Thailand shares 84th spot alongside El Salvador, Guatemala, India, and Panama, on the 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International.

CPI 2009 Table

So, er, is this good or bad then?

I am really surprise that Somalia came out the worst.Dam I was planning my holiday there next year

To be fair, there is a trend that the worse the score, the less reliable the score (confidence range) and the fewer surveys done.

Nonetheless, Thailand is much better than her neighbours, Viet Nam and Cambodia.

I'm sure this gov't will be upset that Thailand is not "the hub of corruption".

Anyone have any idea how much it cost them to buy that place?

So, er, is this good or bad then?

Depends on whether you live in Somalia or New Zealand Tigger.

Results by: Transparency International "the global coalition against corruption"

Visa and Master Card and/or illegally gained money gladly accepted

Hey, come on give them some credit. At least they are good at something.

critical point is the p in cpi=perceptions ie do you think it is corrupt therefore it is a matter of opinion and not fact just like a beauty contest really

If i were El salvador and Guatemala i would sue for defamation. Fancy being labelled next to LOS in corruption.

Looking at where Thailand is in comparison to Myanmar I can't take this list seriously at all, and really hope no one else does either.

So, er, is this good or bad then?

A little background info..

From the CPI site you can get the CPI from the past 12 years. The lower the ranking the lesser the perceived corruption.

There is also a CPI score where the higher the score, the less corruption is perceived.

During the 12 years the number of countries in the index also changed from 85 in 1998 to 180 in 2009

Year--- Rank---Score

1998 --- 61 --- 3.0 (85)

1999 --- 68 --- 3.2 (99)

2000 --- 60 --- 3.2 (90)

2001 --- 61 --- 3.2 (91)

2002 --- 64 --- 3.2 (102)

2003 --- 70 --- 3.3 (133)

2004 --- 64 --- 3.6 (146)

2005 --- 59 --- 3.8 (159)

2006 --- 63 --- 3.6 (163)

2007 --- 84 --- 3.3 (179)

2008 --- 80 --- 3.5 (180)

2009 --- 84 --- 3.4 (180)

Make of it want you want....

I am really surprise that Somalia came out the worst.Dam I was planning my holiday there next year

I hear they're offering deep discounts on luxury cruises along the coast of Somalia nowadays...

So, er, is this good or bad then?

A little background info..

From the CPI site you can get the CPI from the past 12 years. The lower the ranking the lesser the perceived corruption.

There is also a CPI score where the higher the score, the less corruption is perceived.

During the 12 years the number of countries in the index also changed from 85 in 1998 to 180 in 2009

Year Rank Score

1998 61 3.0 (85)

1999 68 3.2 (99)

2000 60 3.2 (90)

2001 61 3.2 (91)

2002 64 3.2 (102)

2003 70 3.3 (133)

2004 64 3.6 (146)

2005 59 3.8 (159)

2006 63 3.6 (163)

2007 84 3.3 (179)

2008 80 3.5 (180)

2009 84 3.4 (180)

Make of it want you want....

I get it, in the late 90's we only thought 90 countries had corruption. A decade later we believe 180 countries have it.

To spin this more positively, one could say that we now rate middle of the pack status compared to a decade ago when we were clearly on the bottom. An improvement of XX percent in less than 10 years. If this trend continues, by 2020 we will be in the top 3rd as more countries are counted, and / or become more corrupt. All in all, it shows we have come very far but still have work to do.

So, er, is this good or bad then?

It's good news for the rich, who can buy their way out of anything and into politics. Good news for those seeking government-licensed monopolies on satcom, for example. Good news for anyone who would fail at any business they tried if it they didn't have an under-the-table trump card, and couldn't establish their own party without buying it, like you would a football club.

So, er, is this good or bad then?

A little background info..

From the CPI site you can get the CPI from the past 12 years. The lower the ranking the lesser the perceived corruption.

There is also a CPI score where the higher the score, the less corruption is perceived.

During the 12 years the number of countries in the index also changed from 85 in 1998 to 180 in 2009

Year Rank Score

1998 61 3.0 (85)

1999 68 3.2 (99)

2000 60 3.2 (90)

2001 61 3.2 (91)

2002 64 3.2 (102)

2003 70 3.3 (133)

2004 64 3.6 (146)

2005 59 3.8 (159)

2006 63 3.6 (163)

2007 84 3.3 (179)

2008 80 3.5 (180)

2009 84 3.4 (180)

Make of it want you want....

I get it, in the late 90's we only thought 90 countries had corruption. A decade later we believe 180 countries have it.

To spin this more positively, one could say that we now rate middle of the pack status compared to a decade ago when we were clearly on the bottom. An improvement of XX percent in less than 10 years. If this trend continues, by 2020 we will be in the top 3rd as more countries are counted, and / or become more corrupt. All in all, it shows we have come very far but still have work to do.

That's not how I read it.

Alant also said, "...critical point is the p in cpi=perceptions ie do you think it is corrupt therefore it is a matter of opinion and not fact just like a beauty contest really..."

That's not how I read it either.....though I agree with your logic.

I read it that a high score is good, and a low rank is good. The score has nothing to do with the number of countries surveyed, only the rank does.

'98) Thailand ranked 61st out of 85 countries, with the lowest score; meaning a high level of corruption percieved, yet somewhere near the upper quartile in corruption estimated from other surveys....not good either.

'09) Ranked 84th out of 180, with a higher score meaning less percieved corruption, and a better position on the ladder in comparison to other countries.

You do the math....I'm pissed. That's how I read it.....so it's an improvement over the last decade.

Interesting to see how Thailand got more corrupt once the evil Dr Thaksin was removed from power by people, rather ironically, complaining about how corrupt he was.

I am putting my money on " the survey was based on responses made by Thai civil servants/politicians " I have never met a Thai who would dispute that corruption was rampant through out the system, thus I would query as to who the respondents were to this survey.

Interesting to see how Thailand got more corrupt once the evil Dr Thaksin was removed from power by people, rather ironically, complaining about how corrupt he was.

I don't think opponents were complaining that Taksin was corrupt, after all how else can the nonproductive people in the bureaucracy and the government make real money. Rather it was that it was taking too long for him to lose an election so that they could get their turn. The fact that Thailand is now perceived as more corrupt is because those that usually have power, now that they are back in power, need to make up for all those lost years of kickbacks.

I am really surprise that Somalia came out the worst.Dam I was planning my holiday there next year

I hear they're offering deep discounts on luxury cruises along the coast of Somalia nowadays...

Yes I heard that an all I was looking at at a good deal

I am really surprise that Somalia came out the worst.Dam I was planning my holiday there next year

I hear they're offering deep discounts on luxury cruises along the coast of Somalia nowadays...

Yes I heard that an all I was looking at at a good deal

How do we know the survey wasn't corrupted?

All it is saying is the ones at the top of the list have a very sophisticated way of receiving gifts/contributions to getting things done. Hard to see that 'brown paper bag', it is at arms length.

The ones at the lower end can be bought more cheaply.

Money is king; its how the donation is made and accepted, that is what I read into the list.

I'm surprised the US managed to grab the 19th position ! I guess they owe this to the change in ruling administration.

To be fair, there is a trend that the worse the score, the less reliable the score (confidence range) and the fewer surveys done.

Nonetheless, Thailand is much better than her neighbours, Viet Nam and Cambodia.

I might suggest one questions such generalized polls and surveys. Personally, I've always been suspiscious of such comparatie/superlative surveys...

Interesting to see how Thailand got more corrupt once the evil Dr Thaksin was removed from power by people, rather ironically, complaining about how corrupt he was.

Thaksin was one of the few Thai leaders who, while in office, admitted that the country was inherently corrupt. Admission of a problem is not a Thai trait. He deserves some credit for at least recognising there was a problem, which is the first step to doing something about it.

His statement was one of the reasons he was forced out.

critical point is the p in cpi=perceptions ie do you think it is corrupt therefore it is a matter of opinion and not fact just like a beauty contest really

That has to be true. Otherwise USA would show an uglier number since Obama took office. Hello Socialism, goodbye Democracy