How Serious Is The Thai Govt About Fighting Corruption?

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

How serious is the govt about fighting corruption?

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government has put its anti-corruption strategy - listed as one of its 16 urgent policies and officially launched on May 18 - on the national agenda. Under this strategy, the government has assigned all agencies to "clean their own houses" with the motto of each department or province: "One project to prevent corruption". The project aims to show how government agencies and provinces throughout the country plan to prevent corruption. A total of 220 projects from all agencies and provinces have been mapped out as action plans for the anti-corruption strategy.

However, the main question now is how such agencies and provincial authorities can cooperate with the government in the anti-graft scheme and how the government itself will follow up on the policy's implementation.

Four months after the project's launch, at least three agencies have not yet completed their respective action plans. They are the Customs Department, the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Sport and Tourism Ministry, and the Office of the Vocational Education Commission.

The latter two agencies, in particular, have even ignored recommendations from the government's committee to show their plans.

Nivatthamrong Boonsongpaisal, PM's Office minister in charge of the anti-corruption strategy, expected he would receive detailed action plans from all agencies by the end of this month. He said progress on the projects was to be reported to the government via two channels: a committee of prominent persons every three months, and monthly online reports. The government would collect the information from all agencies to know how they were tackling the corruption problem and how to prevent it, he said. The entire project would be completed by the middle of next year.

The anti-corruption scheme would later expand to cover state-run enterprises and other public organisations as well as local administrative bodies, where corruption was widespread, he said.

Corruption cases could be reported to the government through two channels: direct phone line 1206 and the website stopcorruption.go.th. There have been 156 allegations and 84 tips on suspected corruption cases via the hotline, and 10 allegations and 20 tips reported via the website. Most allegations were of corruption in construction projects, abuse of power by officials, and corruption among government-funded projects.

However, many feel this anti-corruption drive might be simply a ploy for political popularity as the government seldom enforces any action against suspected corruption cases reported to the government-sponsored projects.

The rice-pledging scheme to subsidise paddy growers, for example, was widely talked about as involving corruption among people close to the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The government spent more than Bt300 billion to subsidise paddy growers in the last crop and will shell out more than Bt450 billion for the next crop. The programme has many loopholes to allow the involvement of corrupt officials and rice traders, critics say.

The Bt350-billion flood prevention project was said to be the most corrupt of all. Mongkolkrit Suksintharanont of the anti-corruption alliance said more than Bt250 billion of the project's budget had already been swallowed by influential persons, leaving only Bt100 billion to run the project.

It was widely reported that the chief of the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, Dusadee Arayawuth, had been sacked after discovering corruption in the flood disaster compensation budget.

These were only some of the many mega-projects the government has launched in implementing its policies. Many provide opportunities and loopholes for officials and politicians to abuse their power. Let us now see how the government reacts to corruption in these projects, and how it can make its promised anti-corruption strategy come true.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

[cloudhopper]

"Let us now see how the government reacts to corruption in these projects, and how it can make its promised anti-corruption strategy come true."

"It was widely reported that the chief of the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, Dusadee Arayawuth, had been sacked after discovering corruption in the flood disaster compensation budget."

Asked and answered.

[TheWalkingMan]

The day the transportation problems are busted up in Phuket is the day many will believe the government is serious about fighting corruption.

[MikeOboe57]

The Yingluck years will be fondly remembered as "The Golden Age of Corruption" by those who benefited from it.

There will of course be a rude awakening - but only for the stupid and the honest.

edit: typo

Edited September 26, 2012 by MikeOboe57

[LuckyLew]

"each agency was assigned to clean their own house"

To me that says it all .... you cannot ask a pig to clean up its own sty

[asiawatcher]

It says it all in this article, their own departments are deliberately ignoring the mandate to clear it up. <deleted>, if the Govt departments ignore the Govt directives, the Govt needs to be dissolved and as this will only bring about more violent demonstrations, so it has to be the army once again. Beside the average until 2006 was a coup every 2 years, seems they have had enough chance to sort it out and yet they are obviously just continuing stealing public funds whilst making false smoke screen statements they are against corruption! I will never figure out this country as to why the populace at large continue to accept the obvious.

[Roadman]

Where is the sitting government's own anti corruption plan for all its MP's and teams including their convicted fugitive criminal PM in Dubai?

[Noistar]

Why discuss it.

It's for International consumption, will change nothing and will just result in the ruling party getting out their 'we fight corruption' t-shirts..

As post #5 says, the corrupt are not going to end corruption.

[hanuman2543]

"The Bt350-billion flood prevention project was said to be the most corrupt of all. Mongkolkrit Suksintharanont of the anti-corruption alliance said more than Bt250 billion of the project's budget had already been swallowed by influential persons, leaving only Bt100 billion to run the project.

It was widely reported that the chief of the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, Dusadee Arayawuth, had been sacked after discovering corruption in the flood disaster compensation budget."

Reading articles like this nearly every day makes me loosing faith, that Thailand will ever be able to get rid of the cancer of corruption. What pisses me off the most is the unbelievable hypocrisy shown by the people who are promoted or elected to control and stop the rampant corruption.

Edited September 27, 2012 by hanuman2543

[noitom]

You can always tell how serious the Thais are by how often the newspaper pounds the table and tracks down the justice, objectivity, reality, and soundness cases.

Just look at the lack of newspaper follow up and diligence on the hit and run Ferrari cop killing case. The newspaper should be tracking this corruption, bribery, obstruction of justice, DUI, wrongful death, hit and run, and pecking order sakdi na at work in side stepping the justice and right/wrong process. Where is the news follow up and the pounding of the table on this?

As a side note Ferrari made Bloomberg news in the Bloomberg magazine regarding the lack of sales in Europe due to austerity, ostentatious display of wealth, and frivolous spending in tough times for everyday ordinary folks Ferrari and Porsche were saying that they are now shipping many more vehicles to Asia since these attitudes about ostentatious display of wealth haven't kicked in in Asia. In fact the reverse. A display of wealth signals a bye with the police and the law and of course taxes.

[ricardofel]

Hahahahahahahahaha.....fat chance

[fareastguy]

Corruption can never be curbed in Thailand because the very people that run the institutions are the guilty parties.

That means from the very top position to the bottom.

Serious about corruption never in a million years !!

That will be Thailands downfall eventually.

[Mosha]

Why discuss it.

It's for International consumption, will change nothing and will just result in the ruling party getting out their 'we fight corruption' t-shirts..

As post #5 says, the corrupt are not going to end corruption.

They might if someone bribes them 555

[TomAikins]

This article is a joke, right? The entire government IS corruption. The entire society IS corruption. You can run over a policeman while and drunk and coked to the gills going 120 mph on a city street and get out of it by paying $100,000. What more needs to be said about this country?

[jaltsc]

While I was in a local gambling den, a police officer nudged me and said he'd give me 10 to 1 odds that corruption won't end in Thailand.

[MunterHunter]

About as serious as they are in governing the country in a transparent manner with the countries best interests at heart.

[SICHONSTEVE]

"each agency was assigned to clean their own house"

To me that says it all .... you cannot ask a pig to clean up its own sty

Wrong!!!!

You CAN ask.................!!!!

[bendejo]

As serious as the Mayan prediction for the end of the world.

[GeorgeO]

The day the transportation problems are busted up in Phuket is the day many will believe the government is serious about fighting corruption.

Let's be honest, as far as this government is concerned, Phuket may as well be another country! Come to think of it, that's essentially how I view it too....!!

[GeorgeO]

How serious is the govt about fighting corruption?

There are far too many words in all of the previous answers.

The simple answer is "not at all..."!!

[Buchholz]

The government has put its anti-corruption strategy - listed as one of its 16 urgent policies and officially launched on May 18 - on the national agenda.

The government could start with its own House Speaker.

role model House Speaker and Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiatsuranon sleeping in Parliament

The latest corruption scandal brewing has Pheu Thai Party MP and House of Representatives Boss (pictured above) leaving Thailand yesterday with a 39-person entourage for a "study trip" to Europe to the tune of 7 Million Baht of taxpayers' money (180,000 Baht each).

In addition to taking place while Parliament is still in session, there's no shortage of tourist-related activities such as tickets for Premier League football matches on consecutive days.

Additional details on the boondoggle junket available it today's other paper.

[Nickymaster]

Don't you know that Yingluck is tackling corruption with a woman's touch?

Be positive guys!

[draggons]

"each agency was assigned to clean their own house"

To me that says it all .... you cannot ask a pig to clean up its own sty

+1

[nong38]

Talk is cheap and people get used to a way of life they dont want to change, why would you want to change that? Especially if you had the power not to!

If only they could find some solid/honest public servants to head up a department that answers only to the PM then maybe things might change.

[Chads]

Don't you know that Yingluck is tackling corruption with a woman's touch?

Be positive guys!

[HerveB]

I guess the first sentence states it all "Burning issue" so nobody will touch it

[belg]

with a country that for 75% seem to accept corruption as a normal daily issue, what to expect ? nothing i guess

[Robby nz]

Meanwhile, the side opposing Yongyuth's exoneration cited the case of Pol Maj-General Piraphan Premputi, former secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), and his deputy Pol Colonel Sihanart Prayoonrat. The two faced disciplinary probe for unlawfully investigating personal banking transactions of about 200 journalists, members of non-governmental organisations and opposition politicians.

Loved that bit, seems that AMLO officials get sacked for investigating money laundering.

Just posted this on another thread, clearly shows how serious the Govt is.

[vijer]

Come now, lets be reasonable, how can Thailand be the HUB of all things if they eliminate their claim to be the hub of corruption!

[54321]

I really do not know, but few politicians in any country will bite the hand that feeds them