In danger of being a nation run by thieves: Thai editorial

[super22k]

Education early in life is the answer.Corruption is stealing.It brings shame to them and their families.Do they have no self respect?

What I cannot understand is if you go to a temple during a festival you can see all the Angelic faces carrying flowers and incense for Budda and his Monks then shortly afterwards they are ripping people off at every opportunity.

Hammer it home to them that Budda does not like corrupt people.Budda does not like people who steal,then maybe,the downward spiral of self destruction will stop,to the benefit of the Thai people.

[Scully]

It would be interesting to know how many members of the NACC are well.......corrupt?.

[Teddy3943]

Like many said already: It is already the case. Assigning a commission to investigate and bring the perpetrators to court is the last step. Here in LOS it seems that the responsible ministers always forget or skip the necessary first step. The commission only fights the symptom of a much deeper cause. Here in LOS there is a huge lack of moral standards like love and respect of fellow citizens and be honest and open toward each other. I see this happening on all levels. Thai citizens don't seem to care for another person. Dishonesty, cheating, disrespect and neglect are common. Of course there are good exceptions, but these people are a minority.

Many Thais aren't aware of this situation they don't notice it because it is so common. An outsider coming from a region where these things are not common at all sees this immediately if he/she has enough contact with local business, jobs, offices, schools, traffic, justice, contracts, police, medical system and family. There is a very big need of trustworthy role models and teachers to lift up the level of civilization in Thailand. That is the very first need, not endless punishing.

[SOTIRIOS]

...as you have seen with the recent autopsy result...and the corruption regarding the rice scheme....

(..and before that, the government critic who was murdered....)

....good, bloody luck.....

..anyone in defiance or in contradiction of this government's questionable actions....is heavily intimidated, slandered, ridiculed or pursued...

...so what will it serve if the positions are filled by people of the same ilk as the government...

...they will not accept 'no' for an answer.....

...(even in the elections they lose....)...

...so with all the control of the funds of the nation....what can anyone do...

...this government has too much control...too much greed...and no compunction...

....these 'announcements' usually serve to fill positions with their own people....or as distractions......to feign some proactive stance......

[SOTIRIOS]

...as you have seen with the recent autopsy result...and the corruption regarding the rice scheme....

(..and before that, the government critic who was murdered....)

....good, bloody luck.....

..anyone in defiance or in contradiction of this government's questionable actions....is heavily intimidated, slandered, ridiculed or pursued...

...so what will it serve if the positions are filled by people of the same ilk as the government...

...they will not accept 'no' for an answer.....

...(even in the elections they lose....)...

...so with all the control of the funds of the nation....what can anyone do...

...this government has too much control...too much greed...and no compunction...

....these 'announcements' usually serve to fill positions with their own people....or as distractions......to feign some proactive stance......

[Teddy3943]

Like many said already: It is already the case. Assigning a commission to investigate and bring the perpetrators to court is the last step. Here in LOS it seems that the responsible ministers always forget or skip the necessary first step. The commission only fights the symptom of a much deeper cause. Here in LOS there is a huge lack of moral standards like love and respect of fellow citizens and be honest and open toward each other. I see this happening on all levels. Thai citizens don't seem to care for another person. Dishonesty, cheating, disrespect and neglect are common. Of course there are good exceptions, but these people are a minority.

Many Thais aren't aware of this situation they don't notice it because it is so common. An outsider coming from a region where these things are not common at all sees this immediately if he/she has enough contact with local business, jobs, offices, schools, traffic, justice, contracts, police, medical system and family. There is a very big need of trustworthy role models and teachers to lift up the level of civilization in Thailand. That is the very first need, not endless punishing.

[khunken]

To tackle corruption here, both a top-down & a bottom-up approach is needed.

The top-down effort needs an anti-corruption body with teeth - which the NACC hasn't. The targets in order of priority are politicians, the police (top-to-bottom), bureaucrats and then the rest.

The bottom-up effort needs to start in the schools and at home.

Thailand will never overcome corruption totally (don't know anywhere that has) but a stronger NACC to weed out the worst cases at the top & a relatively clean police force to weed out daily small-scale corruption - just might work.

'I had a dream'!

[wprime]

I don't see what the problem is? It seems to have worked fine for the last 80 years.

[SOTIRIOS]

...as you have seen with the recent autopsy result...and the corruption regarding the rice scheme....

(..and before that, the government critic who was murdered....)

....good, bloody luck.....

..anyone in defiance or in contradiction of this government's questionable actions....is heavily intimidated, slandered, ridiculed or pursued...

...so what will it serve if the positions are filled by people of the same ilk as the government...

...they will not accept 'no' for an answer.....

...(even in the elections they lose....)...

...so with all the control of the funds of the nation....what can anyone do...

...this government has too much control...too much greed...and no compunction...

....these 'announcements' usually serve to fill positions with their own people....or as distractions......to feign some proactive stance......

[thaifoolishness]

'Dooh Nibor' is what I like to call Thai Politicians (think about it...)

[rookball]

more often than not, politicians are a mere reflection on their own citizens. just some empty talks, some short term benefits during election and you know the results.

[Jay Sata]

Russia was like Thailand in the early part of the 20th century and we all know what happened there.

[oyster]

Join the club. Perhaps, after a long and costly series of exercises (maybe a few trips here and there in the region and the world), a few minor officials will be put on trial, and lots of reports will be written, but not much will change. In reality I do not believe that Thailand is any more or less corrupt than any other country. It is just in the west that the corruption is better hidden and overlooked. Good luck guys, and remember to duck just in case you do accidentally uncover real corruption of any truly important.

Join the club is about right,what with the MPs in the UK just grabbing yet another pay rise, and the FDA and Monsanto stitching up the states.....what was it the man said? Absolute power corrupts....Absolutely. Unfortunately there are far too many people who are incapable of handling power; and just about all of them elected into positions of trust. Chok dee

[razer]

It is sad that in such a nice country with so much to offer the people are so educationally deficient (in school, culture and national pride) that they embrace corruption as a norm and even approve. I do not see how anyone who genuinely loves their country would want their country to have a bad reputation brought about by corruption.

[Jay Sata]

I guess you've never been to Phuket or Pattaya where the sole intention behind those smiles is to remove as much money as possible from the foreign tourist.

Thai's have made scams an art form.

[unanimosity]

Thailand , hub of kleptocracy

CorrHubtion

[unanimosity]

So basically what you have is a representative in every provincial district to guide locals how to follow the protocols of skimming and scamming because the outside world is watching and it is necessary to go throught the motions of corruption reform because the increasingly liberal world rewards intent equal to or greater than results.

[paulmw]

Surely the people of Thailand are not dumb enough to fall for this nonsense forever. Surely!

In one short word YES

[pacharaphet]

For many wealthy politicians and officials now, corruption boils down to simple greed and never knowing how much is enough.

Well Thailand, there's a simple answer . . . stop voting for them.

oh, so you mean, stop voting? so that those who want power can just duke it out among themselves....you basically just supported going to back to the way thailand was in the 80s....oh right, that's when things were peaceful right? nothing in the 80s happened to lead to pruetsapa tamin or anything, nope

[Soi Dog]

Where has this guy been? Thailand has been run by thieves for the past 80 years or more.

[ray23]

Yet when they ran a survey on graft, a majority of Thai's seem to favor it, its their country only seems to be a problem when someone needs a scape goat or they not getting their cut.

[thhMan]

Yes I agree that Thailand might be in Danger of being run by thieves.

And if Thailand is not careful it may also have its name tarnished by rogue jet ski operators and taxi services.

Message to Thailand People.... GTFO if you cant take care of this great country !

[wolf5370]

The potential problem for the controlling elitist crooks these days is that they may well have started something that could very well end their hegemony. The current government used the people to topple the legitimate government in situ. They did this by promising to lift them up, protect them, be on their side for once (and yes with hand outs - but mostly to the leaders and village poo yais to get the numbers in the first place).

The Red Shirts are already growling and showing their teeth, threats about not allowing abuse of power - forcing a u0turn on the rice scheme. Currently they are held back by their leadership which are mostly the same elitists, but history teaches us these things change. Start a cauldron boiling and the hotter it gets the less chance of the cream staying on the top! As what happened in pretty much every revolution, some one who puts their morals/beliefs and fervour (and greed for power) ahead, and seizes power through the masses (that have been nicely prepared and organised by the current government!). The leadership is already becoming unstable with the leader leaving and no one jumping straight in the chair. Interesting that red often seems to be the colour!

Once you start that snow ball rolling down the mountain - its darned hard to stop it becoming an avalanche - and impossible to stop it when it has.

[wolf5370]

Surely the people of Thailand are not dumb enough to fall for this nonsense forever. Surely!

In one short word YES

In a shorter word "no". Not "too dumb" but "too dumbed" - made dumb by lack of education and media brain washing - add this to the Buddhist culture of living for today as you can't change the past and have no control over the future - then add the fact that there are just so many poor hand-to-mouth people out there in the electorate - and you have short termism. People vote for whoever offers them fast and direct improvements to their life - a promise and a 500 baht note makes it a good vote. Poor people do not have the luxury of caring about scamming super rich elites, they have their family's next meal to consider.

[Artisi]

Surely the people of Thailand are not dumb enough to fall for this nonsense forever. Surely!

In one short word YES

In a shorter word "no". Not "too dumb" but "too dumbed" - made dumb by lack of education and media brain washing - add this to the Buddhist culture of living for today as you can't change the past and have no control over the future - then add the fact that there are just so many poor hand-to-mouth people out there in the electorate - and you have short termism. People vote for whoever offers them fast and direct improvements to their life - a promise and a 500 baht note makes it a good vote. Poor people do not have the luxury of caring about scamming super rich elites, they have their family's next meal to consider.

that is a pretty fair and accurate summation of the current situation, however I believe that there is a slowly growing movement of people who are starting to see that following this path will never improve their lot - the change won't be this week or this year but change will happen with time.

[hubahuba]

And this is new's.... .... Loflmao

[lee b]

In danger are two words from the past are they not ???

[Farangdam]

Everyone want to become rich as mr taksin s.

[i claudius]

Thailand is not run by people with the highest morals? i don't believe it

[mot]

At least thaï people are aware of the situation. I'm french and I'm not sure a majority of french know that WE ARE already and for years and years ruled in France by f..ing thieves.

The big difference is that state employee usually don't need bribery to live. I mean the cop in the street will not try to racket you (in fact on the road of France the State doe's it allready...).

A few weeks ago the president of french representatives (Assembléé Nationale), Claude Bartolone (socialist)- 4th rank personnality of the State-, was questionned about a house he own near Paris. Estimated around 2.000.000€, Bartolonne register it for 600000€ and said it cost him 400000€ for 380m² to build. It is IM-PO-SSI-BLE in France to build such a house at that cost. Impossible. 1000€/m² no way. But absolutely no one, not a journalist, nore a politician raise that matter!

At least Thaïland do not try to teach the world what to do...

http://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/Actualite/Visitez-la-maison-de-Claude-Bartolone-602549

http://www.leparisien.fr/les-lilas-93260/bartolone-rattrape-par-la-transparence-17-04-2013-2734467.php