure about 2 things: in the soi patpong is no prostitution and in thailand ist no corruption!

What is the definition of 'is'?