Anti-Graft Alliance Vows To Keep Close Watch On Thai Govt

[webfact]

POST-FLOOD MEASURES

Anti-graft alliance vows to keep close watch

WICHIT CHAITRONG

THE NATION

The Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), an alliance of private watchdog groups, yesterday launched the "Clean Thailand DIY" campaign to monitor the government's spending of Bt800 billion earmarked for post-flood recovery efforts.

ACN chairman Pramon Sutivong said the group is inviting people to join its campaign for 2012 to watch post-flood recovery efforts, which the government has said will involve restoring infrastructure including roads, railways and government buildings, as well as other projects.

Pramon said the network would organise a training programme to mobilise public support against corruption, and is following closely reports that suggest mismanagement of flood-relief bags by the government and a burglary at the house of the permanent secretary for transport that has sparked reports of stashed proceeds from graft.

The many recent reports of suspected corruption cases indicate that the problem is getting worse, he told a press conference at the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

"We will recruit more volunteers and give them training in monitoring corruption," he said.

The chairman vowed to impose social punishment on private firms found to be handing bribes to state officials and politicians.

The new campaign also aims to raise awareness among the public about corruption, he said.

Pramon said the National Anti-Corruption Commission would soon require private firms doing business with government agencies to declare their assets if they win government procurement projects worth Bt2 million or more. The new law, which will take effect in April, is aimed at keeping private firms from offering bribes to high-ranking government officials and politicians, he said.

Sompol Kiatphaibool, chairman of the SET, warned that officials who are aware of corruption cases but do not take action to expose or eradicate them could face criminal charges for neglecting their duties.

Saowanee Thairungroj, a re-searcher at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said corruption appears to be worsening, as measured by the Thai Corruption Percep-tion Index. The index dropped in November to 64.4 from 65.4 the previous month. The future index, which gauges current views on the likely situation regarding corruption in the future, also declined to 90.8 from 93.9 last month, she said.

Compared with other countries, corruption in Thailand appears to have decreased a little this year, with the nation ranking 80th among 183 countries on the 2011 Corruption Percep-tion Index (CPI).

Last year, Thailand was placed the 78th among 178 countries monitored in the survey.

The ranking was released yesterday by Transparency International, said Transparency Thailand secretary-general Juree Vichit-Vadakan.

The country received 3.4 points on a scale of 0 to 10. Ten points means a country has a low corruption level, while zero equates to a high level of |corruption.

Regionally, Thailand was ranked 10th among 26 Asian countries, with Singapore getting the highest transparency score in Asia of 9.2 out of a possible 10.

Thailand shared the 80th rank with Colombia, El Salvador, Greece, Morocco and Peru.

Most countries on the list scored less than 5, Juree said, with only 49 countries receiving more than that level.

New Zealand was ranked the least-corrupt country with 9.5 points, followed by Denmark and Finland at 9.4 points, while Somalia and North Korea were jointly rated the most corrupt in the world with a 1.0 point score.

The CPI is a composite index of numerous polls, drawing on corruption-related data from experts |and business surveys carried out by a variety of reputable independent institutions.

-- The Nation 2011-12-02

[virtualtraveller]

This article isn't clear. It says corruption has dropped slightly here, though it only quotes this year's index, not last year's by comparison. Certainly compared to other countries it has now slipped to 80th form 78th, so unless other countries have improved Thailand sounds like it's more corrupt relatively speaking....

[EvilDrSomkid]

Well, no, because last year they were 78 out of 178 countries. This year they were 80 out of 183 countries. Comes down to about the same.

However, I do not understand how private companies having to declare their assets if getting government contract above 2mil stops bribes.

[hellodolly]

This article isn't clear. It says corruption has dropped slightly here, though it only quotes this year's index, not last year's by comparison. Certainly compared to other countries it has now slipped to 80th form 78th, so unless other countries have improved Thailand sounds like it's more corrupt relatively speaking....

It is more corrupt.

Last year it scored 3.5 on the scale this year it scored 3.4.

About 3% more corrupt than last year.

Placing eighty is just a measure of how many countries are better or worse than Thailand it is not a measure of how corrupt or honest they are.

[doggie888888]

Is the Anti-Corruption Network same as the I-Did-Not-Get-My-Cut Network?

Am I too cynical?

[phiphidon]

Pramon said the National Anti-Corruption Commission would soon require private firms doing business with government agencies to declare their assets if they win government procurement projects worth Bt2 million or more. The new law, which will take effect in April, is aimed at keeping private firms from offering bribes to high-ranking government officials and politicians, he said.

Would it not be a good idea to apply the same procedure to the high ranking government officials and politicians they are doing business with? He asked rhetorically, already knowing the support that would get from said parties.....................

[SICHONSTEVE]

This article isn't clear. It says corruption has dropped slightly here, though it only quotes this year's index, not last year's by comparison. Certainly compared to other countries it has now slipped to 80th form 78th, so unless other countries have improved Thailand sounds like it's more corrupt relatively speaking....

It has dropped 2 after introducing 5 new countries to the list.

So in percentage terms it is now 43.82 against 43.72 jast year so it is 0.1 of a percentage point (or negligibly, essentially) better off and hardly deserving of even mentioning the fact as it is so irrelevant .

[KeyserSoze01]

So who is going to keep watch over the anti-graft alliance? Considering that the entire political process is corrupt to the core, this is just more lip-service for the sheeple to consume.