Whistle-Blowing Doesn't Work In Thailand?

[webfact]

GURU SPEAK

Whistle-blowing doesn't work in Thailand?

Peter David Hamilton

BANGKOK: -- There is a widely held belief among business leaders in Thailand that whistle-blowing can never be successful here due to deeply held cultural issues that mitigate against one person speaking out against another for fear of being chastised or being wrong.

While one cannot completely overlook or discredit this view, the reality is a very long way from the perception.

There are already many whistle-blowing services being provided in Thailand and our experience shows that under the right circumstances whistle-blowing success rates in Thailand are no different than anywhere else, regardless of cultural issues and perceptions.

International bodies, such as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, regularly publish statistics showing how fraud and corruption is detected in organisations all over the world. The ACFE surveys suggest that three times as many acts of fraud were detected by whistle-blowing as any other method. Overall, whistle-blowing is responsible for 40 per cent or more of all reported fraud. The next highest method for detecting fraud is by accident, which is not a strategy that any business leader should consider as being preferable. Whistle-blowing services can and often are opened up to customers, vendors and suppliers and this group is responsible for more than one third of all reports. This shows that just relying on your employees to report fraud and other misconduct to you is going to miss a large potential pool of intelligence.

Many countries have implemented requirements or recommendations regarding whistle-blowing for corporations and government organisations. Included in this is the Dodd-Frank Act in the US which has introduced cash rewards for a whistle-blower who reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission information that leads to the successful prosecution of securities law violations. Since 2002 the Sarbannes-Oxley Act (US) has required all public companies to implement their own whistle-blowing arrangements.

Singapore has also released a Code of Good Corporate Governance which in part recommends that corporations implement independent and confidential whistle-blowing services for their employees to report matters of concern.

Many other countries in Asia are working on regulations and codes for specific industry sectors or for the entire corporate community for whistle-blowing.

In November 2010 the Thai government hosted the 14th International Anti-Corruption conference. The conference resulted in the ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Article 8/4, 32 and 33 of UNCAC requires that state parties should establish systems and processes to facilitate the reporting by officials of acts of corruption to appropriate officials which come to their attention during the performance of their engagement.

Anonymous whistle-blowing mechanisms, however, have equal application in the public and private sector because fraud and corruption exists wherever people exist. The mechanism can also be extended to cover issues other than fraud, such as workplace safety. The further advantage is that statistical information from reports can assist management in decision-making.

There are some key factors in the implementing of a successful whistle-blowing programme, and they are as follows:

_ Policy: A clearly worded policy of intent and application.

_ Coverage: Who are the key stakeholders - such as staff, vendors, customers etc?

_ Independence: The service must be external to the organisation.

_ Confidential: Whistle-blowers need to be able to report without fear of reprisal.

_ Protection: At all levels, the organisation needs to do all it can to protect legitimate whistle-blowers

_ Process: The process must be understood by all who are covered by it.

_ Awareness: All stakeholders must be aware of the programme and its purpose.

_ Ongoing: This is not a once-only issue; it has to be reinforced on a regular basis.

_ Follow up: Not acting on a disclosure is the quickest way to guarantee failure.

To conclude, any belief that whistle-blowing doesn't work in Thailand is quite erroneous and it is dangerous to believe it any longer. It is here already and it does work. A properly implemented and socialised whistle-blowing mechanism can, does and will work in Thailand, as it does everywhere else. Cultural issues are of lesser importance where confidentiality and anonymity can be guaranteed. Any organisation that does not yet have an appropriate whistle-blowing service is leaving itself open to public disclosure of matters it would rather keep confidential, just the same as the whistle-blower does.

Peter David Hamilton is an associate director, Financial Advisory Services, at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Jaiyos.

-- The Nation 2012-02-17

[eifel36]

"Cultural issues are of lesser importance where confidentiality and anonymity can be guaranteed."

Apart from the typical western, colonial power style attitude of the author, being fascinated of Western cultur and management, which, and history proved it, will not work in other societies, the above comment will, sooner or later, lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

[LomSak27]

lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

You really need to have a cup of coffee in the morning ... or stop at 7 expresso's, give or take

[Colin Yai]

lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

You really need to have a cup of coffee in the morning ... or stop at 7 expresso's, give or take

Colonial power Style attitude? Stasi Controlled environments?, dictatorships ! what next I ask myself? Edited February 17, 2012 by Colin Yai

[AleG]

lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

You really need to have a cup of coffee in the morning ... or stop at 7 expresso's, give or take

Colonial power Style attitude? Stasi Controlled environments?, dictatorships ! what next I ask myself?

Well, jackbooted, goosestepping Nazis, of course.

[Pib]

Whistle-blowing in Thailand just helps the hired killers find you.

[FOODLOVER]

Works, couldn't park without it!

[Colin Yai]

lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

You really need to have a cup of coffee in the morning ... or stop at 7 expresso's, give or take

Colonial power Style attitude? Stasi Controlled environments?, dictatorships ! what next I ask myself?

Well, jackbooted, goosestepping Nazis, of course.

By the beard of Karl Marx ,you may have something there ya know !

[noitom]

"Any organisation that does not yet have an appropriate whistle-blowing service is leaving itself open to public disclosure of matters it would rather keep confidential, just the same as the whistle-blower does." - So you are saying that the whistle blower service should be set up as a sort of "public face" to camouflage "company confidential matters" or the way things really work here in Thailand, rather than act as a mechanism to smoke out actual "confidential matters" and work toward full disclosure. Your article seemed very aloof and detached from the way things really are.

[Thaddeus]

Works, couldn't park without it!

Beat me to it again..... dammit dammit dammit.

[Chris Lawrence]

whistle blowers get no glory

[givenall]

I think speaking up about something that is not right is not ony because of culture; it is also fear about retaliation.

My wife always stops me from complain about people that they may know who we are because she is afraid of them doing bad things.

So is not just losing face is also fear of violence

[RogueExpat]

Time and again, you see the problem get brushed under the carpet and the whistleblower resting inside a pigeon shit green particle board box in the back of a temple.

In the province where I live, someone blew the whistle on the Provincial governor elections, on the current governor, who had held the position for a number of years, for vote buying. The EC issued a red card, and the whistle blower was gunned down in broad daylight 3 months later. (The whistle blower "apparently" had no political connections, was just being a good citizen.)

Didn't change anything either, the younger sister is now the (puppet) Governer, and one of the nephews is an MP.

[Payboy]

Whistle-blowing doesn't work in Thailand?

Didn't know that! Had me fooled with so many Deep Throat's around.

[Macmundi]

This article would sound more convincing without the picture.

[airconsult]

I would suggest that apart from whistle-blowing - FOI (freedom of information) acts can be a wonderful tool for detecting corruption.

NO government in the world ever wants to create an FOIA, however numerous ones have been shamed into it over the years. Can you imagine the result here?

However the answer from my wife is "Will never happen here!"

Cheers

[airconsult]

Time and again, you see the problem get brushed under the carpet and the whistleblower resting inside a pigeon shit green particle board box in the back of a temple.

In the province where I live, someone blew the whistle on the Provincial governor elections, on the current governor, who had held the position for a number of years, for vote buying. The EC issued a red card, and the whistle blower was gunned down in broad daylight 3 months later. (The whistle blower "apparently" had no political connections, was just being a good citizen.)

Didn't change anything either, the younger sister is now the (puppet) Governer, and one of the nephews is an MP.

I agree - survivors here (both thai and expat) learn quickly when someone is too brutal or influential to "blow the whistle" on.

Pity, isn't it?

Edit - I could say that I have seen an honest family member (deputy governor - not saying province) have to carry a gun now and again after he refused certain requests. (how do I know he's honest? Because I have been to his house many times, I know how he lives, what he owns, all within his salary and no more)

Edited February 17, 2012 by airconsult

[BigJohnnyBKK]

"Cultural issues are of lesser importance where confidentiality and anonymity can be guaranteed."

Apart from the typical western, colonial power style attitude of the author, being fascinated of Western cultur and management, which, and history proved it, will not work in other societies, the above comment will, sooner or later, lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

I'm going to work on the assumption that you are an intelligent and rational person whose words I simply don't understand, perhaps because of blindness to my own cultural/intellectual paradigms.

Could you go into a bit more detail to help me understand your point of view?

My understanding is that people at the grass-roots level could perform a valuable service in helping Thailand move toward greater transparency and rule of law, by feeling free to report wrong-doings they observe, even if done by their "superiors".

Do you think these goals (transparency and rule of law) are good ones?

Do you think common people should be empowered to take responsibility for improving society when they see corruption among their leaders?

Or are these the things you are comparing to totalitarianism and secret police?

Also, I think Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan have adapted Western political and management principles and methods to their local culture patterns with some degree of success; would you agree?

The counter-example may well be mainland China, is that an example you'd like to see Thailand emulate instead?

[Bluespunk]

Wish someone would the guy outside my condo whistle blowing doesn't work. He's doing my nut in!

[bigbamboo]

Who'd notice another man blowing a whistle in Thailand?

[Colin Yai]

"Cultural issues are of lesser importance where confidentiality and anonymity can be guaranteed."

Apart from the typical western, colonial power style attitude of the author, being fascinated of Western cultur and management, which, and history proved it, will not work in other societies, the above comment will, sooner or later, lead societies back into dictatorship and STASI controlled environments.

I'm going to work on the assumption that you are an intelligent and rational person whose words I simply don't understand, perhaps because of blindness to my own cultural/intellectual paradigms.

Could you go into a bit more detail to help me understand your point of view?

My understanding is that people at the grass-roots level could perform a valuable service in helping Thailand move toward greater transparency and rule of law, by feeling free to report wrong-doings they observe, even if done by their "superiors".

Do you think these goals (transparency and rule of law) are good ones?

Do you think common people should be empowered to take responsibility for improving society when they see corruption among their leaders?

Or are these the things you are comparing to totalitarianism and secret police?

Also, I think Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan have adapted Western political and management principles and methods to their local culture patterns with some degree of success; would you agree?

The counter-example may well be mainland China, is that an example you'd like to see Thailand emulate instead?

Excellent post BJ , but I very much doubt you will receive a credible answer . Edited February 17, 2012 by Colin Yai

[Buchholz]

Whistle-blowing in Thailand just helps the hired killers find you.

Indeed, it can cost you your life.

Hopefully, the whistle-blowers involved won't meet the same fate as an earlier whistle-blower, Shipping Moo (Kornthep Viriya).

Background excerpt from Michael Backman's book, The Asian Insider

http://books.google....0Viriya&f=false