Copy China's graft crackdown: Veera

[Lite Beer]

Copy China's graft crackdown: Veera
The Sunday Nation

Veera

BANGKOK: -- Activist says PM must wield absolute power to eliminate corruption here

The new prime minister, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, was yesterday urged to emulate the Chinese president's policy of cracking down on corruption seriously and without exceptions, as part of his government's fight against graft.

Anti-corruption activist Veera Somkwamkid yesterday praised Prayuth, who is also chief of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), for promising to seriously fight corruption.

He said that to ensure success in reducing the problem of corruption, Prayuth needed to wield total power in the same way as China's President Xi Jinping in the Chinese government's policy against corruption.

"President Xi Jinping has dealt with corruption in China without exceptions. Although China is a communist country, I think they are more advanced than some democratic countries, particularly Thailand, about sincerity in tackling corruption," Veera said.

Veera, who is secretary of the People's Network against Corruption, was speaking at a seminar on "Reforming Thailand, Opposing Corruption", which was organised by the King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) at Government Complex in Nonthaburi.

Many corrupt Chinese officials, some of them senior public office holders with connections to the Communist Party, have been punished severely under the anti-graft policy.

Veera called on Prayuth's government to be serious about stamping out corruption. He said the government leaders, particularly Prayuth, must serve as a good example.

The activist was recently released from a prison in Cambodia after being convicted of spying. He was arrested at a Thai-Cambodian border while inspecting a disputed area.

KPI deputy secretary-general Wuthisarn Tanchai told the seminar yesterday that the country's leaders have to battle corruption with strong actions not merely words.

He admitted that national leaders often proclaim to be offended by corruption. But he said actions speak louder than words.

"The leaders have to set an example; put words into action and ensure that corruption stops once reform is in place,'' he said.

Wuthisarn quoted the latest international survey - Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index - which showed Thailand in a bad light in terms of corruption as the country has slipped from 88 to 102 on the world list.

Some surveys have shown that Thais find corruption acceptable if they also benefit from it. This proved that fighting graft would not be easy unless Thais are persuaded to value honesty and detest corruption. He pointed out three causes of corruption: passing of laws that allow graft, economic disparity, weak state and private check mechanisms against corruption.

Thawilwadee Burikul, director of the Research and Development Office, revealed at the seminar a survey result that showed 68 per cent of people would do nothing if they encountered corruption, only 16 per cent would file a complaint or call police or relevant agencies but not put their name as a complainant, 8 per cent would write to a paper but not give their name.

About 67 per cent found bribery unacceptable, while 0.3 per cent said corruption was acceptable.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Copy-Chinas-graft-crackdown-Veera-30242163.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-31

[MaxLee]

Copy China's graft crackdown

In other words Bye Bye Social Media??? The Thai youngsters would commit massive suicide...

[DrLom]

Interesting concept 'copying from China', as usually it's the reciprocal.

[piersbeckett]

Independent judiciary an absolute must in this regard, I feel but not much mention of it!

[surinderek]

I would say Hong Kongs system would be much better

[NongKhaiKid]

Two points -

1. Things in China are not always what they seem and often actions may have a political or personal motivation although LoS is no stranger to this, just ask ' His master's Voice ' Tarit, and

2. China has been charging many very senior officials with corruption but the question is would Thailand ever copy this aspect of a crackdown ?

Thai officialdom has always been very careful about going too far because of implications for the future and possibly involving themselves.

[ezzra]

China's capital punishment penal code for major drug dealers/smugglers and murderers doesn't

look to bad either, worth looking at I say, too many of the above are getting off very lightly

and continuing with their illicit activities with impunity...

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Two points -

1. Things in China are not always what they seem and often actions may have a political or personal motivation although LoS is no stranger to this, just ask ' His master's Voice ' Tarit, and

2. China has been charging many very senior officials with corruption but the question is would Thailand ever copy this aspect of a crackdown ?

Thai officialdom has always been very careful about going too far because of implications for the future and possibly involving themselves.

Come back in twenty years time and review Thailand , if Thailand had proper democracy where you have built in checks and balances, why follow China , you will always have someone trying the short cut to riches on the public purse, however the more measures in place the less likely hood of corruption.

[NongKhaiKid]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Two points -

1. Things in China are not always what they seem and often actions may have a political or personal motivation although LoS is no stranger to this, just ask ' His master's Voice ' Tarit, and

2. China has been charging many very senior officials with corruption but the question is would Thailand ever copy this aspect of a crackdown ?

Thai officialdom has always been very careful about going too far because of implications for the future and possibly involving themselves.

Come back in twenty years time and review Thailand , if Thailand had proper democracy where you have built in checks and balances, why follow China , you will always have someone trying the short cut to riches on the public purse, however the more measures in place the less likely hood of corruption.

I'd love to be able to review in 20 years but fear the Grim Bar Girl will have called by then and taken me to the Great Pattaya in The Sky.

Mind you if no changes to corruption I might be able to buy my way out of it !

[NongKhaiKid]

I would say Hong Kongs system would be much better

You have a good point but there could be a potential problem just surfacing.

Under British rule the independent Commission Against Corruption ( ICAC ) were truly independent although in the' 90s a lot of their cases went wrong at trial or on appeal with judges saying things like " no conviction just because you are the ICAC ".

However more to the point very recently they seem to have taken an ' organ of the state ' role as they have been raiding the houses of prominent businessman backing / funding calls for changes to how the Chief Executive is elected which angered Beijing. Let me make it clear i'm not saying their isn't corruption only time will tell and if there is hopefully it will be real and not a point or two being stretched.

The Hong Kong ICAC acting under it's proper charter and with the right personnel would wreak havoc here which is a good reason as to why such a body would never be set up.

[Snig27]

Strange lack of logic here - if Veera had ever done any business in China he'd know, it doesn't work. China is as corrupt as it's always been. You could always deal with the same way countries that have succeeded in reducing corruption have: Transparency, a strong democratic process, a court and police system that is largely clean, a free press and media (that part is absolutely vital), rational defamation laws and an educated populace.

Now, which of those is missing in Thailand?

[h90]

Interesting concept 'copying from China', as usually it's the reciprocal.

You didn't learn much history, or?

The list of things we in the west copied from China is very long.

China had already culture when we just tried to hunt deer in the forest.

The list what we copied from China is very long.

(with a few exception, Egypt, Persia....)

[Prbkk]

Some asects of the China program are good but the most worrying thing about it is the potential and actual use it against those who might be seen as opponents of the regime ( gulity or not). Meanwhile those at the very top continue to amass Suharto-esque wealth.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Prbkk

[hanuman2543]

" He pointed out three causes of corruption: passing of laws that allow graft, economic disparity, weak state and private check mechanisms against corruption."

[smutcakes]

China are not getting rid of corruption, they are making examples of selected and specific persons who have fallen out of favour,

Same as Thailand really.

[lemonjelly]

Considering Veera tried to instigate a conflict with a neighbouring country, In my opinion this guy deserves no platform.

[Thailand]

"China is expected to limit elections to a selection of pro-Beijing candidates."

Hong Kong today.

[rethaier]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Two points -

1. Things in China are not always what they seem and often actions may have a political or personal motivation although LoS is no stranger to this, just ask ' His master's Voice ' Tarit, and

2. China has been charging many very senior officials with corruption but the question is would Thailand ever copy this aspect of a crackdown ?

Thai officialdom has always been very careful about going too far because of implications for the future and possibly involving themselves.

Come back in twenty years time and review Thailand , if Thailand had proper democracy where you have built in checks and balances, why follow China , you will always have someone trying the short cut to riches on the public purse, however the more measures in place the less likely hood of corruption.

Are you trying to tell us that western democratic governments don't have any corruption. Corporations buy and sell our western politicians too.

[Thai at Heart]

Yeah right. Thailand is 100th in the list and China is 80th. South Korea is 40th

Let's shoot for the stars eh.

[fab4]

"to ensure success in reducing the problem of corruption, Prayuth needed to wield total power in the same way as China's President Xi Jinping in the Chinese government's policy against corruption."

Spoken like the ultra-nationalist head of the Thai Patriots Network ( and now apparently, Secretary of Peoples Network against Corruption, whoever they are) that he is.

[hgma]

Corruption and gambling are rooted in Asian genes.

Wars fought over the sub-subjects of corruption and failed to eradicate.

The issue for the wrongdoers now is to be patient, and emerge when transition is made next year.

Then you will see how much of the war on corruption is really won.

Khun Prayuth will certainly win every battle but will lose the war.

[NongKhaiKid]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Two points -

1. Things in China are not always what they seem and often actions may have a political or personal motivation although LoS is no stranger to this, just ask ' His master's Voice ' Tarit, and

2. China has been charging many very senior officials with corruption but the question is would Thailand ever copy this aspect of a crackdown ?

Thai officialdom has always been very careful about going too far because of implications for the future and possibly involving themselves.

Come back in twenty years time and review Thailand , if Thailand had proper democracy where you have built in checks and balances, why follow China , you will always have someone trying the short cut to riches on the public purse, however the more measures in place the less likely hood of corruption.

Are you trying to tell us that western democratic governments don't have any corruption. Corporations buy and sell our western politicians too.

Some aspects in Britain they don't have to be bought and sold as they're all chums from Eton, Harrow and OxBridge.

[Ragzilb]

There is only one way to fix corruption, and one way only

[rickirs]

"Although China is a communist country, I think they are more advanced than some democratic countries ..."

I think?

The countries having indexes lower than 50 compared to China with an index of 80 are predominatly democractic nations of North America, the British Commonwealth or formerly of the British Commenwealth, Eastern and Western Europe, and Pan Pacific. - ref. www.Transparency.org/cpi

Veera needs to heed Gen. Prayuth's policy of only expressing opinions based on fact and not on perception. I fear Veera may be pandering (whether intentional or not) to Gen. Prayuth's ego with feel good comments rather than being fully honest. And isn't that in itself a form of corruption?

[halloween]

Some asects of the China program are good but the most worrying thing about it is the potential and actual use it against those who might be seen as opponents of the regime ( gulity or not). Meanwhile those at the very top continue to amass Suharto-esque wealth.

In a Thai forum, it would have been more appropriate to say Shinawatra-esque wealth, assuming they have managed that level of venality.

[tbthailand]

"to ensure success in reducing the problem of corruption, Prayuth needed to wield total power in the same way as China's President Xi Jinping in the Chinese government's policy against corruption."

Spoken like the ultra-nationalist head of the Thai Patriots Network ( and now apparently, Secretary of Peoples Network against Corruption, whoever they are) that he is.

Army commander, junta leader, prime minister -

'He said that to ensure success in reducing the problem of corruption, Prayuth needed to wield total power'

Check.

[Benmart]

Perhaps a look at how Singapore has tackled corruption. Google the subject. Interesting reads.

[asdecas]

That would be the copying of this:

http://www.businessinsider.com/wen-jiabao-isnt-the-only-fabulously-wealthy-chinese-leader-2012-10

[Thai at Heart]

"Although China is a communist country, I think they are more advanced than some democratic countries ..."

I think?

The countries having indexes lower than 50 compared to China with an index of 80 are predominatly democractic nations of North America, the British Commonwealth or formerly of the British Commenwealth, Eastern and Western Europe, and Pan Pacific. - ref. www.Transparency.org/cpi

Veera needs to heed Gen. Prayuth's policy of only expressing opinions based on fact and not on perception. I fear Veera may be pandering (whether intentional or not) to Gen. Prayuth's ego with feel good comments rather than being fully honest. And isn't that in itself a form of corruption?

Surely not a pooyai talking out of his uninformed backside. Surely not.

[fab4]

"Although China is a communist country, I think they are more advanced than some democratic countries ..."

I think?

The countries having indexes lower than 50 compared to China with an index of 80 are predominatly democractic nations of North America, the British Commonwealth or formerly of the British Commenwealth, Eastern and Western Europe, and Pan Pacific. - ref. www.Transparency.org/cpi

Veera needs to heed Gen. Prayuth's policy of only expressing opinions based on fact and not on perception. I fear Veera may be pandering (whether intentional or not) to Gen. Prayuth's ego with feel good comments rather than being fully honest. And isn't that in itself a form of corruption?

Surely not a pooyai talking out of his uninformed backside. Surely not.

It's curious, well to me anyway, that for some reason whenever I see uninformed I always read uniformed, however uniformed usually seems to fit the context regardless.