US Ambassador Kristie Kenney Discusses Anti-Corruption Cooperation With NACC

[webfact]

US Ambassador discusses anti-corruption cooperation with NACC

BANGKOK, 2 March 2012 (NNT) - U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney has met with Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) President Panthep Klanarongran to discuss anti-corruption cooperation.

Mrs. Kenney, along with her entourage, including Director of the Transnational Crime Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok Ali Jalili, yesterday discussed with Mr Panthep several anti-corruption cooperation the frameworks of United Nations Convention against Corruption and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

The US has shown it support in transparent democracy and preventing corruption in elections, auditing system, and among high-ranking officials and politicians who have connections with the US, according to the Ambassador.

After the meeting, the NACC President revealed that they did not discuss about Prime Minister’s Office Nalinee Thaveesin, who is alleged to have been on the U.S. financial blacklist, as anticipated by many parties.

He said they were talking about the American assistance in the corruption case of former Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Juthamas Siriwan, who accepted bribes from an American movie producer who was later given the rights to to organize an international film festival in Thailand.

-- NNT 2012-03-02

[Unkomoncents]

The poor NACC is the eunuch of anti-corruption efforts. It has no enforcement capacity and can only 'recommend' that individuals and cases are investigated by the ministries themselves. It's like the Environmental Protection Agency under US President George W. Bush: according to Bush & Co., energy companies could be trusted to regulate themselves and the EPA would relegated to a 'non-economically damaging', advisory capacity (at least in de facto terms). The NACC regularly files complaints and rarely sees action; I remember reading that during a conference the NACC representative indicated that the most recalcitrant ministries were the Royal Thai Police (haha, surprise, surprise) and the Interior Ministry. It's difficult to imagine what a relatively new US Ambassador is going to be able to accomplish through the NACC.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Unkomoncents

[Jimi007]

The US has shown it support in transparent democracy and preventing corruption in elections, auditing system, and among high-ranking officials and politicians who have connections with the US, according to the Ambassador.

Ah the irony. Members of the US Congress can legally trade stocks on insider information, while people like Martha Stewart went to prison for allegedly doing the same thing... Corruption at the highest levels of the US Government seems to be legal. I am appalled as a US citizen at our corruption in our government...

Edited March 2, 2012 by Jimi007

[sparebox2]

anti-corruption? Why not anti-coup?

[surangw]

Is she going to teach them how to get away with it by bending the laws?

[OzMick]

I expect a red shirt protest outside the US embassy any day now. Double issue of ammo for the marines.

[GAS]

America is WAY more corrupt than Thailand!!

[AZBill]

Look, if you want to eliminate corruption its incredibly easy. Just do what the US Congress does and pass laws making your illegal behavior legal! Problem solved!

[metisdead]

Posts criticizing the news source would be off topic.

To The Nation; Do you have proofreaders who can literally analyse and correct English, as penned to paper?

Contact the Nation and discuss this issue with them, not here.

[lovetotravel]

America is WAY more corrupt than Thailand!!

Agree America is corrupt (Every nation has some form of corruption). But nothing compared to here. Not even in the same ballpark.

[gohmer]

America is WAY more corrupt than Thailand!!

Can you give examples. America actually puts corrupt politicians behind bars for very long terms.

[GAS]

Huh? Examples? Do you follow the news in the States? For starters we just had a former US Senator and Governor walk away with over a billion dollars and not one thing happened..news wont even mention it anymore!

We basically now have a gov't that has been captured by the banks, the greatest heist in history just took place over the last couple of years!! We have a revolving door between the top banks and the highest gov positions...especially our treasury secretary's, we love the Goldman boys!

Thailand has NOTHING on the good ol' USSA! Trust me! The difference in Thailand, and maybe what you guys are getting confused is that in the States the corruption is just for the elites, the 1%, joe six pack is run into the ground, where as in Thailand you can actually maybe benefit a bit from corruption, slipping a few bucks to get something done, paying off the cop for a minor violation etc etc.

[Bakseedaa]

anti-corruption? Why not anti-coup?

Because if this country ever needed a coup... Now is the time... Roll in the tanks.. talk about loonatics running the Asylumm..?

[animatic]

America is WAY more corrupt than Thailand!!

Can you give examples. America actually puts corrupt politicians behind bars for very long terms.

Yes, and not into office again afterwards, with a raise and a promotion.

[ParadiseLost]

Thailand has NOTHING on the good ol' USSA! Trust me! The difference in Thailand, and maybe what you guys are getting confused is that in the States the corruption is just for the elites, the 1%, joe six pack is run into the ground, where as in Thailand you can actually maybe benefit a bit from corruption, slipping a few bucks to get something done, paying off the cop for a minor violation etc etc.

Unfortunately it does not stop there - the bibs are into serious organised crime like drug distribution, people trafficking, murder, extortion, prostitution, illegal casinos and so forth...

Sure there are isolated cases in all countries, but here it is institutionalised and the common man accepts it as a way of life. They even have a name for it - "tea money" and it is in most cases expected, just to get someone to do their job...

Being Hi-so in Thailand is synonymous with dirty money. The way to succeed here is basically to have the right connections and eliminate all competition, by whatever means neccessary.

The USA left that level of corruption back in the 1930's, but what is really a concern now is how rich individuals and corporate money are affecting presidential elections - that is definitely a step backwards.

I think it's a shame the bibs are still called Royal Thai Police - they are an insult to the monarch.

[GAS]

Thailand has NOTHING on the good ol' USSA! Trust me! The difference in Thailand, and maybe what you guys are getting confused is that in the States the corruption is just for the elites, the 1%, joe six pack is run into the ground, where as in Thailand you can actually maybe benefit a bit from corruption, slipping a few bucks to get something done, paying off the cop for a minor violation etc etc.

Unfortunately it does not stop there - the bibs are into serious organised crime like drug distribution, people trafficking, murder, extortion, prostitution, illegal casinos and so forth...

Our guys do that to, they just hide it much better!!

Ship guns in to Mexico, no problem! Bring drugs in? No problemo! Civili asset forfieture laws...NO PROBLEM! Get pulled over with 10k in cash in USSA and IT IS GONE with no charges filed, same thing in Thailand, probably not...I am 1000x more afraid of the cops in USSA than in LOS!!

[lovetotravel]

What was corrupt about shipping guns to Mexico. Morally wrong? Absolutely. Corrupt? Absolutely not. Bringing in drugs. Show me where that has been done. Yes, a few border patrol agents have been caught. But not like here where a guy gets caught with a card of a top military general in his possession. Never happened in the US. Please show links for all your other charges as well. 1000x more afraid of cops in the US? You're too paranoid. Or don't live here.

[GAS]

If you can not be bothered to pay attention to what is going on in the US that is your problem...I am not going to waste my time doing the research for you. The US is turning into a Police State, people are waking up, the gov't is a joke!

[americaninbangkok]

Huh? Examples? Do you follow the news in the States? For starters we just had a former US Senator and Governor walk away with over a billion dollars and not one thing happened..news wont even mention it anymore!

We basically now have a gov't that has been captured by the banks, the greatest heist in history just took place over the last couple of years!! We have a revolving door between the top banks and the highest gov positions...especially our treasury secretary's, we love the Goldman boys!

Thailand has NOTHING on the good ol' USSA! Trust me! The difference in Thailand, and maybe what you guys are getting confused is that in the States the corruption is just for the elites, the 1%, joe six pack is run into the ground, where as in Thailand you can actually maybe benefit a bit from corruption, slipping a few bucks to get something done, paying off the cop for a minor violation etc etc.

GAS - this sounds a lot like a rant of headline statements just mashed together. "A guy... with another guy... both VIPs/politicians... robbing, looting, maiming, killing, raping, beating other people... no one does anything... get away with it... blah blah blah." But really... nothing specific... or coherent.

And then you finish off with: "The US is turning into a Police State, people are waking up"

Umm... really? A bit of a stretch, no?

PS - USSA has been shortened to just USA.

Oh I get it! You were trying to say it was like USSR... USSA... USSR...

Funny. <cough>

[OLDAUSSIE]

Thailand has NOTHING on the good ol' USSA! Trust me! The difference in Thailand, and maybe what you guys are getting confused is that in the States the corruption is just for the elites, the 1%, joe six pack is run into the ground, where as in Thailand you can actually maybe benefit a bit from corruption, slipping a few bucks to get something done, paying off the cop for a minor violation etc etc.

Unfortunately it does not stop there - the bibs are into serious organised crime like drug distribution, people trafficking, murder, extortion, prostitution, illegal casinos and so forth...

Sure there are isolated cases in all countries, but here it is institutionalised and the common man accepts it as a way of life. They even have a name for it - "tea money" and it is in most cases expected, just to get someone to do their job...

Being Hi-so in Thailand is synonymous with dirty money. The way to succeed here is basically to have the right connections and eliminate all competition, by whatever means neccessary.

The USA left that level of corruption back in the 1930's, but what is really a concern now is how rich individuals and corporate money are affecting presidential elections - that is definitely a step backwards.

I think it's a shame the bibs are still called Royal Thai Police - they are an insult to the monarch.

Spot on Paradiselost

[airconsult]

The poor NACC is the eunuch of anti-corruption efforts. It has no enforcement capacity and can only 'recommend' that individuals and cases are investigated by the ministries themselves. It's like the Environmental Protection Agency under US President George W. Bush: according to Bush & Co., energy companies could be trusted to regulate themselves and the EPA would relegated to a 'non-economically damaging', advisory capacity (at least in de facto terms). The NACC regularly files complaints and rarely sees action; I remember reading that during a conference the NACC representative indicated that the most recalcitrant ministries were the Royal Thai Police (haha, surprise, surprise) and the Interior Ministry. It's difficult to imagine what a relatively new US Ambassador is going to be able to accomplish through the NACC.

As an FYI - here is the summarised duties and responsibilities - they investigate, prepare cases, and depending on the case either deliver a prepared verdict to the senate or the Supreme Court of Justices's Criminal Division for persons holding Political Positions - they are indeed a respected organisation, and as recently as November sent a large number of cases to the court. The problem is the large number of cases mean that many will expire by the time the court dates are scheduled. To alleviate that they do prioritise cases in the national/public interest.

http://www.nacc.go.t...ews.php?nid=937

Cheers

EDIT - adding link to ICAC news tags on NACC actions, as the NACC press releases are sometimes hard to find.

http://www.icacnews.com/tag/nacc/

Edited March 4, 2012 by airconsult