A Corrupt Nation: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

A Corrupt Nation

Corruption is becoming more and more rampant in Thailand. Secretary-General of Transparency Thailand Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakarn reported that Thailand was ranked 80th among 183 countries surveyed in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index, down from last year’s 78th. The country earned 3.4 points from a total of 10 in terms of transparency.

It was ranked near countries such as Columbia, Peru and Serbia, some of which are known for their drug production and trafficking. The lower rank reflected the failure of governmental departments and agencies in the fight against corruption.

It might not be fair to put the blame on any particular department or agency as corruption is widespread throughout the public sector, which is infamous for being a gold mine for politicians and senior officials. Corruption may be most obvious in the police organization but it does not necessarily involve the largest amount of money. Actually, police don't get much from collecting bribes. It is incomparable to kickbacks earned from state projects which could be worth billions or ten billions of baht.

The government was entrusted by the public to 'govern' the country. If it is unable to set a good example and show that corruption is wrong, how could it tell civil officials and employees from top to bottom to toe the line where corruption is concerned. Politicians usually take advantage from crises and distorted the governing system in their favor, while permanent officials take and make what they can. The private sector is also responsible for allowing corrupt practices to grow. Though some organizations have started to campaign against corruption by public officials, but they might eventually become quiet when faced with pressure from those in power.

Meanwhile, anti-graft organizations are just like a paper tiger. Their investigation is always slow and transparency questionable. Investigation in a case could be dragged on until the statute of limitation expires. When the laws cannot be enforced against wrongdoers, anti-graft officials may think they will be better off accepting bribes. When people in the anti-graft agencies become corrupt themselves, no one will ever have to worry about getting caught.

Editorial, Kom Chad Luek, Page 4, December 8th, 2011

Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-09

[kotsak]

"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within." - W. Durant

[KhunHay]

Article quoted:"Actually, police don't get much from collecting bribes. It is incomparable to kickbacks earned from state projects which could be worth billions or ten billions of baht."

What a statement !

[Nontaburi]

Corruption is a much more rampant and deep problem than you indicate. For example, certainly you don't imply that the only corruption revenue in the police department is derived from collecting 100 baht notes from traffic violators. Police have very large projects as well where the policians (most) dont dig in their grubby hands, resulting in high personal wealth of police top brass much more than what their measly salaries would afford them.

Corruption is a broad problem (in the public and sectors) and if anyone is serious about getting rid of it, a broad open approach will be required. We cannot continue to say it's only at the politician's level. It's everywhere.

[ricku]

The corruption in Thailand is everywhere, all the time.

A couple of days ago my brother was caught by the police for littering. He had thrown an empty yoghurt box on the street, so the police walked him to the nearest police shed and fined him 2000 baht. Before my bro left, he asked them if he could get a reciept. One of the officers replied: "Do you want 1000 baht back, or do you want the reciept"?

He did the right thing and took the reciept, walking away with a smile on his face, knowing that he had robbed them of their tea money. He knew that if he had not taken the reciept, the police would just stuff the money in their own pockets.

The corruption will never end. People in this country are just too money hungry and greedy.. Hell, even when u get married you gotta PAY for it. Pathetic.

Edited December 9, 2011 by ricku

[jimbeam1]

Article quoted:"Actually, police don't get much from collecting bribes. It is incomparable to kickbacks earned from state projects which could be worth billions or ten billions of baht."

What a statement !

I couldn't agree with you more.

jb1

[KarenBravo]

Errrrrm........and how is this news?

Just stating the bleedin' obvious.

[Oberkommando]

A failed culture and society is the one that rewards immorality and deceit.

[Squigy]

Nobody it seems has the will or inclination to sort the mess out. So on and on we go, day after day, filling the pocket's with illegal gain and telling all and sundry what "we" have just done.

Leadership starts from the top and if the Thai people keep electing corrupt leaders and those corrupt leaders installing more corrupt cronies into senior positions this will never stop and so Thailand will become a failed state. Maybe it is now! Close to it.

One of my pet dislikes is the Thai Education system and making all the kids pass year after year!! Doing such an injustice to the students is not at all teaching them the skills that they need to survive and get ahead in the future. It is consigning those people to the rice paddies, factories and sex industry of the future.. All to support some "hi-so" in Bangkok.

I just hope that one day the this will come back and bite those dam_n stupid teachers who all they do is collect money to allow the kids to pass.

Am disgusted as ever!

[Nontaburi]

Errrrrm........and how is this news?

Just stating the bleedin' obvious.

Yes it is obvious, but it should be news everyday even if it is repetitive.

Sweeping it under the carpet (even below the table) will not make it go away.

Hunt it down, make it news, highlight the details and teach the masses that corruption is wrong by making punishment harsh!

Am I dreaming?

[Phatcharanan]

even when u get married you gotta PAY for it. Pathetic.[/size]

Errrrrrrrrrr right.

[cowslip]

Thailand is truly sick in this respect - and desperately needs a cure.

Corruption costs the country dear.

Economics

Progress.

Civil Rights

Democracy

Public Works

every aspect of life in Thailand has this voracious leach on its back.

What is worse is that the public in general seem either apathetic or resigned to it....... how can anyone be proud of a country where the police can stop and ask for bribes openly and with impunity?

[Tanuki]

Money hungry, selfish, me go first mentality....of course corruption is out of control here.

[philhal2]

I really thought Thailand was on the track to be the world " HUB " for crime ,major and minor corruption ,racism ,double standards and petty double charging for foriegners .

BUT oh what a dissapointment they have slipped backwards 2 places . Oh dear and this was there best chance at being a " HUB "

[drdoom6996]

I would like to say something about a politician that was the best teacher of corruption for 5 years. But it would only get deleted.

[Oberkommando]

I would like to say something about a politician that was the best teacher of corruption for 5 years. But it would only get deleted.

Corruption was entrenched in Thai culture and society way before he came along.

[Tanuki]

Money hungry, selfish, me go first mentality....of course corruption is out of control here.

[lovetotravel]

Article quoted:"Actually, police don't get much from collecting bribes. It is incomparable to kickbacks earned from state projects which could be worth billions or ten billions of baht."

What a statement !

I couldn't agree with you more.

jb1

Very interesting statement. Never thought about this, but I am sure he is right on! Saw a report on Russia. The politicians are getting very rich there.

[slapout]

The way the system works and those who use the system have been taught by the earlier generations of family. That is what is scary about Thailand and those in control.

[ajarnyai]

One of my pet dislikes is the Thai Education system and making all the kids pass year after year!! Doing such an injustice to the students is not at all teaching them the skills that they need to survive and get ahead in the future. It is consigning those people to the rice paddies, factories and sex industry of the future.. All to support some "hi-so" in Bangkok.

I just hope that one day the this will come back and bite those dam_n stupid teachers who all they do is collect money to allow the kids to pass.

Am disgusted as ever!

I'm pretty sure that the "no fail" or "social promotion" policy comes from the ministry of education, and not the teachers themselves. Since the parents pay for their kids to go to school here, the schools have to maintain an image. If you fail half your school every year, not only will the parents ask a lot of questions, but so would the government, who pays for these schools. Everyone wants to save face; the teachers, students and the school administration. The funny thing is, that everyone knows how this affects the students, but basically get paid to ignore it.

This is another example of how corruption is an institution here. The "smartest people" in the country who run the MOE have decided to create a system in which no one looks bad, but year after year rubber stamping laziness and ignoring the efforts of the hardworking. I think tit's a cultural thing. Fairness and honesty for the sake of doing what's right is just not important here.

[smilingbumpy]

yeah....yeah....yeah........but i still like it enough to stay in this beautiful country...!!!

[Jingthing]

Is it not part of the reason why so many Farangs live here... no need to have 800,000 bahts in the bank, for the retirement visa, just pay 20,000 baht and voila... one retirement visa bought..! so easy ....!

What percentage of f-rangs on retirement extensions do you reckon are doing that very illegal thing that would make them vulnerable to going to Thai prison? I know it exists but I don't believe it is a very significant percentage. Perhaps I'm naive.

[bedouin1990]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference. - Prayer of St. Francis -

[Jingthing]

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference. - Prayer of St. Francis -

Damnable fatalism.

[bigbamboo]

Article quoted:"Actually, police don't get much from collecting bribes. It is incomparable to kickbacks earned from state projects which could be worth billions or ten billions of baht."

What a statement !

So if the Thai police are corrupt but not as corrupt as Thai politicians what does it say about politicians who are also policemen?

Edited December 9, 2011 by bigbamboo

[impulse]

Say what you want, but the locals are amateurs compared to the Republicrats and Demicans. Those guys solved the problem(s) of corruption by simply passing laws legalizing it.

No doubt corruption in Thailand is a drag on the economy, but it didn't collapse the economy like collusion between Big Banks and the western pols.

I'm pretty sure lobbyists alone in the US dole out more in cash than the combined "corruption" of every crooked local Thai- and all absolutely legal.

[Squigy]

One of my pet dislikes is the Thai Education system and making all the kids pass year after year!! Doing such an injustice to the students is not at all teaching them the skills that they need to survive and get ahead in the future. It is consigning those people to the rice paddies, factories and sex industry of the future.. All to support some "hi-so" in Bangkok.

I just hope that one day the this will come back and bite those dam_n stupid teachers who all they do is collect money to allow the kids to pass.

Am disgusted as ever!

I'm pretty sure that the "no fail" or "social promotion" policy comes from the ministry of education, and not the teachers themselves. Since the parents pay for their kids to go to school here, the schools have to maintain an image. If you fail half your school every year, not only will the parents ask a lot of questions, but so would the government, who pays for these schools. Everyone wants to save face; the teachers, students and the school administration. The funny thing is, that everyone knows how this affects the students, but basically get paid to ignore it.

This is another example of how corruption is an institution here. The "smartest people" in the country who run the MOE have decided to create a system in which no one looks bad, but year after year rubber stamping laziness and ignoring the efforts of the hardworking. I think tit's a cultural thing. Fairness and honesty for the sake of doing what's right is just not important here.

In my area of LOS the "parents" ,"grand parents", carers, de facto parents would not know how to ask a question let alone care if the kids failed year in year and year out. They are a selfish lot who only seem to care when the kids get to an age where they can work the paddies or take of to the cities to earn some income to send back to the village.

Regarding the schools here well they are just a place to go to and pass the time of day having fun with all the other kids.. It's not serious here, it's just filing in time!! Teachers don't bother to turn up day in day out. The teachers that do seem to just waste the day away, sometimes sleeping, sometimes eating.

They still get paid regardless of the work they do!!!!

[masterbiker49]

And of course do not forget the I will just buy my child a job scam,good for a couple of hundred thou Baht tea money.

[spidermike007]

The corruption in Thailand is everywhere, all the time.

A couple of days ago my brother was caught by the police for littering. He had thrown an empty yoghurt box on the street, so the police walked him to the nearest police shed and fined him 2000 baht. Before my bro left, he asked them if he could get a reciept. One of the officers replied: "Do you want 1000 baht back, or do you want the reciept"?

He did the right thing and took the reciept, walking away with a smile on his face, knowing that he had robbed them of their tea money. He knew that if he had not taken the reciept, the police would just stuff the money in their own pockets.

The corruption will never end. People in this country are just too money hungry and greedy.. Hell, even when u get married you gotta PAY for it. Pathetic.

You are implying that the problem is not systemic. How naive of you to think that by writing the receipt, he was depriving anyone of anything. In order for the receipt to have meant anything, there would have to be accountability, which there is not. The chief is corrupt, the supervisor of the department is corrupt, all the way up to the PM. Nobody cares, and few do not expect the police to engage in this petty crime. That statement was merely a show. A drama enacted by a tiny drama queen cop.

[swerver]

yeah....yeah....yeah........but i still like it enough to stay in this beautiful country...!!!

yeah....yeah....yeah........but i still like it enough to stay in this beautiful country...!!!

For Newbie there is:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference. - Prayer of St. Francis -

]We jump to the country that demands to run the world:

December 9, 2011

Whenever you think it's bad, it's worse.

The ATF sold guns to the Mexican drug cartels.

US Federal agents allowed the Sinaloa cartel to traffic several tons of cocaine into the United States in exchange for information about rival cartels.

Now, it appears that the DEA was laundering the money for them too...

Congress to Investigate DEA Cartel 'Money Laundering'

[After the New York Times published a story last week which claimed that US officials facilitated money laundering schemes in their efforts to crack down on Mexican drug cartels, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into the matter.

In a strongly-worded letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Representative Darrell Issa accused the Justice Department of doing more to promote illegal activity than fight it, claiming Holder had green-lighted a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) program which "lacks appropriate operational safeguards to prevent the implementation of such dangerous schemes," with "disastrous" consequences.

Issa further alleged that such programs have made the US an "accomplice to the Mexican drug trade," and requested that Holder's office hand over information on the DEA's money-tracking activities to his committee today.

Based on the Times article, however, there is no immediate evidence of foul play. While narcotics agents may have been involved in laundering money for Mexican drug trafficking groups, the circumstances behind this are unknown. As security analyst James Bosworth notes, this lack of data makes it difficult to judge the calculus behind the DEA's operations.

What's more, Issa's indignation at the Times' report may have more to do with his own political agenda. As InSight Crime has reported, he has made a name for himself as a major opponent of the Obama Justice Department. Along with Senator Charles Grassley, Issa spearheaded the recent campaign against the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF's) controversial "Operation Fast and Furious," under which roughly 2,000 guns were allowed to cross the US border.

http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1948-congress-to-investigate-dea-cartel-money-laundering

Edited December 10, 2011 by metisdead
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