STREETWISE
The meaning of integrity in Thai society
Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- There was a long pause. Kasikornbank president Teeranun Srihong was midway through a talk on his bank's anti-corruption practices when he hit an obstacle. The snag was the English word "integrity" - a must-have quality for the directors and CEOs he was addressing at an anti-corruption training programme hosted by the Thai Institute of Directors.

Eventually he confessed that there was no Thai word for it. That might explain, he quipped, why there are so few men with integrity in Thai society.

But Teeranun did single out one model of this rare virtue - his boss and chairman of the bank, Banthoon Lamsam.

Teeranun recalled the day just before the 1997 financial crisis when Banthoon bluntly declared that KBank's non-performing loans were as high as 17 per cent, when all its competitors were only admitting single-digit numbers. He praised his boss for that honesty, which sparked doubts about the real health of other financial institutions.

I couldn't agree more with the praise. When Bangkok was "shut down" in late 2013, Banthoon did not hesitate to admonish the authorities for failing to enforce the rule of law. Then, when the new junta authority reportedly asked him to join the reform process, Banthoon demurred, explaining he was preoccupied with private matters.

Oxford Dictionaries defines integrity as "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles". In essence, a person with integrity is a person who puts principles first.

Such people are crucial components of any corporate organisation that strives towards long-term sustainability. As sustainability is the first goal no matter who leads the organisation and no matter what his personal preferences are, companies need bosses who embody integrity and also demand that subordinates do likewise without being "krengjai".

If their superiors issue directives that go against the true interests of the company's stakeholders, employees should dare to challenge those orders. With such a check-and-balance system in place, integrity becomes a corporate culture that the leadership cannot ignore and must protect.

Such leaders are less likely to make business deals that render short-term benefits but could ruin their company's existence in the long term. By setting the "tone from the top" that the organisation will not tolerate corruption, leaders help ensure that their employees will not dare strike transactions that go against company policies, law and regulations.

In his presentation, Teeranun admitted that leaders at any organisation are duty-bound to maximise profits. But he also insisted that KBank maximised profits in line with policies to benefit all eight types of its stakeholders, which include employees, regulators and the community.

This message is a welcome refuge of sanity at a time of stormy debate. With numerous reform agenda in the picture, there is plenty of temptation to sacrifice the benefits of one stakeholder for others.

It surprises me deeply that, in a "free society" like Thailand's, there has been almost no public complaint about the infringement of human rights. A recent survey showed that the majority still supports the imposition of the martial law, despite it being used to summon and imprison many citizens just because they think differently from their leaders. Respondents of the survey genuinely believe that martial law will smoothen the ongoing reform process. Despite the concerns of many in the international community as well as groups like Human Rights Watch, most of us still believe that curbing freedom of speech is necessary.

That belief echoes the thinking of coup leader and prime minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha. He has repeatedly insisted he staged the coup to achieve national reconciliation, but he apparently believes that martial law will not deter the objective.

Yet, one area where reconciliation does seem to colour Prayut's thinking is the granting of petroleum concessions. Though the Cabinet recently agreed that the 21st round of bidding for concessions would go ahead in March as planned, the prime minister showed compassion to those who oppose the plan. Questions and criticism were fielded by a panel of energy officials and experts last week. It looked uncannily similar to the forums that took place shortly after the coup. Last week's forum was hosted despite there being no change in Thailand's projected oil deposits or energy needs.

The end result was that the authorities resolved to go ahead with the bidding. To dissatisfied opponents, the government could point out that they were given a chance to express their misgivings.

Obscurity also clouds our government's message on justice, especially regarding the criminal charges against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The case against her went to the Supreme Court last week, where she is charged with negligence over her role in the rice-subsidy scheme. Some observers detect a political motive in bringing the case.

On the positive side, unlike a corporation, Thailand can't fall off the world map by failing to conform to internationally accepted principles. But is this a sustainable path? It seems that at the national level, the definition of that word is shifting as Thais waver on the definition of moral principles.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/The-meaning-of-integrity-in-Thai-society-30254697.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-24

To the vast majority of Thai's 'Money number 1'. And it has to be that way when they see the system is broken and from near the top down everyone doing the same thing.

"Integrity.. "

I shat my pants laughing..

The only way they can come close to integral is in the calculus books.. if they ever make it that far..

Integrity and Thainess go hand in hand in Thailand.

Soon teachers will be paying for an integrity course too.

"Eventually he confessed that there was no Thai word for it. That might explain, he quipped, why there are so few men with integrity in Thai society."

spot on ....

Such words fall on deaf ears in the Land of Sham. I'd take a reasonably sized bet that if we left and came back in 20 years things would still be pretty much the same as they are now because sheer greed runs the country.

"bank" and "integrity", can you actually use those words together, my english is failing me

very few men of integrity ever become politicians or business leaders,

mostly they are prxxks who will do almost anything to gain more power and wealth,

this applies around the world

in los there is none, 0%, nadda, zilch,

here

integrity is a new car, or a third mansion paid for by any and all means

This is what google translate says ความสมบูรณ์

There are a lot of Thai people with integrity. But I think when compared to the population the percentage is quite low.

This is what google translate says ความสมบูรณ์

The guy hasn't looked at a dictionary.

http://www.thai2english.com/dictionary/integrity.html

How can this bank president say Thais have no word for Integrity?

I fear that he'll be summoned for Attitude Adjustment very soon.

There are a lot of Thai people with integrity. But I think when compared to the population the percentage is quite low.

Well, perhaps they show you integrity like they show you their smiles.

There are a lot of Thai people with integrity. But I think when compared to the population the percentage is quite low.

It takes time to find good people anywhere. We work with some great people there. Since the junta as made things difficult, we are not looking to expand in Thailand.

Not that I disagree with him, but he'd best hope all those Thai men who owe his bank money, have at least a modicum of integrity.

Wonder how all the apologists are going to get out of this one ...

A Thai person with Integrity = a person not having a second agenda = is a person you can build on and trust.

Haha. I didn't know that there's no Thai word for integrity but that tells a lot about them.

This is what google translate says ความสมบูรณ์

Well, Google translate.

My paper dictionary says "สมบูรณ์" means "completeness", "perfectness", "healthiness" but also "well-fed".

For "integrity" it offers "ความซื่อสัตย์", "ความจริงใจ". May be you can find these Thai words in thick dictionaries but they are not well known by Thai people.

To the vast majority of Thai's 'Money number 1'. And it has to be that way when they see the system is broken and from near the top down everyone doing the same thing.

What country are you from? Utopia perhaps! Money is No 1 everywhere mate, not just Thailand... Western governments are just more subtle in their methods of extorting the populace...

"bank" and "integrity", can you actually use those words together, my english is failing me

oxymoron

" a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction "

eg

Military Intelligence

deceptively honest

larger half

devout atheist

Integrity and trust are incompatible with hypocrisy and corruption. In a society with high levels of hypocrisy or corruption, you cannot have integrity or trust.

Everyone speaks of the high levels of corruption in Thailand. But it is treated as cultural and ingrained, and there is a fatalistic attitude about reducing corruption. Also, the definition of corruption in Thailand is vague and "flexible". Therefore, past politicians are judged as corrupt because they promoted populist policies that proved very expensive and unsustainable. There is a thoughtless confounding of corruption and incompetence. Bad policy is not corruption. Corruption is much more specific; for example, the taking of bribes or accepting kickbacks.

Corruption must be confronted by the rule of law. The rule of law must be free of corruption. This is not about Thai society and culture. This is about the correct functioning of the police, prosecutors and courts. This is where it starts.

And, there will be no rule of law unless there is freedom of assembly, expression, and the press. The suppression of these rights is like a dark fog that obscures systemic corruption and gives cover for authoritarian rule.

As for hypocrisy, corruption's best friend; is there no greater hypocrisy than a self-appointed military ruler promising democracy?

Never mind Thailand, integrity is rapidly becoming a redundant noun in the UK and the US, where the public have been robbed of billions of dollars to bail out bent bankers who clearly have no idea what the word means?

Then, of course, there's the the rampant money laundering for drugs cartels and terrorist groups - plus the latest damaging disclosures about HSBC helping the super-rich to hide their tax-free hoards in in Switzerland.

If Kuhn Teeranan wishes Thai banks, in particular, to demonstrate some integrity, they should start by restoring the previous levels of compensation to depositors in the event of a bank going belly up.

The current one million baht ceiling is derisory, yet I gather even this is eventually to be phased out, leaving the public defenceless against inefficient or dishonest bankers and light-fingered employees.

Aside from the audacity of a non elected government using that word, it's disturbing the references to Polls to justify curbing of free speech being necessary.

Firstly, it obvious that such polls do little to appease the international community or human rights groups that they refer to, nor even the broader community within Thailand .

Recent media articles both within and outside of Thailand reflect a growing dis-quiet about censorship and the freedoms being taken.

It's not for me to personally comment on what long term consequences will occur as a result of those curbs.

But please don't insult the intelligence of western media or the roughly 33.3% of readers here that are not mindless pensioners with Stockholm Syndrome cowering to their masters in some backwater upcountry or seedy residence in Pattaya.

The reality is North Korea uses these same polls to claim election results ....

Unless we start questioning such polls vigorously where possible and who is asked ?and who is asking ,? the sample of people and what demographic that come from?....

It's just plain silly to say such freedoms taken away by the ruling military are in deed favourable restrictions and approved by the so called people.

Try telling the US and UN this next they grill you over such things as detaining students or silencing critics.

Eventually , you just going to attract much further measures to plainly make you see internationally this stunt doesn't work .

It won't cut with the international community, or eventually your own outside of Bangkok.

Time is ticking ...and this is going to need addressing in the near future.

And when there are polls ( for real) observers may just want to see that they are free and fair and the elites haven't rigged them.

This is what google translate says ความสมบูรณ์

Well, Google translate.

My paper dictionary says "สมบูรณ์" means "completeness", "perfectness", "healthiness" but also "well-fed".

For "integrity" it offers "ความซื่อสัตย์", "ความจริงใจ". May be you can find these Thai words in thick dictionaries but they are not well known by Thai people.

ความซื่อสัตย์ and ความจริงใจ are known by all Thais. Stop writing nonsense. They mean honesty, not integrity.

Thais think and do many things differently – recently coined as thainess. How about inthaigrity?

None of the people in charge, from BOTH sides, that's for damn skippy!

He's a buffoon. There's no one Thai word for rolling pin, does that mean they don't exist in Thailand?

You might be surprised by the feelings and thoughts of the next generation of leaders here in Thailand.

Granted that idealism comes hand-in-hand with youth, but most are actually concerned about corruption and a lack of integrity which has been the norm in Thailand for a long time.

He's a buffoon. There's no one Thai word for rolling pin, does that mean they don't exist in Thailand?

I bought one a while back, the label said "Rolling Flower"

I thought 'nah, that's a triffid'

Some words just don't cross cultural boundaries that well.

Just one of the many words that don't exist in Thai such as responsibility, honesty, free speech, democracy and so many more but as long as someone displays Thainess they're doing things correctly.