We Need To Take A Stand Against Corruption

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL

We need to take a stand against corruption

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai society will deteriorate unless stronger individual action is taken

It is a shame that while Thailand is organising a campaign against corruption, the latest survey result by Transparency International showed the country's ranking has slipped.

The latest Corruption Perceptions Index survey listed Thailand at number 88 out of 176 countries surveyed. The level of corruption in Thailand is perceived to be on the same par as Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia. Thailand's ranking slipped from 80 last year.

Although Transparency International noted that a change in methodology had made it difficult to make a comparison, the low ranking for Thailand reveals the chronic problem of widespread corruption in Thailand.

It is sad that widespread corruption in Thailand is increasingly accepted by the public as being normal.

A series of surveys show that Thais increasingly view corruption as acceptable. A recent ABAC poll reported that a majority (63 per cent) of Thai people hold the view that corruption in government is acceptable as long as they also benefit from it. A majority of young people under 20 now hold the same attitude. The survey result has not changed from previous surveys.

The result is alarming. It shows that a majority of Thais do not place high significance on moral and righteous value. They base their opinion on the material benefit that they expect to receive. If this perception is allowed to continue and rise, widespread graft will wreak havoc on every aspect of development in Thailand.

First of all, it discourages people to strive for excellence because people are not rewarded according to quality and merit, but because of bribes and crony connections they have with decision makers. It also affects the overall capacity and competitiveness of Thailand.

More importantly, it would instil a perception that social justice is no longer important because "money rules". If a majority of Thais place most importance on material returns, not the righteous or moral good, Thailand will become a sad place to live.

Today - December 9 - is International Anti-Corruption Day. A series of activities are set to be held to instil public awareness about the dangers of corruption.

However, this campaign seems to run against the reality in Thailand as massive corruption prevails, with people at every level in the society involved.

Everyone shares the blame for letting this happen because most people participate and allow corruption to thrive. There have been cases of companies involved in corruption scandals. But social sanctions hardly occur in Thailand especially if a graft case involves a lucrative business deal.

People tend to find an excuse to be a part of corruption or the malaise by saying that everyone does this. For instance, people who violate traffic laws often try to bribe police to get let off. Or some hire illegal unregistered maids by saying that this will help cut their cost of living. These people should realise that every small act such as this has led to severe social malaise.

The perception must be fixed and our efforts must start from individual initiatives. First, there is no excuse for anyone to engage in any bribery or corruption, regardless of the size of money involved.

People should also learn to appreciate righteousness and morality instead of admiring people with wealth without questioning where the money came from. It is not wrong to be rich. But wealth should be a reward of hard work, not corrupt money earned at the expense of others.

Awareness should be instilled in youngsters from an early age to promote responsible citizens. Thailand will not be able to progress if our society stands on weak foundations with a majority of Thais believing that it is acceptable to corrupt.

-- The Nation 2012-12-09

[ratcatcher]

Thailand should be proud that they are in the company of countries like Malawi, Swaziland & Zambia.

Heaven forbid if they ever degenerate to the level of Zimbabwe or Myanmar, but politicians at all levels are working tirelessly to that end as can be seen from daily news reports.

[dcutman]

Maybe if the news sources stop writing editorials about corruption, and start doing some investigative reporting and follow ups, until a conviction on corruption.

Oh wait I forgot, the editors of these news sources, are in somebodies back pocket, already.

I guess we will have to leave it up to the high school and uni students with their artwork to slow the progress of corruption.

[Soupdragon]

Thailand should be proud that they are in the company of countries like Malawi, Swaziland & Zambia.

Heaven forbid if they ever degenerate to the level of Zimbabwe or Myanmar, but politicians at all levels are working tirelessly to that end as can be seen from daily news reports.

If you're gonna be a bear, be a grisly.

[meatboy]

as long as they keep the majority of thai people uneducated it will always be same same,to start at the very bottom of a never ending ladder,by the time they get half way up the rungs start falling off so it goes back to where it begins.

[simple1]

As a member in another tread highlighted "the specific subcategory '2.4 Government officials in the legislative branch do not use public office for private gain' scored a 0.06 http://worldjusticep...ountry/thailand. Of all the countries looked at, only Ukraine managed to score lower than Thailand". As everyone interacts with a government agency at some time, the article did not mention that alleged Thai government agency staff and officials are the most corrupt worldwide, excepting the Ukraine.

[fareastguy]

The only way to seriously stop corruption is to come up with 100% proof.. undeniable evidence that will stand up in court.

Then have the courts actually prosecute them & hand out severe punishments, including repossession of money or property gained by corruption.

Name them, shame them in public & prevent them from holding a position within government for life if a government official.

If a company director then a life time ban for holding such a position again.

But Thailand will never ever stop corruption because it is an excepted way of life by the majority, from the lowest of levels to the very top.

[lemoncake]

Where and who do I pay to take the stand?

[jackr]

The result is alarming. It shows that a majority of Thais do not place high significance on moral and righteous value. They base their opinion on the material benefit that they expect to receive. If this perception is allowed to continue and rise, widespread graft will wreak havoc on every aspect of development in Thailand.

You have just noticed? I dunno about wreaking havoc, but the country will definitely continue to hold itself back. It'll take total thought change, no more lying, less importance on face, and hard work. Sorry, but you have a good hundred years before any of that would happen. How about embracing Buddhism?...

[bendejo]

This concept of remote-control leadership is fairly new to the country, give it a chance.

Does Thaksin have any other relatives who could qualify for PM that he can be certain will not betray him?

[Baloo22]

Maybe if the news sources stop writing editorials about corruption, and start doing some investigative reporting and follow ups, until a conviction on corruption.

Oh wait I forgot, the editors of these news sources, are in somebodies back pocket, already. I guess we will have to leave it up to the high school and uni students with their artwork to slow the progress of corruption.

I agree with you that more progress could be made via true aggressive investigative journalism in Thailand. We also need to remember that the news organizations and the individual journalists themselves do not have many of the legal protections that they do in many countries in the west. A journalist doing investigative reporting on corruption involving involving the "pu yai" or big people is taking a substantial personal risk. To start with, the defamation laws in Thailand severe and are both civil and criminal. Those laws are used as a club to discourage and smother any such investigative reporting. One of the real purposes for the defamation laws are to protect the big people, the "high-class", from reporting that may impact them or their lucrative activities.

A journalist by the name Erika Fry learned that lesson when, working for a major newspaper here, she did a news story on a Thai official that had been accused of plagiarizing his doctoral dissertation. Take a read of "Escape From Thailand" and "Escape from Thailand: Epilogue" from the Columbia Journalism Review. What happened to Erika Fry is the result of her investigative reporting on someone not really that high up in the "pu yai" status.

When a journalist does some damage to or angers one of the real biggies, they have a good chance of ending up like Wisut "Ae" Tangwittayaporn from Phuket. "Newspaper reporter shot, killed in Thailand"

[Squigy]

Ho Hum.... Next topic please. Come Monday this Editorial will be forgotten and life just carries on in the same way. Hub of Corruption

[Orac]

The first step that needs to be taken is a change to the liable/defamation laws which makes accusing someone of wrongdoing difficult.

edit - looks like Baloo beat me to it.

Edited December 9, 2012 by Orac

[OzMick]

The only way to seriously stop corruption is to come up with 100% proof.. undeniable evidence that will stand up in court.

Then have the courts actually prosecute them & hand out severe punishments, including repossession of money or property gained by corruption.

Name them, shame them in public & prevent them from holding a position within government for life if a government official.

If a company director then a life time ban for holding such a position again.

But Thailand will never ever stop corruption because it is an excepted way of life by the majority, from the lowest of levels to the very top.

While laws such as you suggest would be admirable, and might even work, the problem is finding someone to propose them, and then 50% of MPs to vote for them. As 25% of MPs are installed under the corrupt party list system, the odds are stacked against you.

[Thai at Heart]

it looks as though the op believes this to be purely a moral issue, discounting the economic and legal issues entirely.

there is a massive cost to the Thai people i.e. consumers for this corruption and a massive misallocation of assets to the wrong points in the economy.

so many investment projects are only viable in Thailand because they are laundering money, as opposed to making money.

this is a massive issue.

[duncanm]

Since key trading partners such as China, Korea and Japan don't seem to be that bothered there's very little incentive to change.

Unless it starts to damage the pockets of the wealthiest they're not going to allow any changes that make their lives less convenient or profitable.

[Thai at Heart]

Since key trading partners such as China, Korea and Japan don't seem to be that bothered there's very little incentive to change.

Unless it starts to damage the pockets of the wealthiest they're not going to allow any changes that make their lives less convenient or profitable.

China night not be bother Ed about Thai corruption, but they are very bothered about their own. Korea too.

[whybother]

A lot of people might accept corruption if they benefit from it. What they don't seem to realise is the number of times they are screwed by corruption while someone else is benefiting. They're a bit short sighted in that sense.

[noitom]

You cannot change the Thai system without first establishing basic freedoms and right. Equality before the law, no preferential dispositions and adjudication, enforcement of law equally, freedom of speech, and investigative journalism. The newspaper writes these psuedo solicitous editorials every now and then without any investigative effort or relentless follow up. No one takes the newspaper seriously, how could these nonsensical occasional editorials ever have any impact on corruption?

These hapless editorials do no service to Thais or Thailand and certainly don't have any effect of reducing corruption. If anything, they serve to demonstrate how ineffective they are in pressing forward any real challenge or investigation. The corruption offenders in all levels of society take these editorials as an example of complacency and inaction and they act as a catalyst to encourage more corruption. When will the newspaper wake up?

[wildorchid]

THERE is actually an anti corruption phone number, I've forgoten it now but I once called it and the lady that answered the phone said there is no one here to do anything about any corruption, or any compiant you have, it's just for show, at first I could'nt believe it but then after a moment i just came to my sences and although really disapionted i just thought ahhh no suprice i guess TIT.

IT has to start somewhere, so why not at the top and the bottom and work it's way through the social fabric until it is the norm.

[Thait Spot]

Thailand needs an independent ministry of corruption so the politicians and poo yais can be warned to cover their tracks and corruption will subsequently disappear.

Alternatively the resplendent Chewit could be tasked with the job.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Fozfromoz]

You cannot change the Thai system without first establishing basic freedoms and right. Equality before the law, no preferential dispositions and adjudication, enforcement of law equally, freedom of speech, and investigative journalism. The newspaper writes these psuedo solicitous editorials every now and then without any investigative effort or relentless follow up. No one takes the newspaper seriously, how could these nonsensical occasional editorials ever have any impact on corruption?

These hapless editorials do no service to Thais or Thailand and certainly don't have any effect of reducing corruption. If anything, they serve to demonstrate how ineffective they are in pressing forward any real challenge or investigation. The corruption offenders in all levels of society take these editorials as an example of complacency and inaction and they act as a catalyst to encourage more corruption. When will the newspaper wake up?

Thats a lot of things to fix up. They will need to put the minister for everything ( Chalerm) onto it, and then in 90 days it can all move forward.

[culicine]

Whether they like to admit it or not, corruption is part of the culture here. It's not going away any time soon until there is a sea change in the mindset of ALL people, not just the politicians and cronies at the top. I'm surprised this even makes it into the news.

[mancub]

Whether they like to admit it or not, corruption is part of the culture here. It's not going away any time soon until there is a sea change in the mindset of ALL people, not just the politicians and cronies at the top. I'm surprised this even makes it into the news.

Agree , denial and duplicity seem also embedded in the mind-set from an early age .!

[nong38]

To much say and not enough do, straight out the "Politicians Handbook." Words mean nothing lets see some action!

[smedly]

I wrote about this before on TV, basically there is no elected government (or extremely unlikely) that will take any realistic action against corruption simply because there is so much money being corrupted by these very people - so what alternative is there

Well the fact of the matter is unfortunately if no elected government is likely to address the issue then Thailand is not ready for elected governments - it is that simple

Many people on here spout about demacracy and the vote of the people etc etc but in reality the political system - the law - the constitution - government agencies - and pretty much every aspect of this society is disfunctional - it is firmly 3rd world trying to pretend it's the hub of Asia - complete <deleted>.

So what's the answer in such a situation - well if an elected government isn't it then there are only two other options

A ruling Monarchy

Or a Ruling Military

Both the above with the mandate to put in place a solid infrastructure to eventually put in place an elected government that is tethered to a solid constitution that protects against corruption - upholds the law - sets in place independant agencies that have far reaching powers etc etc

The main point I'm making is that no elected government will ever change things so something radical needs to happen.

I can see Thailand have another collapse or even a minor civil war within the next 5 years or sooner - that might be the trigger for change for the better, maybe in the future when and if the people see what went on with the current administration and the levels of devisive corruption become evident - that could be just enough to set the country and the people on a new path, they will need outside help to do it and shouldn't be afraid to ask - who knows

[jamstock]

I would rather p[ay a policeman 200 B on the spot for a minor infraction, than have to haule my ass all the way to the local police station and pay 400 B... small scale corruption such as this is not a problem in my view. It's large scale corruption, the likes of which we see endemic in the banking and financial system in the West which really damages things.

[smedly]

I would rather p[ay a policeman 200 B on the spot for a minor infraction, than have to haule my ass all the way to the local police station and pay 400 B... small scale corruption such as this is not a problem in my view. It's large scale corruption, the likes of which we see endemic in the banking and financial system in the West which really damages things.

Totally agree

[nurofiend]

<snip

So what's the answer in such a situation - well if an elected government isn't it then there are only two other options

A ruling Monarchy

Or a Ruling Military

<snip

...and this is where i found out never to interact with you ever again.

[tingtongfarang]

I would rather p[ay a policeman 200 B on the spot for a minor infraction, than have to haule my ass all the way to the local police station and pay 400 B... small scale corruption such as this is not a problem in my view. It's large scale corruption, the likes of which we see endemic in the banking and financial system in the West which really damages things.

And that is exactly the attitude that makes it impossible for thailand to make a stand against corruption,

How do you suppose they make a stand against corruption when the police hang around on the roadside with criminal intent?