Prayut carrying burden of anti-corruption fight

[webfact]

Prayut carrying burden of anti-corruption fight
By The Nation

 

In the absence of oversight normally provided by democratic institutions, PM must lead from the front  

 

BANGKOK: -- In an event held to mark International Anti-Corruption Day last Friday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on all parties to join forces in the fight against this national scourge. He emphasised the importance of raising public understanding of Thai society’s problem with graft, and the need to foster an anti-corruption culture among citizens.

 

It’s not the first time Prayut has targeted this enemy within. He announce last year at a government conference on anti-graft policy that “organised corruption” was an insidious threat to the country – not only to national security and our immediate financial position, but also to long-term economic and social development.

 

“Corruption – the abuse of public office for personal gain – can manifest in many shapes and forms,” Prayut declared in his speech. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/today_editorial/30302113

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-12-15

[PatOngo]

"In the absence of the House of Representatives, the task of scrutinising government has fallen to the National Legislative Assembly, but it has shown little interest in monitoring for irregularities. The job has been taken up instead mainly by the media and anti-corruption activist groups".

 

Oh the burden!........the above kinda sums it up.

[ezzra]

"Heavy  lies the head that wears a crown" or in more modern terms, if you can't stand the heath,

get out of the kitchen... with powers comes responsibilities.....

[z42]

It would appear that corruption by those in uniform is the real cancer, barely a week goes by without a handful of shady actions or dealings coming to light involving those in uniforms being exposed. Very often no action is taken (maybe an inactive post or a committee is set up to look into it),.

And in recent memory, the Rajabhakti park scandal was never in a million years above board, and when concerned citizens tried to draw attention to it they  themselves were charged (with sedition or some such nonsense charge). And Prawit's entourage hammering the public purse with needless Hawaii trips that were never explained away in any meaningful fashion. Or the PM's own personal riches, or the PM's brother's bank accounts filled with money assigned for the army. I could go on and on, but this highly dodgy characters like Prayuth are hardly shining stars in the battling of graft in any society.  A sick joke if you ask me

[colinneil]

Carrying the burden of anti corruption   

 

The only burden he is carrying is how to hide his and families already ill-gotten gains,

[digibum]

Perhaps if the penalty for graft and corruption was on par with crimes like drug possession one might think the Thai government was taking things seriously.  I mean, you can't have keep reading about some Thai Pol Gen who gets busted all but red handed running an illegal casino simply being reassigned to an inactive post and not get the impression that the penalty for making millions of baht doesn't match the crime.  

 

Let them take a lesson from China and start executing those found guilty of corruption and I bet you see a lot less envelopes being openly passed around.  

 

 

[waldroj]

"...Prayut carrying burden of anti-corruption fight..."

 

 

He'd better be careful he doesn't stir this sleeping tiger too much, least his burden bites back !!!

[craigt3365]

Nothing will change until the police are reformed. 

[yellowboat]

He has instituted an unneeded heavy handedness and has done very little regarding graft.  He has wasted Thailand's time and good fortunes.

[Caveat Emptor]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Carrying the burden of anti corruption   

 

The only burden he is carrying is how to hide his and families already ill-gotten gains,

A very musical family, all specialize in a 4 stringed instrument that fits under the chin. 

Music maestro please and let's start with ' He ain't heavy he's my brother '.

[Emster23]

The burden could be shared by changing the anti defamation laws and the computer crimes act, for openers. I'm sure plenty would like to share their stories.

[freebyrd]

A PM and a General to boot and leadership is a burden?! If it's too much to bear, get out of politics and rejoin the ranks as a Private soldier.

[klauskunkel]

Quote

In the absence of oversight normally provided by democratic institutions, PM must lead from the front  

Even if there were such democratic institutions, they would be paralyzed by defamation laws, LM, computer crime laws...

[Eric Loh]

Heavy burden to put up a poker face each time he talks about anti-corruption fight. His mates in uniform must be rolling on the ground with laughter each time he speak. 

[mtls2005]

In the absence of oversight normally provided by democratic institutions, PM must lead from the front  

 

This more or less sums up the continuing struggle between the people and the "powers-that-be" since 1932, and reinforces the need for the "good people" to lead the masses, who are easily lead astray by scheming "politicians". That this further strengthens their position in society is of course a huge benefit, and reason/cause.

[dcpo]

USD millionaire General Prayut.

[Sphere]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut carrying burden of anti-corruption fight

 

It's so difficult to get a porter these days. 

[MaxLee]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut carrying burden of anti-corruption fight

 

Or in other words Replace corruption with OWN GREEN Uniform SPECIAL FORCES CORRUPTION,.... to put it this way in a rather formal matter due to obvious forum rules.....

[renaissanc]

I'm sure that the politicians and civil servants are hoping that nobody listens to the General. When the politicians return at the end of 2017 they will be desperate to make up for lost time away from the trough. Payments on land, resorts, and Mercedes Benz's may be overdue, and the wives have been waiting so long to go shopping again in London, Paris,  etc. There will be a sudden spike in corruption as a result.

[Reigntax]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Nothing will change until the police are reformed. 

 

And there is no chance of that until the military are reformed who are by far Thailands greatest hinderance to achieving a fair, honest and lawful society

[Stargeezr]

There are so many people who think the General,  PM  is  a horrible  and  bad  person

and  yet,  when the Billionaire  bought his  way  into the position, then escaped  with  a jet

load  of his stuff  to avoid arrest,  he  is  somehow  a hero  now?      Wow  a  whole  lot  of

you  seem  to  forget  the past.  Do  you  think  the  sister got  the  PM  position  honestly

as  well,  how  about  purchased votes  in  the  North  and NE  as well.  I  just  hope that

history  does  not  repeat  itself  in  Thailand.  I just  hope   that  at  least   some  of   the

corruption  is lessened  even  more,  before  the  innocent  politicians, try  for   some

democratic  power  in  the  next   try  to  form  a government.  My opinion

on the present and past situations.

Geezer

 

[nong38]

He is right to say this but I wonder how many listen. He has been going about stamping out corruption since he took over but, its so engrained in the culture here that no one seems anxious to give up the little extra help, let be honest when you have been used to it its difficult to give it up, bit like a drug. The Boys at the top get a lot and the boys at the bottom get a little but everyone is happy to be getting something, its difficult to change the system that has prevailed for so long.

Much as I would like to see him succeed its battle to make any progress, the only way is to hit people in power where it hurts very hard to try and stamp it out, easier said than done with for those very people will access to the brown envelope under the table etc.

Thats the feeling I have anyway, until society wants to have better roads and facilities and there are checks on where money is going and being spent, what is being spent and the figures add up then we hope things will change.

[JonnyF]

I had a feeling this would be an article by The Nation article when I saw the title. Very little point reading that "newspaper" any more. 

[Eric Loh]

32 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

There are so many people who think the General,  PM  is  a horrible  and  bad  person

and  yet,  when the Billionaire  bought his  way  into the position, then escaped  with  a jet

load  of his stuff  to avoid arrest,  he  is  somehow  a hero  now?      Wow  a  whole  lot  of

you  seem  to  forget  the past.  Do  you  think  the  sister got  the  PM  position  honestly

as  well,  how  about  purchased votes  in  the  North  and NE  as well.  I  just  hope that

history  does  not  repeat  itself  in  Thailand.  I just  hope   that  at  least   some  of   the

corruption  is lessened  even  more,  before  the  innocent  politicians, try  for   some

democratic  power  in  the  next   try  to  form  a government.  My opinion

on the present and past situations.

Geezer

 

 

Few wrongs in your comment. Elections were acknowledged and confirmed by EC. Are you saying the EC was dishonest?

That billionaire didn't escape. He didn't came back.

And corruption didn't lessen according to the corruption index.

Ok, you got one right. Those politicians are not innocent or corruption free. It has never been throughout history.      

Lastly, election and democracy is not perfect but still better than power grab, illegal detention, restriction of freedom of expression and now military internet control.

[williamgeorgeallen]

was there ever an investigation into his brother. was anything ever done with the lists of alleged corrupt officials? fighting corruption is just a mechanism to out those who are not in line.

[WhizBang]

How can he carry the burden, when he is at the center of corruption in Thailand.

 

But, if he DID want t o show some kind of sincerity and resolve, he could start by making a very public display of firing the ThaiBev top cop, and stripping him of not only his ill gotten gains, but also of his benefits.

 

An undisclosed side of this story is that it takes 2 to tango.  What made ThaiBev think they could get away with this?  Who approached who first?  Who in ThaiBev approved this?   There are many unanswered questions that so far, have not even been asked.  ThaiBev is in this up to their corporate neck and must also be held accountable.
 

[Stargeezr]

Oh  I stand corrected  the Billionaire flew  away  and just forgot  to  return.

  Such  a  long  vacation  indeed.  It  does  not  matter  how  either  the  last  two

election  were confirmed,  as  you, Eric  stated  corruption  did not  lessen.

and  the  Billionaire  did  not  try  to get  corruption to lessen  while he was

in power  either.  If  you  remember the  years  before  the  last two 

elections,  I do remember  the Generals and  their  swapping  back  and forth

in the distant past.  But  there  are  people  who  will always  bash  a  military

coup,  as  it  is  so  un democratic,  even  if  it  was necessary.  

I am glad  that I am  a foreign  Geezer  who is lucky enough  to be  able

to travel  to Thailand  once in  a while  as  most of my Thai  relatives  can only

afford to come to Canada  about once  in 10  years.  That  is how  lousy  their

wages  are  and has been  since  I  started going  to Thailand  20 years ago.

[jolive]

How to clean up their centuries of corruption system?? It not just the police, it the whole government sectors.. their law is too weak to punish those criminals


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He emphasised the importance of raising public understanding of Thai society’s problem with graft, and the need to foster an anti-corruption culture among citizens.

The roots go to deep you will never cut this tree down. 

[Eric Loh]

We can safely say that corruption was never the reason why coups were staged. We can also safely say that the military and the police are the wrong people entrusted with cleaning up corruption.