Corruption In Thailand

[wildorchid]

Can anyone tell me how we can stop corruption in thailand?

It seems as though any thing a person needs to do that involves a government official at any level there is under the table money aswell as official fees that has to be paid. It started from when we were married, the fee is 40 baht, for married paper but we had to pay 1,000, then the immigration police there is a camera in the office so police say go outside and then have to pay them there, then starting a business, any paper needed, agian under the table, We need to stop accepting this as just the way it has to be and just say NO!!!, I could really use some helpfull advice on how I can aviod paying under the table and there for not suporting corrupt culture that is in our great country? thanks in advace.

[OZEMADE]

You will never stop corruption in Thailand. If you did, the wages would go up to that of western countries, for all employees of all companies and government people. eg The Police would have to be paid about Bt 100,000 a month instead of Bt 9000 a month. Book everyone legally, then there would be no need to take tea money. Put traffic infringement cameras in all traffic lights and on the side of the highways etc.

This would then effect all the industries that deal in Thailand that have their products made here with cheap labour. They would leave for Vietnam or other cheap manufacturing labour countries. So by doing this you would increase the prices of all demestic products, food and the like. I could guarantee, there would be no Falungs living here as they would be in the same boat as they were in their country.

Bottom line, NOT GONNA HAPPEN. to Thailand.

[smokie36]

There is no such thing in Thailand. You'e just deluding yourselves. Its a parliamentary democracy.

Where's my happy pills...?

[PingManDan]

LOL LOL LOL LOL this topic is hilarious

Edited March 18, 2012 by metisdead
Font resized.

[vtjforyou]

I like corruption more than western high tax rate...

Corruption is only a problem when safety is involved...

[GuestHouse]

Short of committing genocide I don't know how you'd stop it.

[wamberal]

It is up to the Thai people themselves, if the majority of the voting population wants corruption to be stopped, that would be the first step.

Corruption is a terrible drain on the economy, I cannot understand some of the idiotic comments earlier that seem to condone it.

[poanoi]

I have a theory about that,

get one of these spy pen recorder

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/dvr-pen.html

they are for sale at MBK in BKK for ~1400 B, you'll see the building from the skytrain a station or two from Ekkamai.

After that you got the option to

1] blackmail back

2] press charges according to penal code 157

3] upload on youtube

4] all of the above

Section 157 Whoever, being an official,

wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person,

or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of his functions,

shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years or fined of two thousand to twenty thousand Baht,

or both.

[simon43]

I could really use some helpfull advice on how I can aviod paying under the table

Er ... smile and say NO

... and grow a set

Simon

[Naam]

Can anyone tell me how we can stop corruption in thailand?

some people call it corruption, others (like me) call it convenience. why should one stop something that is convenient?

[Naam]

I have a theory about that,

get one of these spy pen recorder

http://www.brickhous...om/dvr-pen.html

they are for sale at MBK in BKK for ~1400 B, you'll see the building from the skytrain a station or two from Ekkamai.

After that you got the option to

1] blackmail back

2] press charges according to penal code 157

3] upload on youtube

4] all of the above

Section 157 Whoever, being an official,

wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person,

or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of his functions,

shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years or fined of two thousand to twenty thousand Baht,

or both.

5] get a bullet or a knife in your back and be happily dead ever after.

6] stop wet dreaming and face reality.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Naam

[wana]

corruption is the very fabric that keeps thailand together

i like it that my bar pays to the police so it can stay open 24hrs a day

I like being able to pay unrecorded 100 thb traffic fines for my violations without losing my licence or penalty endorsemensts on my licence

i like disputes being settled quickly in the police station rather than the courts (even if farang almost always lose )

if im flying a long flight ,my pharamcy is corrupt enough to sell me valium or xanax without a perscription so i can get a good sleep

sometimes its convenient to drive my motorcycle accross a pedestrian only footpath to get where im going

my rent is cheaper than usual because my landlord says he doesnt pay tax on his properties

i can watch the movies before they are in the cinema because someone is corrupt enough to made dvds somehow and they cost 100 thb

it doesnt help me now im married but you could extend your tourist visa without leaving bkk thanks to corruption in the immigration department

at government buildings if there is hundreds of people in front of you ,you can skip the queue with the "VIP Service " for 500 thb

many thai people i know are happier to pay to police a small month;y sum to sell their noodles /fruit /sunglasses etc than declare all their income to the revenue and pay proper tax on it

thais can say they dont like corruption ,but most have it in one form or another in their lives and proabably dont even realise it because its integrated into daily life so seamlessly

[hawker9000]

'Been to lots of places around the world over quite a few years, and have come to the conclusion that it's a simple trade-off between outrageously high taxes (in countries generally with incredibly powerful unions, usually including public employee unions) and rampant corruption. I'm not sure I don't prefer Thai-style corruption, for purposes of travelling anyway. It's just much cheaper. And not observably any less efficient than the high-tax nanny states. And really, the powerful unions just institutionalize at the government level all the various things that characterize corruption. The buying of influence, the politics of intimidation, unequal treatment under the law, extortion of the consumer. It's essentially just a difference in format. But the outright corruption seems cheaper (not so many middle men).

[egdirb]

Corruption will prevent Thailand from ever becoming a first world developed nation thus affordable to most farangs.

Totally rid Thailand of corruption and it will become just as expensive as Hong Kong or Singapore. Is never going to happen.

Corruption killed 50 or so people in the Santika Club inferno a few years back. If Thai's really cared about the consequences of corruption that would have been (one of many) the catalyst for them to be rioting in the streets for change. Unfortunately most Thai's don't have a problem with corruption just as long as they benefit from it in one form or another.

Corruption always has a price beyond that of just the 100 baht paid to the policeman on the side of the road. The next time 50 people are killed in a fire, or a bus carrying 50 people has a head on with a truck because the driver is wired on yaa baa, just have a think about that.

Edited March 18, 2012 by egdirb

[Heimdallr]

Corruption will prevent Thailand from ever becoming a first world developed nation thus affordable to most farangs.

Now you see why so many foreigners in here have voiced support for the corruption.

It can't change overnight. Once more Thai people start realizing what kind of damage it is doing, and start acting on it, a gradual change can be expected.

[Kilgore Trout]

I like corruption more than western high tax rate...

Corruption is only a problem when safety is involved...

I'm sure you'll like it when some hi-so crashes into the taxi carrying your wife and child, killing them both. He will pay off the cops, and "mai pen lai, just some "falang" tourist killed," nothing will be done and the driver will not be punished in any way.

[egdirb]

That (connected) girl that crashed the car into the mini-van that killed the uni students, what ever happened to her. A Thai friend was telling me that it is common knowledge that she is now living it large in the US.

[wana]

I like corruption more than western high tax rate...

Corruption is only a problem when safety is involved...

I'm sure you'll like it when some hi-so crashes into the taxi carrying your wife and child, killing them both. He will pay off the cops, and "mai pen lai, just some "falang" tourist killed," nothing will be done and the driver will not be punished in any way.

there is no perfect world in any country,even in the uk ,a death in a road accident often gets off without jail

,my (thai )ex gf killed a man once when she was 19 and drunk driving

her dad owns some medium sized hotels in bkk

it cost a million thb for the chief of police to make it all go away

i dont know if any of that million went to victims family or the police kept it all

she didnt spend any nights in jail or even lose her driving licence

she was 27 when i knew her and still felt bad about it

[Soutpeel]

Corruption will prevent Thailand from ever becoming a first world developed nation thus affordable to most farangs.

So you are suggesting first world nations are not corrupt ?....your comments are rather naive.....corruption in the "first world" is just better hid thats all, where as Thailand is more blatant, thats the only difference.

Corrpution in Thailand....Captialism at its best IMHO

[Bakeman]

I like it. Gets me a better parking spot at the mall.

[edwinchester]

Can anyone tell me how we can stop corruption in thailand?

some people call it corruption, others (like me) call it convenience. why should one stop something that is convenient?

Perhaps you would like to take the time to explain to my Thai mother in law it was 'convenient' that the drunk driver who killed her son was able to pay off the police to avoid any charges against himself.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[mackes]

Either you like it or not, corruption has no place in a real democracy. As stated above corruption cause a drain to the economic system.

In a real democracy people obey to the laws and those individuals who does not, is prosecuted according to the law.

Corruption give people with power and/or money unfair advantages prior to the poor and powerless ones.

We use to have those "privilege" systems established for the nobility in the west a couple of hundred years ago.

From what I can see here some members of the Thai visa community has not come much further in democracy thinking since...

To answer the question, there is only one way to change the opinion that seems to be pro corruption today:

An open debate in media about corruption!

I red a proposal on this in "The Nation" 4 years ago but nothing happened. So apperently Thailand is not mature for this yet.

Sooner or later it will happen.

Maybe I should add that I have no illusions of corruption removed entirely in any country,

but you have to hide it as with other criminal acts.

Edited March 18, 2012 by mackes

[Soutpeel]

Either you like it or not, corruption has no place in a real democracy. As stated above corruption cause a drain to the economic system.

In a real democracy people obey to the laws and those individuals who does not, is prosecuted according to the law.

Corruption give people with power and/or money unfair advantages prior to the poor and powerless ones.

We use to have those "privilege" systems established for the nobility in the west a couple of hundred years ago.

From what I can see here some members of the Thai visa community has not come much further in democracy thinking since...

To answer the question, there is only one way to change the opinion that seems to be pro corruption today: An open debate in media about corruption!

I red a proposal on this in "The Nation" 4 years ago but nothing happened. So apperently Thailand is not mature for this yet. Sooner or later it will happen.

So based on your comments then, is it fair to say there is no such thing as a real democracy anywhere in the world, and that real democracy is a Utopian ideal which will never be realised, because every country in the world is corrupt to varying degree's

Edited March 18, 2012 by Soutpeel

[wana]

corruption = when i buy a new laptop ,i can have windows 7 ultimate ,dreamweaver ,photoshop,microsoft office professional and any other expensive software of my choice

$1400 of software installed for free with working licences + serial numbers by a man in the computer shop waring a windows genuine advantage t-shirt

PRICELESS

[mackes]

So based on your comments then, is it fair to say there is no such thing as a real democracy anywhere in the world, and that real democracy is a Utopian ideal which will never be realised, because every country in the world is corrupt to varying degree's

No differences from other criminal acts, zero vision is Utopia as long as we are humans.

[silsburyhill]

I like corruption more than western high tax rate...

Corruption is only a problem when safety is involved...

I like corruption more than western high tax rate...

Corruption is only a problem when safety is involved...

Yes. Well fingers crossed you never find yourself in a position where someone wealthier than you has committed a criminal act against you or your family.

The overriding reason why this will always be a Third World Country. Not 'emerging', THIRD WORLD.

On the other hand, there are in place at least two higher Authorities available to you, should you find yourself having been tucked up by the police and/or your local Prosecutor.

[silsburyhill]

I have a theory about that,

get one of these spy pen recorder

http://www.brickhous...om/dvr-pen.html

they are for sale at MBK in BKK for ~1400 B, you'll see the building from the skytrain a station or two from Ekkamai.

After that you got the option to

1] blackmail back

2] press charges according to penal code 157

3] upload on youtube

4] all of the above

Section 157 Whoever, being an official,

wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person,

or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of his functions,

shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years or fined of two thousand to twenty thousand Baht,

or both.

5] get a bullet or a knife in your back and be happily dead ever after.

6] stop wet dreaming and face reality.

I have a theory about that,

get one of these spy pen recorder

http://www.brickhous...om/dvr-pen.html

they are for sale at MBK in BKK for ~1400 B, you'll see the building from the skytrain a station or two from Ekkamai.

After that you got the option to

1] blackmail back

2] press charges according to penal code 157

3] upload on youtube

4] all of the above

Section 157 Whoever, being an official,

wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions to the injury of any person,

or dishonestly exercises or omits to exercise any of his functions,

shall be punished with imprisonment of one to ten years or fined of two thousand to twenty thousand Baht,

or both.

5] get a bullet or a knife in your back and be happily dead ever after.

6] stop wet dreaming and face reality.

And this type of attitude by foreigners and locals alike is why things will never change here unless and until people start seriously reacting to this wickedness. And corruption is wicked 9and not in the American slang term).

Next time you happily pay over your little 300 baht bribe to a Royal Thai traffic cop, consider the implications. This mindset has no parameters. You are ultimately supporting human and wildlife/ trafficking.

Or are you seriously credulous/deluded enough to entertain the thought that those involved in corruption do so at only the very lowest, or highest levels?

[David48]

And this type of attitude by foreigners and locals alike is why things will never change here unless and until people start seriously reacting to this wickedness. And corruption is wicked 9and not in the American slang term).

Don Quixote,

... you haven't quite got the hang of living here yet have you?

Edited March 18, 2012 by David48

[silsburyhill]

And to all those who say 'pay them more and it will stop', No. It won't. They'll just think of it as a bonus.

Very disappointed, albeit not surprised, to see so many truly shallow posters on this forum. Do you seriously believe that when you hand over your 300 baht 'traffic violation fee', buy a measly cd etc it stops there? Next time, try to include the fact of human/wildlife trafficking to your thinking that there is a demarcation in just how far corruption is accepted as a concept.

And please don't drag First World countries into your arguments. It simply makes you look silly.

[NewlyMintedThai]

Most people here are quite happy to engage in bribery. It's extortion that gets them upset. They fail to see how one paves the way to the other.