Most Thais 'approve' Of Bribery: Poll

[zydeco]

An ABAC poll? Wasn't ABAC involved in a bribery/payoff scandal a few weeks ago? Takes one to know one, I guess.

[Mitker]

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!

And when some drunk little rich kid knocks down and kills your Wife/Kid/Brother/Sister/Mum/Dad/Favorite Dog and then pays the police to find 'no evidence' or pays to get out of court a free man, you'd still be happy? After all a little bit of bribery is fine, right?

Agree 100%.

Many people simply don't understand where corruption/bribery leads. Like most Thais, they don't see further than the little convenience of the day while it undermines the very base of justice, rule of law.

No justice and anyone can get you out of his way for his convenience. Out of the way can mean out of a contract for your company, out of a position for you, out of a school for your kid, out of your house for your entire family, out of a hospital room for a friend, or simply to jail for anyone used as a scapegoat to shield a well-connected.

Thailand (and any other country) doesn't need corruption to be a nice place to live. It's just simply the opposite. Thailand would be a much better place without.

[Mitker]

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

Some people here think there's a 3rd one. If you allow.

[Ian Curtis]

"The survey was conducted on 1 561 respondents aged over 10";

At first I assumed that only politicians were polled but then I saw the 'over 10' remark. Unless there are politicians this young?

[Baloo22]

To some it may seem a nice convenience to be able to bribe your way out of a traffic ticket or get preferential treatment at a government office. But the end effect is much deeper and causes substantial harm to Thai society and the Thai people. When police expect to get bribes and "gifts", what you end up with (and what the Thai people now have) is a police force whose primary "duty" is their own personal profit with public safety and enforcement of laws for the public good being of very little concern to them.

Why bother stopping for that red light at the pedestrian crossing? You know there never is any enforcement to do so. Nightclubs operate without the required licenses and proper safety standards. Not a problem after that police colonel got his share of the business. Can you say "Santika"? How many people in the north of Thailand are suffering lung damage right now because of the "I want to burn it and I'll pay off any cop who shows up!" standard? On and on and on.

I have read several article estimating that between 25% to 35% of the funds for any public construction project is siphoned off in bribes, kickbacks, and other forms of corruption. Does what's left end up being enough for quality construction? Or is the end result like a new sidewalk installed in Jomtien that started falling apart within three months of completion.

In the end the cost of avoiding a traffic ticket is much more than 200-300 baht!

[DocN]

...and the news here is......?

[kimamey]

"The survey was conducted on 1 561 respondents aged over 10";

At first I assumed that only politicians were polled but then I saw the 'over 10' remark. Unless there are politicians this young?

As far as I can see I'm the only one who's noticed that this was done in Bangkok. It may be the same elsewhere but that's not good polling if they intend it to poll Thailand.

[Exsexyman]

The Kennedys were always at it.

The Clintons had their moments too.

[hawker9000]

Well, so long as it's "official"...