Most Thais 'approve' Of Bribery: Poll

[SABloke]

Why did they consider interviewing 11 year old kids about bribery? Besides parents (who can be bought with puppy dog eyes and a smile), who are these kids bribing??

Edited March 18, 2013 by SABloke

[jamhar]

Actually, This explains a lot.

[cardholder]

Let's just call bribery in Thailand tradition. Tradition is generally a good thing is it not? Maybe a poll could confirm tradition is generally considered a good thing. As soon as we confirm tradition is a good thing, then we can say bribery is a good thing. Simple deduction my Khun Watson.

Pib. Bribery can be a good thing and a bad thing, ie, if it saves you all the hassle and expense of leaving the country to get a certain visa to stay in Thailand, it's a good thing. If some rich person causes peoples death in a road accident, ie drunk driving, and pays someone to escape punishment, then it's a bad thing.

So you will be judge and jury on what is a 'bad thing' and what is a 'good thing' where corruption is concerned.

I cannot subscribe to a view that accepts ANY corruption. Small corruption is the the thin end of the big corruption wedge.

Have you considered the option to look to remove the 'need' for corruption to occur ?

[NoshowJones]

At least in Thailand it is not only the corporations and the rich who can benefit from bribes and nobody kids themselves of what it is by calling it donations, contributions, fees, or create titles like lobbyists for legal bribes .... no, here you just hand over the cash and there is no trying to fool yourself or others as to what is going on.

^ I agree with you for the first time ever!

If my local wants to stay open late til 5 am to show the footie, a few hundred baht swings it with the local bobbies...sweet as a nut. Many people happy! No one gets hurt!

Sure and the people with a home near cant count on the police to do their job so they can sleep on time to wake up for work fresh.

Why do you think there are laws.

Most laws are there for a good reason, but on the other hand, just because something is law, that does not always make it right. ie, A local authority in Scotland says private hire taxis must all be sprayed black, at the expense of the owners of course. If I'm going to the airport, I'm not interested in what color my taxi is, as long as it is road worthy.

[NoshowJones]

Let's just call bribery in Thailand tradition. Tradition is generally a good thing is it not? Maybe a poll could confirm tradition is generally considered a good thing. As soon as we confirm tradition is a good thing, then we can say bribery is a good thing. Simple deduction my Khun Watson.

Pib. Bribery can be a good thing and a bad thing, ie, if it saves you all the hassle and expense of leaving the country to get a certain visa to stay in Thailand, it's a good thing. If some rich person causes peoples death in a road accident, ie drunk driving, and pays someone to escape punishment, then it's a bad thing.

So you will be judge and jury on what is a 'bad thing' and what is a 'good thing' where corruption is concerned.

I cannot subscribe to a view that accepts ANY corruption. Small corruption is the the thin end of the big corruption wedge.

Have you considered the option to look to remove the 'need' for corruption to occur ?

The last line made good sense Cardholder.

[Robby nz]

If you ask a group of people 87% of who are self confessed liers a question should you not expect 87% lies?

[thhMan]

There are two courses to follow.

Accept it and make it work to your favor

-- OR --

Go back home where it does happen, just more sneakily ... and your not part of it

[cardholder]

At least in Thailand it is not only the corporations and the rich who can benefit from bribes and nobody kids themselves of what it is by calling it donations, contributions, fees, or create titles like lobbyists for legal bribes .... no, here you just hand over the cash and there is no trying to fool yourself or others as to what is going on.

^ I agree with you for the first time ever!

If my local wants to stay open late til 5 am to show the footie, a few hundred baht swings it with the local bobbies...sweet as a nut. Many people happy! No one gets hurt!

Sure and the people with a home near cant count on the police to do their job so they can sleep on time to wake up for work fresh.

Why do you think there are laws.

Most laws are there for a good reason, but on the other hand, just because something is law, that does not always make it right. ie, A local authority in Scotland says private hire taxis must all be sprayed black, at the expense of the owners of course. If I'm going to the airport, I'm not interested in what color my taxi is, as long as it is road worthy.

I don't necessarily disagree but I think you have to start with the 'law' - even if that law is/becomes slightly flawed. Usually, the law is there for a good reason and as long as it is reviewed/amended it should remain current/valid.

I would like to see a robust mechanism for challenging laws that become outdated or are simply inappropriate.

I therefore apply for the over-seeing position of "Minister for Commonsense"

[NoshowJones]

Good point Cardholder.

[NoshowJones]

At least in Thailand it is not only the corporations and the rich who can benefit from bribes and nobody kids themselves of what it is by calling it donations, contributions, fees, or create titles like lobbyists for legal bribes .... no, here you just hand over the cash and there is no trying to fool yourself or others as to what is going on.

You fool yourself corruption undermines it all.. someone with loads of money can pay more and then you can go to jail even if innocent as the cops say its you who did it. He just paid more. Gone is justice.

All those nice examples where it is minor corruption just the beginning of the end.

I was neither advocating or condemning bribes or corruption just pointing out it is much more open here and not limited to the rich. You are kidding yourself if you believe the rich vs. the poor in developed countries don't also get a different set of justice. No, not all the time but neither do they in Thailand either. Be it lawyers or even doctors the rich are going to get the best. Just look at the system of traffic or criminal fines in most developed nations ... is it based on percentage of income? What does a $100 ticket mean to a super rich person compared to one who makes minimum wage? My point was simply to say that corruption exists everywhere but they just legalize and call it different names in the developed world. Do you really think that big corporations or the rich donate to political parties without expecting something in return be it government jobs or contracts? The year Microsoft faced US deregulation is the same year in they were the largest donor to both the Democratic and Republican party ... even with near 95% of computers running Windows they were of course not deemed a monopoly.

You are making a lot of good sense Nisa.

[nakhonandy]

Like others have said it is endemic.

We can't change it, that is up to the Thais.

As my wife pointed out everybody just accepts it as a part of life so I don't see this changing soon.

[kimamey]

Me too.

It works nicely!! let's leave it be!

I can't understand all these prats who bleat on about 'corruption' all day.

I bung the girls at the tax 1000 B a year and they do it all for me including me bonuses.

it's great. The only people who moan don't live here.

I do live here for a lot of the time and I don't approve of it.

My Thai gf has lived here all her life and she doesn't approve of it.

I haven't gone round asking the rest of the family or people in the village so it's not very scientific but it proves you don't know what you're talking about.

As for the OP a few things come to mind which are probably mentioned by others. It might be just bad reporting of course but how can a poll conducted in Bangkok give any idea about Thais in general or the even wider claim of 'people'. The minimum age limit of 10 is strange unless the pollsters feel 10 year olds here are just as knowledgeable as the adults. if that's the case I don't know if it says more about the children or the adults.

I suspect a lot that don't approve just feel there's nothing that can be done about it.

[NoshowJones]

OK lets talk about cheating, Lets be honest here, if you could find some way to get money from a bank and were 100% sure you would not get caught, would you do it? Banks are cheating you at every turn (I can only talk about banks in Thailand and the UK) If any company cheats me and I get an opportunity to cheat them, I will do it, and I will also say that in my opinion, about 90% of TV members would also do it. Sorry if I'm a little of topic here, but bribery and cheating are similar.

[spiritrace]

The problem is that this attitude filters down into marriage, family and all other aspects of life.

[kimamey]

Do you think this doesn't happen in EVERY country in the world?

Seriously, get over the piffle and enjoy it while it suits you.

It doesn't suit me.

[kimamey]

OK lets talk about cheating, Lets be honest here, if you could find some way to get money from a bank and were 100% sure you would not get caught, would you do it? Banks are cheating you at every turn (I can only talk about banks in Thailand and the UK) If any company cheats me and I get an opportunity to cheat them, I will do it, and I will also say that in my opinion, about 90% of TV members would also do it. Sorry if I'm a little of topic here, but bribery and cheating are similar.

On you're first point, no I wouldn't.

Maybe someone more knowledgeable on this could help me out. Is bribery and corruption an acceptable action for Buddhists?

[drdoom6996]

Of course they do. They have all seen corruption by someone and want their money back. My 18 year old believes if you are not corrupt in Thailand you can not succeed.

[Maggusoil]

There is a healthy debate here and at least two important differences as to where bribery may be passable

and where it is not.

Where it is tolerable is perhaps where some low paid cops or officials, cop a serving to look the other way when a

regulation is being bent e.g. some traffic offences, opening hours changed on certain occasions, possessing a

drug or two for one's personal delectation and pleasure.

Where it is inappropriate, is where people have enough money to bribe their way out of capital crimes, in which others

are clearly harmed or robbed or there is damage to the environment.

If society can get that mix right, we're getting somewhere.

[salapau]

Me too.

It works nicely!! let's leave it be!

I can't understand all these prats who bleat on about 'corruption' all day.

I bung the girls at the tax 1000 B a year and they do it all for me including me bonuses.

it's great. The only people who moan don't live here.

What a load of selfish twaddle, you're proud to cheat your way through life, how sad. by the way I live in Thailand, I'm not a prat but maybe this term is apt for you.

[johnlandy]

Of course they approve! it is part of the culture.

[youngXpat]

Of course they approve! it is part of the culture.

Agreed. This is what they know, have known and will always know. It's indoctrinated in Thais. And let's be honest, most of us farangs here don't mind it either.

[Wombat6]

I wonder if all the people polled were true Buddhists? How many of those polled were between the ages of 10-15 ?

[Sharp]

Numbers look a bit low to me ;-))))

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[FunFon]

Once corruption starts there is no end to it, you can't just have a little bit of corruption. Also it undermines the law as money can buy it all and the law is then useless. Then why have laws.. if they cant be enforced because of corruption.

The whole point of laws in a place like Thailand is to maximize the opportunities for those in power to extort money arbitrarily and hold on to and increase their wealth and power.

Thus the only purpose of entering "public service" is to gain that sort of advantage.

Anyone actually trying to benefit "the people" as a whole won't advance very far, and to the extent they are successful and become effective in any area of importance, their life is in danger.

TiT

[KarenBravo]

Morality has never been very popular here.

[mickjn]

Its their country good on them

[Thai at Heart]

If you doubt you have a choice not to pay, what option do you have?

Ask the question, "do Thais think the system is fair? " you might get a different set of answers,

[Tboy928]

100 per cent said they lie at polls.

How did it goes with the officials that sold goverment land in Phuket ,that is build , and plan build resorts on it . Is all payd now and diveded up correctly ?

[Unkomoncents]

That can't be good. If the most basic public services require cash handouts, you're really looking a bumpy, uneven society.

[ginjag]

The problem is that this attitude filters down into marriage, family and all other aspects of life.

Thai T.V. channel--quote by the newscaster, "Most Thais are so used to it over a long time even when it's pushed into their faces, Thai attitude is if it doesn't affect their pocket NEVER MIND.