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Is changing Thailand's culture of corruption possible?


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Is changing Thailand's culture of corruption possible?
By Praj Kiatpongsan

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It's well known that rampant graft is a major drag on Thailand's economy and the function of its institutions...but how will things ever change if corruption is an accepted part of Thai culture?

On June 1, 2011, business tycoon Dusit Nontanakorn called on the Thai public to take a stand against the corruption that had crippled the nation for decades.

“It is time for everyone, as the owners of this country, to stand up to protect, take care of and restore Thailand!” Dusit said in a fiery first speech as the chairman of the Private Sector Collective Action Coalition against Corruption (CAC).

CAC, the first organization of its kind in Thailand, was a network of firms focused on promoting anti-graft policies on the national level. The group's formation was a response to the business community's frustration with crooked political parties sustaining a vicious cycle of corruption in the country. The organization, now called the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand, is also an example of some of the small roots of change that have begun to emerge in the Kingdom.

Needless to say, corruption is ubiquitous in Thailand. It has wormed its way into almost every part of Thai life. Whether you're in a delivery room or a crematorium, a bribe is the accepted fast-track fee.

Unfortunately, Dusit’s speech was also his last. Three months later, the outspoken executive and father of two passed away from leukemia at 64.

Although he no longer leads the business community's fight against corruption, his initiatives are still aggressively being pursued by the organization. Under new leadership, the CAC was renamed the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) and its membership has expanded from 23 to 47 companies. September 6, the day of Dusit’s death, has been memorialized as Anti-Corruption Day since 2012.

But despite these well-intentioned efforts, Thailand’s corruption problem shows no sign of abating.

“Over the past three years, the situation has either remained stable or deteriorated,” the incumbent ACT chairman Pramon Sutivong said on this year’s Anti-Corruption Day.

According to a survey conducted by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), Thailand’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) jumped up to 74 percent in June from 63 percent in December 2012.

More bad news came from the Berlin-based corruption data collector, Transparency International, which degraded Thailand’s ranking in its 2012 CPI report eight spots from 80th to 88th out of 176 countries. According to the organization, Thailand has the same level of corruption as some of the poorest developing nations like Suriname, Zambia, Swaziland, Morocco and Malawi.

Financially speaking, corruption has cost Thailand an incredible THB235-329 billion (USD7.4-10.3 billion) this year or 1.9-2.6 percent of its GDP so far in 2013, according to the UTCC study.

Thanks to surveys like this, Thais have grown more aware and less tolerant of corruption, but they still allow unethical conduct to persist day to day.

Perhaps that's because corruption patterns change so frequently. Once a pattern is identified, corrupt individuals simply change what they're doing and adopt more creative patterns to avoid the law. Conspiracies are carried out in more and more sophisticated ways and the police simply can't keep up.

“The current anti-corruption mechanisms apparently don’t function,” said Deunden Nikomborirak, a researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), an institution that conducts regular assessment of the government’s mega projects. According to Deunden, when those faulty mechanisms are combined with lax law enforcement, it creates a vibrant and creative atmosphere for corruption.

That said, Thais are fed up and want things to change.

Over the past few years, anti-graft awareness campaigns have mushroomed nationwide. Certain anti-corruption concepts have been added to the curriculum in a large number of Bangkok schools under the Growing Good project.

At the university level, undergraduates are increasingly getting involved in anti-corruption activities. A recent and distinctly Thai approach was the Miss Queen Anti-Corruption ladyboy pageant at Khon Kaen University.

Read More: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/09/14/changing-thailands-culture-corruption-possible

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-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-09-15

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Always surprises me when other nationalities accuse Thailand of being corrupt.

look at your own country first. Take mine the Isle of Man, corruption is rife and no recourse to take action against those in power.

Then look at the Uk and USA totally corrupt at MHK and Senator level.

Time to open your eyes folks it aint just a Thai problem, at least they are unashamed of the way they go about it.

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Not even when hell freezes over. Corruption is so much a part of the Thai Culture

It starts so early too although very young students may not realise their parents are buying them admission to a certain school or a pass mark / improved grade but they pick it up sooner or later.

In " elite ' families the children learn they can more or less do what they like as the family name, position, connections etc. can help get what they want and get them out of trouble.

Money, gifts etc don't need to change hands for it to be corruption.

It seems those in positions of authority or power by any definition are never satisfied with what they have and find it easier to say Yes than NO and they set no example for others. Let's not forget too the results of opinion polls that regularly show the attitude of ordinary Thais to corruption.

As others have said there just isn't the national will for change and sorry to say I can't ever see it being any different.

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Always surprises me when other nationalities accuse Thailand of being corrupt.

look at your own country first. Take mine the Isle of Man, corruption is rife and no recourse to take action against those in power.

Then look at the Uk and USA totally corrupt at MHK and Senator level.

Time to open your eyes folks it aint just a Thai problem, at least they are unashamed of the way they go about it.

Very good point!..as much as I can't stand the corruption here..and I'm in Phuket where it's busting at the seams....No one should think that corruption doesn't exist elsewhere...Out here..I would say it's more.."in your face"...in America, where I'm from, it's more hidden but it is there as plain as day....People in power will all fall victim to the greed and temptation that coexixts with their position of power

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Always surprises me when other nationalities accuse Thailand of being corrupt.

look at your own country first. Take mine the Isle of Man, corruption is rife and no recourse to take action against those in power.

Then look at the Uk and USA totally corrupt at MHK and Senator level.

Time to open your eyes folks it aint just a Thai problem, at least they are unashamed of the way they go about it.

Good ol' fashioned "honest corruption". whistling.gif

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Changing the culture of corruption is not only possible, it is actually fairly simple.

The state of corruption at present is solely due to there being no effective rule of law and justice system. A system must be put into place to reign in the police's extra judicial power. Any extortion committed by police could be punished by execution for over a certain amount and lengthy prison terms for lesser amounts. With many of the public carrying smart phones it is easy to record the extortion happening and is great evidence of it. For example, Khun Z is caught carrying 1 gram of marijuana, police demand 100,000B for instant release. Khun Z takes his recording of this extortion to the NACC(or preferably a new body set up by impartial personnel- preferably foreign citizens to start with) and is granted immunity for his crime while the policeman would be executed.

It will be very fast, instant, for law to be applied by the books. I believe 1 gram of marijuana carries an official fine of around 5,000B (SWIK just got convicted in a Thai court this week for that exact offense and that was the fine).

For corruption involving billions the punishment must be shocking. Kim Jong Il could advise on some of his methods. 4 horses and a rope in front of family members would be my recommendation.

Get law, order and justice implemented properly, without favor, applied to all and you will find corruption will disappear faster than an energy drink scion.

It's not going to happen. Given the playing field the Thais currently have, nobody is going to be able to stop corruption. The only way it could be eradicated quickly is if a) there is a catastrophic natural disaster that demolishes infrastructure and the economy resulting in an occupational force from the west that reinstates authority;

or b ) there is a major social meltdown/serious civil war that demolishes infrastructure and the economy resulting in an occupational force from the west that reinstates authority.

Otherwise, wait four generations for it to "mature" as another poster has stated. And then look forward to tax rates of 40%, western prices for all goods and services, BIB that you can trust and respect, and "honest" politicians. coffee1.gif

Edited by Gsxrnz
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did this business tycoon already made enough money on it, so now stop corruption ??

Just about everyone is tainted, that's the reason why they should declare an amnesty and start again. Those with any sense will stop overnight in terror of losing everything.

Blether, an exceptional idea. However the requirement for those in power having "sense" ruins your perfect solution.

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did this business tycoon already made enough money on it, so now stop corruption ??

Just about everyone is tainted, that's the reason why they should declare an amnesty and start again. Those with any sense will stop overnight in terror of losing everything.

Blether, an exceptional idea. However the requirement for those in power having "sense" ruins your perfect solution.

Well I did mention the Tooth Fairy, she's our only hope. coffee1.gif

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Changing the culture of corruption is not only possible, it is actually fairly simple.

The state of corruption at present is solely due to there being no effective rule of law and justice system. A system must be put into place to reign in the police's extra judicial power. Any extortion committed by police could be punished by execution for over a certain amount and lengthy prison terms for lesser amounts. With many of the public carrying smart phones it is easy to record the extortion happening and is great evidence of it. For example, Khun Z is caught carrying 1 gram of marijuana, police demand 100,000B for instant release. Khun Z takes his recording of this extortion to the NACC(or preferably a new body set up by impartial personnel- preferably foreign citizens to start with) and is granted immunity for his crime while the policeman would be executed.

It will be very fast, instant, for law to be applied by the books. I believe 1 gram of marijuana carries an official fine of around 5,000B (SWIK just got convicted in a Thai court this week for that exact offense and that was the fine).

For corruption involving billions the punishment must be shocking. Kim Jong Il could advise on some of his methods. 4 horses and a rope in front of family members would be my recommendation.

Get law, order and justice implemented properly, without favor, applied to all and you will find corruption will disappear faster than an energy drink scion.

It's not going to happen. Given the playing field the Thais currently have, nobody is going to be able to stop corruption. The only way it could be eradicated quickly is if a) there is a catastrophic natural disaster that demolishes infrastructure and the economy resulting in an occupational force from the west that reinstates authority;

or b ) there is a major social meltdown/serious civil war that demolishes infrastructure and the economy resulting in an occupational force from the west that reinstates authority.

Otherwise, wait four generations for it to "mature" as another poster has stated. And then look forward to tax rates of 40%, western prices for all goods and services, BIB that you can trust and respect, and "honest" politicians. coffee1.gif

Thailand already has western or higher prices for many goods and services.

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Incorrect to say the UK and the US is corrupt. Contrary to the view of transparency International. Whereas Thailand has a serious corruption problem. The poor and vulnerable are the ones to suffer. It's a government issue as the figures quoted in the article are from the public sector. Blame the government. Simple solution elect a clean administration.

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All countries have varying levles of

corruption but what makes it especially

difficult for it to change here in Thailand

is corruption here has become more and more socially acceptable. So until that changes nothing will change and it will only get worse like it has until someday it gets so

bad they are forced to change or then they will end up like a 3rd world African country.

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