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INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY
NACC expects 'milestone year' in fight against graft
KRIS BHROMSUTHI
THE NATION


A group of National Anti-Corruption Commission officials participate in a march near the NACC headquarters in Nonthaburi as part of a national campaign marking International Anti-Corruption Day yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) chairman Panthep Klanarongran yesterday stressed that every Thai citizen's determination and cooperation were essential in fighting graft and creating a corruption-free society.

Such community action is necessary for the Kingdom's development and position in the international arena, he said. Panthep said prevention was as important as prosecution of corruption cases, as law enforcement alone was not enough to solve the problem.

In the past few years, he said, the NACC has pressed on with "preventive measures against corruption, criminalisation of corrupt practices and [encouraging] international cooperation". It also had to "push forward legislative amendments for more effective law enforcement, assets inspection and cultivation of anti-corruption values".

Panthep was speaking at a gathering to mark International Anti-Corruption Day sponsored by the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

The designated day originated from international consensus to fight graft and the detrimental effects of corruption on a country's development.

The NACC seminar welcomed both local and foreign guests, such as Australian Ambassador Paul Robilliard and Elodie Beth, regional anti-corruption adviser to the UN Development Programme.

NACC member Pakdee Pothisiri told the seminar the commission was moving in the right direction and its recent efforts had been satisfying. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) that came out this year saw Thailand move up in ranking - from below 100 in the previous year, to 85th now.

However, he said the current CPI score of 38 out of 100 could be improved to over 50, which was the "pass mark" set by Transparency International.

He claimed that the military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order had initiated a serious anti-graft agenda that showed the administration's political will - something lacking in recent years - and stressed its importance for the country's progress in fighting corruption.

"We need support from the government, business and citizen sectors to be successful," Pakdee said, adding that 2015 "will be an important milestone - when the NCPO joins hands with the NACC to tackle graft by laying out a strategy of true collaboration and clear focus, an evaluation process and financial support. This is a welcome sign".

But merely fighting graft is not enough, he said, as measures to prevent corruption are also important. "The World Bank has suggested that no matter how much attention is given to prosecution, such a strategy won't be effective without an emphasis on preventing corruption," he said.

He said the challenge was to put the strategy into practice, such as setting targets of what is wanted from various sectors. For youth, as an example, anti-graft lectures should be included in national curricula at the high-school level. He stressed that cooperation of citizens was vital in tackling graft. One of the NACC's key missions was to create public awareness by building a moral conscience among children and adults. Pakdee said it was easier to create moral and ethical obligations among young people than in adults.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NACC-expects-milestone-year-in-fight-against-graft-30249509.html

-- The Nation 2014-12-10

[NongKhaiKid]

Hasn't the UN issued a report commenting on the fact that so many Thai uni students see nothing wrong in bribery, use of connections etc to get places, grades etc ?

They are only practicing what they see and learn from family and friends, people in power and authority etc and will carry this attitude into their working lives and pass it on to their own children.

[Fiddlesticks]

Perhaps if the use of the euphemism "Tea Money" was given its proper designation, that of bribery, that there would be less acceptance of the practice. Of course, it would also require that bribery be deemed as something that is morally wrong and produces bad karma.

[noitom]

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Thais are in denial. "Tea Money" is a conscious effort to remain in denial.

Perhaps if the use of the euphemism "Tea Money" was given its proper designation, that of bribery, that there would be less acceptance of the practice. Of course, it would also require that bribery be deemed as something that is morally wrong and produces bad karma.

[soalbundy]

Pictures of the march remind me of a similar march organized by schools in the town near me some years ago against vote buying. I recognized some of the kids in the march from my village,they were the ones sent out by their parents when it was dark to collect the 200 Baht on offer by the organizers of a political party in the village square,the next day they are out protesting against vote buying, precious, you cant beat it, i dare say some the students pictured in this article have recently paid their 200 Baht ''fine'' for riding a motor bike without a helmet.

[bikerbri]

Any one remember the TAT bribery case? Ex TAT governor Jutamas Siriwan's film festival scandal,Rice graft probe,Police station construction scandal,etc etc etc. Corruption/tea money is part of Thai culture. The country would come to a grinding halt with out it.

[soalbundy]

Franz Joseph Strauss, a now deceased politician in Germany once noted that a little corruption oiled the wheels of industry, it seems to be the main industry here

[rickirs]

"But merely fighting graft is not enough, he said, as measures to prevent corruption are also important."

The prevention of corruption begins with avoiding the PERCEPTION of corruption. Clearly with the 100% selection and appointment of the members of the NLA, the NRC, and the CDC by the NCPO together with the significant number of members being active and former military, the perception of potential conflict of interest prevails throughout the entire Prayuth government. The legitimacy of the entire government presents the Thai people a sham of what is acceptable as political corruption while it purports to reform political corruption.

If the NACC wants to have a real milestone against corruption, let's see it investigate the entire Prayuth government with the same vigor that Yingluck was investigated for abuse of power involving a single incident of replacing Thawil as National Security Council Chief with a relative. Thawil was not fired but transferred to the position of Advisor to the PM.