SURVEY: Will the Thai government be able to reduce corruption significantly?

[Scott]

Successive governments over the years have either attempted or said they would reduce corruption, but with little success. Do you think that the Thai government will be able to reduce corruption significantly in the foreseeable future?

Please feel free to comment.

[Jessi]

NO. It looks as if the General is trying but at the end of the day it wont happen.

Corruption is locked into society here and has been for hundreds of years.

It may get more expensive.

[IMA_FARANG]

NO. It looks as if the General is trying but at the end of the day it wont happen.

Corruption is locked into society here and has been for hundreds of years.

It may get more expensive.

------------------------------------------

The government can try to reduce "corruption" but I don't expect any major changes.

Paying "tea money" for a favor from a government official is so prevalent in Asia, Thailand included, as it is a way of life for the poor who otherwise have little or no influence, and that will not change soon.

And "Tea money" is at the heart of official corruption, Corruption all begins there.

[lujanit]

It can be done, just look at what Singapore achieved. However I doubt the will is there as so many officials derive a significant benefit from being corrupt. What Thailand needs is someone like LKY. Love him or hate him LKY achieved zero corruption for those in government and public office.

[sirineou]

Not the Government by it's self.it will be a combination of government policy changes. cultural adjustments and economic pressure reductions

[KarenBravo]

Until Thailand becomes a true meritocracy, nothing will change.

High governmental positions are bought (police ranks, governorships etc) and it's only natural that the winning bidders want to not only recoup their principle, but, also accumulate more money on their investment.

In the Thai mentality, anything done for the "family" is right and correct........even corruption.

[nolabuff]

Oh yeah the multimillionaire, career army general who must have "married into a rich family" will solve this issue. You can't fix what you don't see.

[z42]

very unlikely, too common and the society at large don't necessarily view it as a bad thing, especially if it works favorably for them.

Hope i'm wrong though and it will at least become less prevalent, doubt it will however

[arthurboy]

No. Corruption in Thailand is fully institionalized and extremely lucrative.

Forget the high profile cases we see from time for to time. Everyday corruption is widespread.

From revenue department staff offering to fix your tax return to paying off the military to avoid conscription, it's everywhere.

[Credo]

They will not be able to stop corruption in the foreseeable future. The soul of the nation operates on the premise that corruption is an entitlement. The idea that there is a public service sector does not exist here; if you work for the gov't, you are entitled to the spoils that come with the job.

Of the very, very few politicians who have ever been viewed as having clean hands, they were quietly complicit in allowing others to be corrupt. Years ago, some of the major politicians were on the DEA list as major drug traffickers when opium was grown in the Golden Triangle. Exploitation of neighbors has been a long standing tradition from the estimated 40% death rate of Vietnamese boat people headed to Thailand years ago, to the killing, abduction and holding for ransom of the Rohingyas. There is, and has been, the on-going exploitation of foreign labor as well. In all of these situations, quite high level people have been involved. They are seldom tried, unless they fall from favor with one party or another.

The trough is always there and it is just a matter of who is judged as deserving of feeding from it.

[nev]

NO. It looks as if the General is trying but at the end of the day it wont happen.

Corruption is locked into society here and has been for hundreds of years.

It may get more expensive.

At least the General has got a lot of corrupt people in high places running scared and not sleeping at night, their will still be corruption but not as wide scaled as before the coup.

[baboon]

How can an opaque administration who has made illegal any solid investigative journalism reduce corruption? "I must say, you can't do that..."

[Fairynuff]

When a country has a government that isn't corrupt then there is a chance of stopping corruption. There isn't a country in the world that has a non corrupt government. It's all about the degree of corruption

[kaorop]

for one its a military junta not a government

for two......555555555 yeah right

[Borzandy]

Thais are born corrupted, no one can change it.

[masuk]

Until Thailand becomes a true meritocracy, nothing will change.

High governmental positions are bought (police ranks, governorships etc) and it's only natural that the winning bidders want to not only recoup their principle, but, also accumulate more money on their investment.

In the Thai mentality, anything done for the "family" is right and correct........even corruption.

I read somewhere that even to get into government service, appropriate 'gifts' must be paid made to those who decide.

Future promotions are not always decided on efficiency.

It's hardly a good start to a career of zero corruption if the above is correct.

[Kerryd]

The only way they are going to get rid of corruption is a way they won't can't do. The criticism and potential backlash from the international community, as misplaced as it would be, will ensure that any action taken will be of the kinder, gentler (and ultimately useless) kind.

Start treating corruption like they treat hard (Class 1) drug offences. Minor offences = minor prison sentences (and corresponding loss of privileges/rank/benefits/face depending on the position of the offender). Mid-level offences occur stiffer penalties. The highest levels of corruption get treated like the highest level of hard drug offences (i.e. death sentence, possibly commuted to life imprisonment).

But it won't work unless they start actually enforcing it, which would be rather difficult as we already know. ("Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." etc. etc.)

[quandow]

Again, I recently spoke with two well educated Thai's with whom I can be fairly open about sensitive issues, and they fully accept corruption. THAT'S the REAL Thainess.

[Saan]

It can be done, just look at what Singapore achieved. However I doubt the will is there as so many officials derive a significant benefit from being corrupt. What Thailand needs is someone like LKY. Love him or hate him LKY achieved zero corruption for those in government and public office.

Except his major corruption of running a virtual dictatorship while posing as a democracy. Very clever man LKY.

[Emster23]

I would like to see some companion surveys held: "Level of gullibility" and "Belief in Tooth Fairy". I would guess correlation approaching 1:1.

[stoli]

We seem to describe corruption in Thailand as small time. Government officials for permits, courts for reduced fines, police officer for not giving a ticket, customs officers for allowing drugs to come through.... We must remember every country in the world has corruption, and Thailand did not invent it. In the states, would you not recognize Lawmakers that have $20,000 in the bank, and a mortgage, leave office 4 years later, with a net worth of several million dollars. They have not been collecting aluminum cans on weekends. Maybe we need to clean in up in our own countries before we try to change other countries. Mexico could not survive without corruption. Oil companies world-wide could not obtain drilling licenses, Boeing & Airbus could not sell planes, McDonalds could not sell their crap as food. Just my 2 cents worth....

[KarenBravo]

We seem to describe corruption in Thailand as small time. Government officials for permits, courts for reduced fines, police officer for not giving a ticket, customs officers for allowing drugs to come through.... We must remember every country in the world has corruption, and Thailand did not invent it. In the states, would you not recognize Lawmakers that have $20,000 in the bank, and a mortgage, leave office 4 years later, with a net worth of several million dollars. They have not been collecting aluminum cans on weekends. Maybe we need to clean in up in our own countries before we try to change other countries. Mexico could not survive without corruption. Oil companies world-wide could not obtain drilling licenses, Boeing & Airbus could not sell planes, McDonalds could not sell their crap as food. Just my 2 cents worth....

It's not even worth that.

This is a Thai governmental initiative regarding Thailand.

Nothing to do with us at all, or, cleaning up our own countries.

We are being asked to predict how effective the Thai government will be.

The diffirence between "our" countries is that the corrupt know that if they are caught, they will be punished.

Here, it's so normal, it would be like being punished for breathing. The system is set up this way. Corruption here isn't even seen as corruption. It is just the way things get done.

[Colabamumbai]

No it is endemic in Thai society.

[KarenBravo]

Endemic and systemic.

[Saan]

I don't mind a bit of corruption if a bit of the moula was coming my way. Never has, nothing. I've never been paid a tip either. My wife works for a government department and no trickle down effect there either.

Share the joy I say.

[Ulic]

They could if they really wanted to but in reality every government wants to end the corruption of

the opposition group, Red vs. Yellow, police vs. military, not the corruption of there circle of

friends/ accomplices. Of course there are exceptions like groups or events that cause the

international spotlight to be focused in a negative way on Thailand such the people smuggling/

extortion going on.

[Eric Loh]

Junta need to match words with deeds. At the moment I don't see that. Just start with the Generals immense wealth. If they don't come clean with independent audit of how they obtain their wealth, the general public will not stand behind the junta. Just 1 aspect of reducing corruption which also include a total revamp of the corruption agencies with a re-drawing of tougher deterrent and effective laws, transparency in the judiciary process, strict measures and regulation in the public sector and non selective political will.

[zyphodb]

They will not b e able to stop corruption in the foreseeable future. The soul of the nation operates on the premise that corruption is an entitlement. The idea that there is a public service sector does not exist here; if you work for the gov't, you are entitled to the spoils that come with the job.

Of the very, very few politicians who have ever been viewed as having clean hands, they were quietly complicit in allowing others to be corrupt. Years ago, some of the major politicians were on the DEA list as major drug traffickers when opium was grown in the Golden Triangle. Exploitation of neighbors has been a long standing tradition from the estimated 40% death rate of Vietnamese boat people headed to Thailand years ago, to the killing, abduction and holding for ransom of the Rohingyas. There is, and has been, the on-going exploitation of foreign labor as well. In all of these situations, quite high level people have been involved. They are seldom tried, unless they fall from favor with one party or another.

The trough is always there and it is just a matter of who is judged as deserving of feeding from it.

I think Credo puts it quite well, the only change will be the beneficiaries of corruption in the top tiers depending on whether they are "liked" by the Generals & their puppet masters or not...

sad, but it's hard to imagine anything changing without a civil war which would be very uncivil & something no-one wants...

[Banzai99]

NO. It looks as if the General is trying but at the end of the day it wont happen.

Corruption is locked into society here and has been for hundreds of years.

It may get more expensive.

At least the General has got a lot of corrupt people in high places running scared and not sleeping at night, their will still be corruption but not as wide scaled as before the coup.

Is the unusually wealthy General sleeping at night or his unusually wealthy brother, I suppose they are nobody can ask questions about Prayut or his family, although how they have amassed such fortunes on a government Salary is NOT a mystery.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Banzai99

[Banzai99]

http://www.jonstquah.com/documents/Corruption%20in%20Singapore%20AJPA.pdf

Interesting piece on corruption.