How does Thailand rank globally for corruption?

[Sutty]

Why does TV put stories on which they know will result in Thai bashing do you really have to stoop this low to get readers.

[phitsanulokjohn]

Lets just say if corruption were an olympic sport,Thailand would be extremely disapointed not to be on the winners podium.

[DaveinAsia]

I'm sure that Transparency International took a nice little backhander to put them at 38 instead of 10, lol.

Is Thailand corrupt at the highest and lowest levels? Yes.

Can you buy your way even out of murder? Yes.

Has money become the most important thing in peoples lives? Yes.

Can cops suck the money once a month(usually around payday) out of motorists pockets? Yes.

Thailand is very very corrupt. 38 points is a big joke. From 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean) I give them between 0 - 10 points.

[halloween]

so a score of 0-100. 100 being a easy number. perfect score is 100%. am i right?

Thailand's score is 38. 38% of 100 is 38.

so that means they are 62% down from the top of the list.

or just 4.67% above the lower third.

but what percentage of the people inside the different countries are corrupt?

thinkin' Thailand would be near the top of that list.

Except that their score doesn't directly relate to their position on the list of over 200 countries.Very few countries score anywhere near 100, many are clustered around the 50 mark.

[trainman34014]

So; another failure for the Big Pumpkin who said when he took over in May 2104 that he would fight corruption wherever it was found !

This year he said it will be the year of reform....so what do we expect? Not a lot methinks !

[MockingJay]

Looks like the Transparency International, the leading civil society organisation aiming to tackle worldwide corruption is in desperate need of some serious attitude adjustment...

[NCC1701A]

so a score of 0-100. 100 being a easy number. perfect score is 100%. am i right?

Thailand's score is 38. 38% of 100 is 38.

so that means they are 62% down from the top of the list.

or just 4.67% above the lower third.

but what percentage of the people inside the different countries are corrupt?

thinkin' Thailand would be near the top of that list.

Except that their score doesn't directly relate to their position on the list of over 200 countries.Very few countries score anywhere near 100, many are clustered around the 50 mark.

yes you are correct.

but still each country is scored independently and then compared? yes? what i am saying they are at 38% all by themselves. not good even before comparison. all the same in the end.

it is ok, just so long as things are still corrupt in Thailand and i only have to pay 200 baht for forgetting my helmet, or $9,500 USD for vehicular manslaughter. this last part was a joke.

Edited January 27, 2016 by NCC1701A

[jesimps]

Absolute joke that this country got 38 points, some seriously heavy brown envelopes must have been passed to the panel.

Edited January 27, 2016 by jesimps

[waitforusalso]

Considering the junta said corruption was the #1 reason for them committing the coup, they have some serious humble pie eating to do.

Or perhaps, could it be possible, maybe, that the reason behind it was not corruption???????????????

Anyway be thankful the 'good' people are in control now! You know, the ones that aren't corrupt (Ratjaphak) & don't lie (there won't be a coup/ I won't give price supports).

[heybruce]

Why does TV put stories on which they know will result in Thai bashing do you really have to stoop this low to get readers.

Are you asking why the Thailand News forum has news about Thailand?

[cloudhopper]

so a score of 0-100. 100 being a easy number. perfect score is 100%. am i right?

Thailand's score is 38. 38% of 100 is 38.

so that means they are 62% down from the top of the list.

or just 4.67% above the lower third.

but what percentage of the people inside the different countries are corrupt?

thinkin' Thailand would be near the top of that list.

Except that their score doesn't directly relate to their position on the list of over 200 countries.Very few countries score anywhere near 100, many are clustered around the 50 mark.

yes you are correct.

but still each country is scored independently and then compared? yes? what i am saying they are at 38% all by themselves. not good even before comparison. all the same in the end.

it is ok, just so long as things are still corrupt in Thailand and i only have to pay 200 baht for forgetting my helmet, or $9,500 USD for vehicular manslaughter. this last part was a joke.

A look at the table shows that their score is 38 (below 50 meaning being perceived as more corrupt than less) but their rank when compared to everyone else's score they are in a 7 way tie for 76th place with Bosnia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, India, Tunisia and Zambia. So just into the top half of the rankings. Only 63 of 168 countries earned a score above 50.

[heybruce]

From the full article:

"Top performers share the following characteristics:

• High levels of press freedom
• Public access to budgetary information
• Integrity among those in power
• Independent judiciaries that don’t differentiate between rich and poor"

So, how many of these characteristics are included in the reforms that have been promised for so long?

No doubt many.

Being realistic it will take a very long time to achieve a serious reduction.

Little doubt that the super corrupt know very well how to hide their ass and will keep their attitude that they are untouchable until the axe starts to fall much more frequently, and even then there's a strong chance they will just develop others ways to get their fingers in the pie.

It's gunna take a while.

Seriously, you think reforms will include these elements?

The top two could be implemented immediately using Article 44, then made permanent in the new constitution. Genuine freedom of the press would go a long way towards naming and shaming corrupt and biased judges, furthering the final characteristic. "Integrity among those in power" could be greatly furthered by mandating that all government employees in a position of any responsibility---politicians, civil servants, police and the military---make regular declarations of assets with sever penalties for omissions, another "reform" that could be implemented immediately using Article 44 and "policed" with a genuinely free press.

None of this has happened, or even been considered. Article 44 has been used only to crush dissent, not to reduce corruption.

[Jonathon]

I am in absolutely no doubt that "western" countries are just as corrupt, but it mostly happens at higher levels of officialdom where it is more easily concealed. Too many events have no other rational explanation.

[elgordo38]

Corruption is a definite problem. Hurts the poor the most.

CORRECT, but do you think people in charge care?

No they do not care and that is the very sad part. I am tired of ducking all the time while these rubber numbers are flying around. Its getting to the point I believe nothing of what I hear and half of what I see. Corruption all over the planet is on the increase it used to be a in the shadows problem but now it has come out of the shadows and right into ones face. Corruption is just one big cancer feeding on itself.

[Shadychris]

I am in absolutely no doubt that "western" countries are just as corrupt, but it mostly happens at higher levels of officialdom where it is more easily concealed. Too many events have no other rational explanation.

Exactly! Corruption in Western countries is usually at a higher level in society. Occasionally we get to hear about a few case such as MP's expense scandal, or FiFa president giving backhanders to his mate, Bernie Ecclestone's shady F1 deals etc - but many more we never know about, I suspect usually related to big corporations being able to get what they want in terms of building planning permissions, contract work for the Government and tax avoidances etc..

I'm quite sure that high level corruption is also rife here in Thailand, but personally I'm glad that it is also available to me as just an 'ordinary guy in the street' to benefit from. I much prefer to give the traffic cop a few hundred baht for his pocket for say , not wearing my helmet, than I would receive 3 points on my licence and have to pay a fine 10 times greater, and possibly suffer an increase in insurance premium as in the UK.... The extra bonus is I get a piece of paper saying I can continue to ride without my helmet for the rest of the day with no fear of double jeopardy!

Edited January 27, 2016 by Shadychris

[elgordo38]

Well done for not getting worse. You are still ranked second in all of ASEAN, after Singapore.

For those who says the grass is greener in other parts of Indochina, think again.

Also behind Malaysia.

But, given the recent news on the Malaysian PM, Najib, receiving $681m direct into his bank account as a 'donation/gift' seems to suggest that these ranking should be taken with a bucket load of salt. OK, apparently he did return $620m (yeah, right!) but no concern from the Malaysian AG about the $61m balance

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/26/malaysian-pm-najib-razak-cleared-corruption-gift-saudi-royals

Yes the NEW Malaysian AG. Najib sacked the old AG and put his YES boy in charge and came out the other side smelling like a rose and saying "Well lets move on" I guess after politics is over for him he will have enough money to "move on" in style. These guys are just so dam* sickening. Where is the UN in all this. There should be a ruling international body that comes in to investigate these charges of corruption world wide. It seemed this did happen in Guatemala or somewhere there and the President or PM was put on trial and locked up. The WSJ exposed him but nothing is ever done. The Saudi Royal Family donated this money to him come on give me a break. Another one is Putin. I was floored when the picture of his summer "cottage" was posted on here. These guys steal with impunity.

Edited January 27, 2016 by elgordo38

[Suradit69]

Thailand scored 38 points and was ranked in 76th position globally, just making it into the top 50 percent of countries. Although its level of corruption is certainly not the worst seen globally, the Kingdoms score suggests corruption among public institutions and employees is still common.

If I were Thailand I would protest, how will they ever become the hub of corruption with an anemic score like this, and no change from last year. Go Thailand Go!

"If I were Thailand I would protest, how will they ever become the hub of corruption with an anemic score like this, and no change from last year. Go Thailand Go! "

Haven't seen the rankings by country, but I assume that the corruption in Washington DC and Wall Street alone would eclipse the level of corruption in any ten "developing countries" combined.

[khundon]

Corruption is a definite problem. Hurts the poor the most.

CORRECT, but do you think people in charge care?

No, I think people in charge, charge!

[cumgranosalum]

I think corruption in Thailand is different from places like UK where fat pigs take their cut.....in Thailand EVERYONE - or at least a huge number are invovlved in daily takes....from the bIb on the street to the highest ranking officials....the amount may not actually be as big as in some countries but it is the fact that it permeates every aspev=ct of everyone's life that makes it so distasteful.

[connda]

One should first ask, "Who are the stakeholders in the creation of the NGO, Transparency International, and what 'perceptions', implicit, explicit or otherwise, do they seek to manage and for the benefit of whom?"

An analytical reader should really consider this before excepting the published ranking at 'face value', although I expect most readers will blindly parrot the results. C'est la vie.

Without even looking at the results, I expect:

Western nations - above reproach

Nations aligned to Western nations - good

Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Resource-rich nations not aligned to Western strategic, geo-polictical policy - really bad

Resource-rich nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - gawd awful

That's just based on knowing who the stakeholders of TI are. Just saying. Do your own research; draw your own conclusions. You're mileage may vary. Honestly, I don't really care what anyone else thinks.

[DrTuner]

How can it possibly be measured when so much is hidden?

That's why it's called the "Corruption Perception Index". Corrupt officials don't keep books that are open to the public, so Transparency International uses feedback from people doing business in the countries. It's not ideal, but no one has come up with a better measure.

Here's one: Poll the expats.

[mrfill]

Very disappointed.

They paid good money to ensure they were in the top 25%

[phoenixdoglover]

One should first ask, "Who are the stakeholders in the creation of the NGO, Transparency International, and what 'perceptions', implicit, explicit or otherwise, do they seek to manage and for the benefit of whom?"

An analytical reader should really consider this before excepting the published ranking at 'face value', although I expect most readers will blindly parrot the results. C'est la vie.

Without even looking at the results, I expect:

Western nations - above reproach

Nations aligned to Western nations - good

Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Resource-rich nations not aligned to Western strategic, geo-polictical policy - really bad

Resource-rich nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - gawd awful

That's just based on knowing who the stakeholders of TI are. Just saying. Do your own research; draw your own conclusions. You're mileage may vary. Honestly, I don't really care what anyone else thinks.

Nonsense. Shoot the messenger, by innuendo.

Your closing statement is also nonsensical, and ironic.

[zyphodb]

So let me get this right...

This survey is saying that there are 96 countries in the world more corrupt than Thailand? I don't believe a word of it, there is no way on earth that there are 96 countries more corrupt than Thailand, maybe 30, but even that is pushing it in my opinion, I haven't been to all 168 countries, but i've probably been to half of them....

[onetime]

Why does TV put stories on which they know will result in Thai bashing do you really have to stoop this low to get readers.

If Thailand didn't inspire people to despise them so much, as a result of their wretched behaviors, there wouldn't be anything to complain about, now would there?

It's not a chicken or egg question. More moral turpitude = less condemnation.

[TheCruncher]

The fact that Thailand got 38 point clearly indicates that they are NOT corrupt, otherwise they would have paid money to get that score upgraded................Oh wait, maybe they initially scored even lower.

[trogers]

so a score of 0-100. 100 being a easy number. perfect score is 100%. am i right?

Thailand's score is 38. 38% of 100 is 38.

so that means they are 62% down from the top of the list.

or just 4.67% above the lower third.

but what percentage of the people inside the different countries are corrupt?

thinkin' Thailand would be near the top of that list.

And Singapore scored just 8, and should be 92% down the list?

[connda]

One should first ask, "Who are the stakeholders in the creation of the NGO, Transparency International, and what 'perceptions', implicit, explicit or otherwise, do they seek to manage and for the benefit of whom?"

An analytical reader should really consider this before excepting the published ranking at 'face value', although I expect most readers will blindly parrot the results. C'est la vie.

Without even looking at the results, I expect:

Western nations - above reproach

Nations aligned to Western nations - good

Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - really bad

Resource-rich nations not aligned to Western strategic, geo-polictical policy - really bad

Resource-rich nations aligned to Non-Western nations who challenge Western hegemony - gawd awful

That's just based on knowing who the stakeholders of TI are. Just saying. Do your own research; draw your own conclusions. You're mileage may vary. Honestly, I don't really care what anyone else thinks.

Nonsense. Shoot the messenger, by innuendo.

Your closing statement is also nonsensical, and ironic.

“I have great faith in fools - self-confidence my friends will call it.”

― Edgar Allan Poe

Edited January 27, 2016 by connda

[johnhw]

Boggles the Mind, considering that just a few years ago the monumental greed and corruption of some of the powerful in that bastion of western Christion goodness and honesty--the U.S.-- very nearly "corrupted" the world into a global financial melt-down. and folks are jabbing at Asians corruption?

[bazza40]

Thailand runs well behind places such as Indonesia. However, corruption is everywhere.

If you want to be elected President of the United States of America, you need a war chest of hundreds of millions of dollars. That money has to come from somewhere, and will always create obligations in return.

If you don't believe that process contains the seeds of corruption, I have a bridge located in Sydney Harbour I'd like to sell you.