Grass-Roots Action Has Power To Stem Rampant Graft In Thailand

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EDITORIAL

Grass-roots action has power to stem rampant graft

By The Nation

Action from ordinary taxpayers is needed to tackle the chronic levels of corruption affecting society

The issue of pervasive corruption needs to be tackled by ordinary Thais so as to build pressure from the bottom up. It is no use waiting for the government or state agencies, who tend to be slow or just reluctant to act, to take the lead. Without action from the grass-roots, this chronic problem will not be solved.

At a recent roundtable discussion mediated by The Nation, Charnchai Charuvastr, president of the Thai Institute of Directors (IOD), revealed the astonishing finding of a recent survey: almost half of the respondent companies said the corruption problem in Thailand reaches to the highest level.

Findings like these should motivate us all with an urgency to check how our tax money is being spent by, for instance, requiring access to the information. Proper data collection should give us an idea of whether our money has been spent effectively. Such public inspection should force the decision-makers and agencies to think twice before engaging in acts of bribery.

But though the Information Act is in place, its enforcement has yet to be effective. "Red tape" has prevented the public's access to government agencies. This is despite the fact that technological developments make transparency easier to deliver than ever before. All sorts of information, such as the breakdown of budgets for projects, could easily be made available on agencies' websites.

The public should demand access to this information so that they could detect whether bribes are being paid. We could also evaluate whether our money was being spent wisely and thereby check the performance of the bureaucrats or politicians concerned.

Instead, the public is currently left in the dark without any idea how their tax money has been squandered, until a news story breaks detailing the latest case of alleged corruption. Unfortunately, many of these cases are not pursued.

In fact, a public-private partnership is essential to combat corruption. The corporate world should be made aware that corruption will not be tolerated any longer. The extra cost involved with bribery has eroded competitiveness. Corruption obstructs the process of creating a level playing field for all companies.

The same survey cited by Charnchai showed that while 55 per cent of respondents admitted that the problem has affected the economy, 33 per cent said the effect was at a "disastrous" level. Forty-nine per cent said corruption had eaten into their revenue by 20 per cent. Forty-nine per cent of respondents blamed corruption as a stumbling block to the country's development. Forty-per cent were convinced that the anti-graft policies in the past five years have been a failure. For instance, corruption is widespread among local administrations, where nominees were set up to take under-the-table bribes.

However, the survey also showed that only 14 per cent of respondents were willing to cooperate to fight graft.

Many of those surveyed were discouraged in making a stand against graft by a lack of cooperation from those around them. For this reason, combating corruption must become a national priority.

The enforcement of the corporate liability law is also too weak to bring effective prosecution in corruption cases.

Actions that take this issue seriously are long overdue. It's time the public took the matter into their own hands by exercising their right to be informed. Such action from adults would also help instil awareness among the youth and sow the seeds of good and responsible citizenship from an early age.

The public can also utilise the social media to raise awareness via campaigning that puts pressure on politicians, or exchanging information and giving tip-offs on suspicious practices they find. The social-media community could be a powerful force for social censure of corrupt officials or politicians.

But instead, society seems currently to be more concerned about passing judgement on frivolous issues, such as a celebrity who unintentionally fathered a child, while letting corrupt politicians off the hook.

-- The Nation 2010-10-05

[siamtexan]

Every time we pay a single extra baht for requested or assumed "added" fee for any reason, we become the ones growing the corruption..

[ukinbkk]

The greed and corruption problem in Thailand reaches to the highest level., epedemic, I would call it. It is everywhere in everyday life, just look at The Airport car park issues also Victor (the arms dealer), will he ever get deported to USA, probably not because he has money and guess what..Money talks in Thailand which is why everyone wants it soooo bad..

You don't have to look too far.. A certain person that's living abroad now, mind you saying this I don't think he would have let those blacks sell their drugs openly on Sukhumvit soi's 4-11. He would have stopped this in it's tracks.. Maybe thailand should let him come home and have a Collision government, (that was intended) that way we'd still have corruption but no dodgy Africans on street corners selling their crack. :jap:

[afarang]

It will not happen. The serious level is enforced by the ruling power elite. They have no intention of allowing it to be destroyed. Too much at stake.

[RedNIvar]

Action from ordinary taxpayers is needed to tackle the chronic levels of corruption affecting society

Sad to say that the most ordinary taxpayer are foreigners. Ordinary Thai's, bribe and find other means to get out of paying taxes. The more they earn, the worse off it is.

The law in Thailand is written with a hidden "bribe factor" in it. Case and point with issuing tickets by the traffic police. They claim that by law after issuing you a traffic ticket, they are bound to hold on to your drivers license until the ticket is paid. If you do not want to lose your license, you can pay the fine on the spot with no ticket. I end up paying it every time. Who wants the hassle of looking for this police station to pay the fine and get your license back. This is one example. Money bound for the government into the pockets of the BIB.

[whybother]

It will not happen. The serious level is enforced by the ruling power elite. They have no intention of allowing it to be destroyed. Too much at stake.

You'd probably find that there is just as much graft in Thailand by the non-ruling power elite. The PTP and the rich reds have their fair share of hands in the honey pot.