Personal Benefit Will Always Defeat Moral Integrity: Thai Editorial

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Whether the interior minister can keep his post after his involvement in the Alpine land scandal is a moot point: Thais too easily forgive and forget the misdeeds of those in power

Thai politics is facing another ethical question, no matter how familiar that sounds. Concerning Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, we are hearing a lot of technical terms and the names of committees or sub-committees. People are talking about what happened first and what happened later, and how they should be interpreted. Everybody has his own interpretation regarding whether Yongyuth is legally qualified to continue serving in the Cabinet after his past deeds involving the Alpine Golf Course controversy, which has now been ruled a legal offence. This political issue, however, may turn out to be just like many others before it - it is more of an ethical affair being portrayed as a legal one.

To simplify a complicated story, the National Anti-Corruption Commission notified the Interior Ministry last month that Yongyuth - while he was a deputy permanent secretary at the ministry - had committed a serious disciplinary offence in connection with the Alpine land scandal. His supporters insist wrongdoings related to the Alpine case were expunged five years ago, in an "amnesty" to mark His Majesty the King's 80th birthday. Parliament then passed a government-sponsored law to pardon all officials tainted by civil-service disciplinary offences up until 2007. Sceptics are asking how someone judged today to have done something wrong can possibly benefit from a pardon that, when issued, had nothing to do with him to begin with.

Can Yongyuth carry on acting as interior minister? That's a tough question. Tougher, however, is the question, "Should he continue as interior minister?"

The latter would be an easy question to answer in various countries, but in Thailand this is the very issue that has brought so much national destruction, strife and endless pain. It's not just that we are a nation that easily forgives and forgets. We are a nation that specialises in whitewashing senior or powerful figures suspected of wrongdoing. This is a fact, and it's a fact that has brought the whole country to where it is today, and it also symbolises everything that is wrong about the nation - the greed, the abuse of political power, the nepotism, the fraudulent willingness to do whatever it takes to change records or rewrite history.

How a donated piece of land, intended by its original owner to serve her religious purpose, ended up as a luxury golf club had nothing to do with economic pragmatism. The land was transformed due to corruption, conspiracy and the mindset that, with political power, you can do what you like.

And the malaise that led to the Alpine scandal is highly contagious. It is not limited to any particular area of the political spectrum. Abuse of power is everywhere, and it can be covered up by yet more abuse of power. Sometimes "the will of the people" is used to paper over the abuse of power, but making it look better is not the same as making it right.

In the end, Yongyuth's fate will certainly be decided by who wins the legal debate. Countless opinions will be sought, but the most important one - that of Yongyuth himself on whether he should, not can, go on as interior minister - is unlikely to matter much.

Ironically, this is a country where sometimes the laws are downgraded to something less significant than "what your heart tells you", especially if it's millions of hearts speaking together through the ballot box. This is another thing that we Thais are good at - shifting back and forth between sticking to the letter of the law at all costs and ignoring it entirely. Maybe that kind of flexibility would not be so wrong if we had the ability to choose the right time to be resilient. Obviously, we do not have that ability. When the situation cries out for ethics, we point at the law, which has become our safe haven instead of what it should have been - moral guidance with a stick.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

[MikeOboe57]

A very fine article. It seems Thailand will have to spend a lot more "leftover cash" to send the House Speaker on holidays to "developed countries" to study their legal and political systems.

[asiawatcher]

The law is clear enough but it always gets mired by re-interpretation by the unethical people supposed to uphold it! And don't you love the way a law was introduced to allow immunity (impunity) to politicians? Thailand - LOS - the land of soaps (operas).

[pauljones]

The Temple inherited this land and did not want to keep it, no?

Did they sell it at a fair price or not?

[GentlemanJim]

Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity

Why?

Tougher, however, is the question, "Should he continue as interior minister?"

Well that is the whole point...it's not a tough question is it? The answer is simple...No! The very fact the question has been phrased in the article perpetuates what is implied in the headline. It's not a tough question, this country needs to make a start. Stop making excuses for the guy, start setting an example and kick him out if he doesn't have the integrity to resign. He isn't exactly going to be sent to the scrap heap, he is a billionaire...quite an achievement for a career civil servant. Yingluck wants to stamp out corruption, well prove it, start now.

[noitom]

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

[belg]

corrupted people and their family should get a ban for life in at least politics when they are cought, but here, people like to have selective memory loss

[Yunla]

The use of the collective "Thais" in the context of the thread title is nonsense. Thailand like anywhere else, has many educated people with high moral standards and beliefs in a fairer society. The problem in Thailand is not the morals of the general populace, but the mafia cartel nature of the political sphere, where they can threaten civil war, threaten judges and threaten families in their own homes.

Thais having morals does not change the government, it does not make the government accountable to laws. The problem in Thailand is not the moral values of the general populace, who are in my experience not lacking in morals whatsoever, but the gut-it-and-run attitude of the political class, the larcenists and cold blooded killers who occupy the top offices of government.

Thailand needs a new political face, strong law and order reformist as PM, a brave and hard-headed leader who will uproot the corruption at the top. It is infact commonly misunderstood, the morals and the values of the masses, the uprising from the lowest levels, these things are what can transform society. But that is largely a myth, the real positive changes start at the top, and in Thailand the unchecked nepotism and gangsterism at the top are preventing a law and order reformist from rising through the ranks and giving government a long overdue clean-up. It is not Thai tradition that causes this problem, the problem is there is a corporate crime family at the top of politics, and they are preventing any kind of positive democratic and law & order controls from being initiated. Blaming some wishy-washy 'lack of moral integrity' is a cop out, the problem is unchallenged corporate fascism in the top office, which is a law and order issue and not a moral integrity issue. The criminals have to be held to account by the law, not by newspapers or people marching in the street, if the law doesn't have teeth we need a new political class who will take charge and fix the law. Morals, Thai or otherwise, doesn't come into it, its a simple case of either arrest the criminals or let them destroy the top offices of government, it is a basic social system perspective and not a moral perspective.

[pauljones]

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

The media is often paid off to print or not print.

The shameless, money hungry editors are just as corrupt as the cops & lawyers.

[pedro01]

The Temple inherited this land and did not want to keep it, no?

Did they sell it at a fair price or not?

They aren't supposed to sell it.

When someone leaves land to a temple, they do so for religious reasons/making merit. I don't think the idea is to build houses and a golf course.

Just a matter of respecting the wishes of the person that died & left them the land.

[assayer]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

[jerrysteve]

The real damage is setting a precedent for all the younger generation to follow.The the long term affect.What is the message: GRAFT IS OK, CORRUPTION IS OK, MALFEASCNCE IS OK, MURDER IS OK.The courts and judges who have so little self respect for themselves and what ever remnants of law there is will protect you.

Thats the REAL DAMAGE DONE.

Edited September 25, 2012 by jerrysteve

[pauljones]

The Temple inherited this land and did not want to keep it, no?

Did they sell it at a fair price or not?

They aren't supposed to sell it.

When someone leaves land to a temple, they do so for religious reasons/making merit. I don't think the idea is to build houses and a golf course.

Just a matter of respecting the wishes of the person that died & left them the land.

I remember reading about this when it happened.

The head Monk said the Temple could not afford to keep the land is was reported.

It did seem suspicious that insiders picked up this property.

Curious if the Temple got a fair price or not?

[DocN]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

In a rather more democratic society (and one where you don't get killed, if you step on someone's toes) the media should play a role as a kind of guardian. There are examples that this happened in the world- the most famous case being "Watergate".

Can you imagine something like that happening in Thailand?

Neither can I!

It may not be the ultimate fault of the media, that Thailand is a failed, corrupt state.

But they could provide a wake- up call!

[EarthAlien]

"Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity"

.... but only for the morally bankrupt and those with complete absense of conscience.

There is hope for everyone else!

[samjaidee]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

I think he has a fair point. If the cases were regularly followed up by newspapers and TV then the people would be more aware of the rampant corruption and be able to make more informed decision, especially when voting. I

It's almost a feudal society. Control the media and maintain a relatively low standard of education to keep the masses under control.

[hanuman2543]

Thailand needs its own version of Aung San Suu Kyi, Mahatma Ghandi or Nelson Mandela. But so far, no one in sight. What I know for sure:

it isn't Thaksin

it isn't Abbhisit

[Unkomoncents]

Any underling in the Thai political apparatus has to spend decades wai-ing, bowing and showing inordinate deference and loyalty to superiors before they are even considered for the upper-echelons of power in the Kingdom. Thailand's authoritarian culture (with alarming heed paid to hierarchy) effectively stifles real reformers (just read about the problems Thailand has getting competent people to run its public companies; every time a new leader is brought in to turn the over-bloated, corrupt messes into profit-making machines, that new leader is sacked in short order for failing to bow down to political pressure from poo yai in the government). Those who seek reform face serious threats to their well-being and safety. Political executions in Thailand are hardly unheard of. It seems to me that Thailand needs more than just a revamp of its laws, though law and order is the most clear and present danger to progress and development in the Kingdom as it stands now; Thai culture is the pride and joy of Thais, so it's highly unlikely that at any time in the near future, anyone will successfully recognize and realize changes to Thailand's thousand-year-old mindsets regarding the dynamics of power, political negotiations, and policy-making.

[Baerboxer]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

In a rather more democratic society (and one where you don't get killed, if you step on someone's toes) the media should play a role as a kind of guardian. There are examples that this happened in the world- the most famous case being "Watergate".

Can you imagine something like that happening in Thailand?

Neither can I!

It may not be the ultimate fault of the media, that Thailand is a failed, corrupt state.

But they could provide a wake- up call!

You are right - the media plays an important part in democratic society. Just as an independent judiciary and effective, efficient, ethical law enforcement do.

One of the issues here does seem to be a lack of response to any wake-up calls. People in many countires have woken up this year to the fact that they don't have to put up with corrupt, immoral, inept, dictators and their gangs milking their country.

[khunken]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

In a rather more democratic society (and one where you don't get killed, if you step on someone's toes) the media should play a role as a kind of guardian. There are examples that this happened in the world- the most famous case being "Watergate".

Can you imagine something like that happening in Thailand?

Neither can I!

It may not be the ultimate fault of the media, that Thailand is a failed, corrupt state.

But they could provide a wake- up call!

You are right - the media plays an important part in democratic society. Just as an independent judiciary and effective, efficient, ethical law enforcement do.

One of the issues here does seem to be a lack of response to any wake-up calls. People in many countires have woken up this year to the fact that they don't have to put up with corrupt, immoral, inept, dictators and their gangs milking their country.

I think both posts are being a bit unfair to the local media. They have to tread very warily with the criminal slant to defamation laws here. Yes, they don't follow up on major cases of corruption, but methinks there would be no space left for current news if there was a serious effort to follow up all the (hundreds?) of sizable cases of corruption.

Influential people such as pollies, senior bureaucrats, police, military & even business leaders are very quick to resort to the courts if they are named in any way. Remember that Thaksin tried & failed, luckily, to silence/buy both English language dailies when he topped the 'case filing' charts.

Yes, the media could do better, but don't shoot the messenger.

[McMagus]

The use of the collective "Thais" in the context of the thread title is nonsense. Thailand like anywhere else, has many educated people with high moral standards and beliefs in a fairer society. The problem in Thailand is not the morals of the general populace, but the mafia cartel nature of the political sphere, where they can threaten civil war, threaten judges and threaten families in their own homes.

Thais having morals does not change the government, it does not make the government accountable to laws. The problem in Thailand is not the moral values of the general populace, who are in my experience not lacking in morals whatsoever, but the gut-it-and-run attitude of the political class, the larcenists and cold blooded killers who occupy the top offices of government.

Thailand needs a new political face, strong law and order reformist as PM, a brave and hard-headed leader who will uproot the corruption at the top. It is infact commonly misunderstood, the morals and the values of the masses, the uprising from the lowest levels, these things are what can transform society. But that is largely a myth, the real positive changes start at the top, and in Thailand the unchecked nepotism and gangsterism at the top are preventing a law and order reformist from rising through the ranks and giving government a long overdue clean-up. It is not Thai tradition that causes this problem, the problem is there is a corporate crime family at the top of politics, and they are preventing any kind of positive democratic and law & order controls from being initiated. Blaming some wishy-washy 'lack of moral integrity' is a cop out, the problem is unchallenged corporate fascism in the top office, which is a law and order issue and not a moral integrity issue. The criminals have to be held to account by the law, not by newspapers or people marching in the street, if the law doesn't have teeth we need a new political class who will take charge and fix the law. Morals, Thai or otherwise, doesn't come into it, its a simple case of either arrest the criminals or let them destroy the top offices of government, it is a basic social system perspective and not a moral perspective.

I share your views, especially regarding a new wave of politicians who have Thailand's best interests at heart rather than their noses in the pig swill. I would however comment that there must come a time when the masses say ' enough is enough' and thereby become agents of change themselves rather than waiting for a top down model. After all, Thais have exactly the kind of political theatre (and I use that term in it's widest context) they have asked for and are prepared to put up with. Unfortunately, Thai values and mores regarding hierarchy and power limit this mass 'revolt'. This then becomes the crux of the issue, we outsiders misconstrue it as a lack of morals when in fact it may be an inability to move past a hierarchical system which is self perpetuating in terms of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

[attento]

Advanced Members

856 posts

Posted 49 minutes ago

POPULAR

The editorial is preposterous rubbish. It never occurred to this editor once that the reasons that the reason "Thais too easily forgive and forget" is because the newspapers let these issues drop under pressure, incompetence, or plain unwillingness to do follow up and investigative journalism and pound the table.

There are countless examples and illustrations of shoddy journalism and no presence of good reporting on numerous cases. Just pick up a copy of The Nation and select a story that should be grounds for following the law and right and wrong. When the offenders know that the newspapers won't follow up if they are privileged, then all they have to do is wait it out or get the newspaper to divert to another topic. The hypocrisy is preposterous.

As a case in point, take the Red Bull Ferrari case of cop killing, obstruction of justice, hit and run, drunk driving, bribery, corruption and abuse of power. What happened to that case? Where are the indictments? Where is the relentless newspaper follow up? Get serious The Nation, the newspaper is a farce. There is a powerful flatulence pervading the editorial offices of The Nation. and everyone know it and smells it.

Thai at Heart, Orac, clockman and 3 others like this Like This Unlike

. And so you think the newspapers are at fault for Thailand's lack of justice!!! WOW you sure have your thinking cap on a different side than I have mine.

In a rather more democratic society (and one where you don't get killed, if you step on someone's toes) the media should play a role as a kind of guardian. There are examples that this happened in the world- the most famous case being "Watergate".

Can you imagine something like that happening in Thailand?

Neither can I!

It may not be the ultimate fault of the media, that Thailand is a failed, corrupt state.

But they could provide a wake- up call!

You are right - the media plays an important part in democratic society. Just as an independent judiciary and effective, efficient, ethical law enforcement do.

One of the issues here does seem to be a lack of response to any wake-up calls. People in many countires have woken up this year to the fact that they don't have to put up with corrupt, immoral, inept, dictators and their gangs milking their country.

I think both posts are being a bit unfair to the local media. They have to tread very warily with the criminal slant to defamation laws here. Yes, they don't follow up on major cases of corruption, but methinks there would be no space left for current news if there was a serious effort to follow up all the (hundreds?) of sizable cases of corruption.

Influential people such as pollies, senior bureaucrats, police, military & even business leaders are very quick to resort to the courts if they are named in any way. Remember that Thaksin tried & failed, luckily, to silence/buy both English language dailies when he topped the 'case filing' charts.

Yes, the media could do better, but don't shoot the messenger.

I don't believe anyone proposed shooting the messenger.

What is being recommended is a Backbone implant !

[Arkady]

Of course he can carry on in his job. All he did was order the Land Dept to make an illegal transfer of land to a politician in power at the time who later sold it to Thaksin. What's wrong with that?

[bigbamboo]

The Temple inherited this land and did not want to keep it, no?

Did they sell it at a fair price or not?

They aren't supposed to sell it.

When someone leaves land to a temple, they do so for religious reasons/making merit. I don't think the idea is to build houses and a golf course.

Just a matter of respecting the wishes of the person that died & left them the land.

I remember reading about this when it happened.

The head Monk said the Temple could not afford to keep the land is was reported.

It did seem suspicious that insiders picked up this property.

Curious if the Temple got a fair price or not?

'Insider' land deal trading indeed.... seems to be a bit of a Thai thing.

[Noistar]

Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity

We seem to be wandering into criticism of the actions of the press, (especially from those who have an axe to grind against The Nation).

I agree that change should come from the bottom up. The people at the top who suffer from the malaise of 'lack of moral integrity = personal benefit' will not do anything to change it.

Don't forget, the ruling party wants to remove the concept of 'rule of law'. Hardly a recipe for success. If low morals had any 'check mechanism' before, it was via the (albeit flawed) legal system.

My wife's daughter is in her mid-teens and I was more than pleasantly surprised to learn that she was aware of what corruption is, the fact that it is rampant in Thailand and that she is dead against it. Considering my wife has the 'up-to-them' philosophy, there may be a glimmer of hope for the future.

After all, it's the people who put these criminals in their positions of power, via the ballot box.

[GentlemanJim]

Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity

We seem to be wandering into criticism of the actions of the press, (especially from those who have an axe to grind against The Nation).

I agree that change should come from the bottom up. The people at the top who suffer from the malaise of 'lack of moral integrity = personal benefit' will not do anything to change it.

Don't forget, the ruling party wants to remove the concept of 'rule of law'. Hardly a recipe for success. If low morals had any 'check mechanism' before, it was via the (albeit flawed) legal system.

My wife's daughter is in her mid-teens and I was more than pleasantly surprised to learn that she was aware of what corruption is, the fact that it is rampant in Thailand and that she is dead against it. Considering my wife has the 'up-to-them' philosophy, there may be a glimmer of hope for the future.

After all, it's the people who put these criminals in their positions of power, via the ballot box.

But after all it's the crooked politicians that persuade the people to put them in a position of power, via their safe deposit box.

Until someone makes a genuine stance out of a patriotic love for this country and its people to stop corruption then Thailand will continue to be raped and all our discussion and disdain is academic. One can only hope there is a youngster with the embers of the 'right stuff' that will successfully negotiate the political path sometime soon. With the right leadership this country could out perform any of the others in ASEAN.

[Tatsujin]

Thai's + moral integrity = oxymoron