Can Thai society ever be freed of corruption?

[Admin]

EDITORIAL

Can Thai society ever be freed of corruption?
The Nation 2011-06-28


The problem of graft is so deep-rooted that we can only hope to eradicate it by educating kids from an early age

When Thais go to the polls on July 3, they will need to keep in mind that the mega-projects promised by MP candidates tend to be prone to corruption. Candidates will do anything to grab votes, even if it means they have to squander the national coffers to finance ill-conceived, extravagant development schemes if they are re-elected.

The truth is, public sector corruption is rampant, deep-rooted and chronic. It's the scourge of Thai politics. This happens because there are bribe-able politicians who have abandoned their principles for the sake of political expediency. Who is responsible for electing this dishonest lot? We are.

As another election comes round, it's worrying how all the talk is about planning and funding grand projects, and less about fighting corruption and instilling a sense of anti-corruption in the national psyche. Right now the political landscape is beset by an erosion of ethical standards.

What deserves our attention is that Thailand ranks seventh on an index of the most corrupt nations in Asia. According to the 2011 Corruption Index of 16 nations in the Asia-Pacific region surveyed by the Hong Kong-based Political & Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), Cambodia is the most corrupt, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, China, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia. At the bottom are Hong Kong (15th) and Singapore (16th), the least corrupt in the region.

The point is, we have never seen any Thai political party take the issue of corruption seriously enough to include it as an emergency issue that needs to be tackled head-on like other weighty issues. Instead, we hear them boasting about using a massive amount of taxpayers' money to fund mega-infrastructure projects (concentrated mostly in Bangkok), farmers' credit-card and rice subsidy schemes, a free-for-all national healthcare system, and increased salaries for teachers and other civil servants.

While we don't know how many of these promises can be delivered or are financially viable, it's true that corruption is a serious impediment to the kingdom's economic improvement. Suvarnabhumi Airport is just one example of a national corruption scandal plagued with problems since its inception. How transparent will all these other promised projects be? Who will benefit from them?

We don't know what sort of politicians will make it to Parliament after the July 3 election. What we know is that many of the hopefuls include businessmen, managers, former tycoons and technocrats. If the latest corruption survey by the Thai Chamber of Commerce University is anything to go by, then some of these aspiring lawmakers will be unprincipled, amoral, untrustworthy and deceitful.

Findings show that, last year, 80 per cent of private sector companies that had business dealings with the government sector made under-the-table deals and bribed officials. About 71 per cent of the private companies surveyed knew how much and who they had to pay, while 29 per cent paid officials upon request.

Last year's public-sector corruption totalled between Bt200 and 300 billion, or about 30 per cent of the value of the government's annual investment budget (around Bt600 billion). That's not all. The estimated graft value does not include another Bt20 billion in kickbacks that the general public had to pay to officials to smooth out red tape in sectors like import-export, customs and licensing.

This explains why we're left with poorly built roads and airports, deficient public transport, more costly consumer goods, poorly paid teachers, a defective education system and double-dealing political leaders and public servants.

With the election just around the corner, we need to ask candidates these questions. What are their principles? What values do they stand for? How will they fight corruption in real terms?

The recent establishment of the Thai Anti-Corruption Network is a welcome effort. This independent regulatory body consists of 23 private organisations including the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries. The network aims to promote anti-corruption among children and monitor public sector corruption through its slogan, "The honest must be honoured, the corrupt must be condemned."

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said recently that in order to stamp out corruption, we need to change the culture of the Thai people and raise awareness of anti-corruption in every sector. He admitted that conflicts within the country are rooted in corruption at the national and provincial levels, and have developed into a national political crisis.

We strongly believe that every politician, regardless of party affiliation, is prone to corruption. Children need to be taught that corruption cannot be tolerated in this society. The buyable and corruptible must be weeded out from politics and face prosecution.

[urleft]

I think Corrupt Government is redundant.  Some just hide it better.

[Puba]

This what happens when you have overpopulation, illiteracy, poverty and massive ripping of country's wealth? There is an old saying that politics is the second oldest profession in the world, and it has a lot in common with the first.

[urleft]

This what happens when you have overpopulation, illiteracy, poverty and massive ripping of country's wealth?

Sounds like you are talking about the USA.   

[isanbirder]

Corruption is self-perpetuating;  the money spent to buy votes has to be recouped somehow... and so on.  Possibly the only answer is a military takeover (but then you need a military which is not corrupt).

[binnsy]

   I would go as far as saying that EVERY country has corruption at some level.

[Vombatus]

  I would go as far as saying that EVERY country has corruption at some level.

I agree - that has been proved in many western countries.

However, I have never seen so widespread and embedded as it is in Thailand.

[nookiebear]

  I would go as far as saying that EVERY country has corruption at some level.

I agree - that has been proved in many western countries.

However, I have never seen so widespread and embedded as it is in Thailand.

I think the Philippines is more corrupt than here in Thailand

[Vombatus]

  I would go as far as saying that EVERY country has corruption at some level.

I agree - that has been proved in many western countries.

However, I have never seen so widespread and embedded as it is in Thailand.

I think the Philippines is more corrupt than here in Thailand

Fascinating fatboy but the question is about whether Thailand can ever be freed of corruption.

In words of one syllable, I would say  "NO".

[Really?]

Upto the masses.

[Vombatus]

Upto the masses.

I think the masses control Jack Sh!t !

[Puba]

This what happens when you have overpopulation, illiteracy, poverty and massive ripping of country's wealth?

Sounds like you are talking about the USA.   

No I don't and why I have to offense them? I have no any grudge toward any nation, but Why you think like that, I never mention The US hence it's government becoming now like Billy the Kid, Tell me If I am wrong.. No offense I don't mean the people, The main post about Thai's corruption and I can answer you directly if you quote me, Peace.

[Puba]

Upto the masses.

I think the masses control Jack Sh!t !

to reality.

[nookiebear]

  I would go as far as saying that EVERY country has corruption at some level.

I agree - that has been proved in many western countries.

However, I have never seen so widespread and embedded as it is in Thailand.

I think the Philippines is more corrupt than here in Thailand

Fascinating fatboy but the question is about whether Thailand can ever be freed of corruption.

In words of one syllable, I would say  "NO".

It may be fascinating to you CoCo as I doubt you have witnessed it 1st hand

[urleft]

This what happens when you have overpopulation, illiteracy, poverty and massive ripping of country's wealth?

Sounds like you are talking about the USA.   

No I don't and why I have to offense them? I have no any grudge toward any nation, but Why you think like that, I never mention The US hence it's government becoming now like Billy the Kid, Tell me If I am wrong.. No offense I don't mean the people, The main post about Thai's corruption and I can answer you directly if you quote me, Peace.

LOL, I thought it was funny.  I absolutely took no offense as I did not think you were talking about the USA (even though it is headed in that direction). 

Cheers Mate: