Poll: Majority accept corruption in govt

Published: 20/07/2011 at 05:54 PM
Online news:

The majority of Thai people say a corrupt government is acceptable to them if, in being dishonest, it can also bring prosperity to the people and to the country, according to the results of an Abac Poll released on Wednesday.

The pollsters questioned 2,559 people in 17 provinces throughout the country about what they expect from the incoming government.

Asked about their attitude toward corruption, a clear majority (64.5 per cent) of respondents said a corrupt government is acceptable, just so long as it can make the country prosperous and they too stand to benefit from it. Only 35.5 per cent said was unacceptable.

This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.

About the author

: Writer: Online Reporters; Position: Online Reporters

Keep this article in your social bookmark:

Your comments

chimp
Post : 37
Send message

Discussion 29 : 21/07/2011 at 09:52 PM29
Post this to my Facebook
Simply. This ABAC poll and other polls are simple making assumption that new government will be corrupted and trying to manipulate the public opinions. I hadn't read an ABAC poll on any ill-conducts when the Democrate party and their allies took power via military coup and later via judicial manipulations. Their hand picked EC members can't possibly reject all the PT candidates if they don't want another bloody problems and economic instability. It isn't that they are caring about the blood of the poors on the street. ABAC shown obvious political biases, social and racial prejudices.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
howell
Post : 1,129
Send message

Discussion 28 : 21/07/2011 at 02:16 PM28
Post this to my Facebook
Morals aside when did corruption ever help poor people and the country ? e.g. Thaksin's meteoric rise to 1 of the richest men in the world. How did he help the poor and his country ?
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
chimp
Post : 37
Send message

Discussion 27 : 21/07/2011 at 11:48 AM27
Post this to my Facebook
Any and everybody knew about how impartial ABAC poll could be. By making this poll, ABAC has shown once again to be politically impartial to the election process. It is obvious that this urban elite college is trying to slander the newly elected government. I have never knew a government that didn't involved in some kind of corruption processes. The righteous persons simply don't involve in politic, because they are too poor.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
howell
Post : 1,129
Send message

Discussion 26 : 21/07/2011 at 11:34 AM26
Post this to my Facebook
@android.'Poverty is the cause of corruption. Poverty in thailand is mainly caused by the greedy sucking of national revenue into some powerful elites' pockets.'

The powerful, greedy, rich elite are not poor so how can poverty be the cause ?
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
Aussie John
Post : 583
Send message

Discussion 25 : 21/07/2011 at 09:09 AM25
Post this to my Facebook
So 64 % of the population thinks stealing is acceptable. Is this what they teach their children? Corruption is theft and on the scale its practiced in Thailand its seen by many as a fine tradition. .
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
falangsur
Post : 129
Send message

Discussion 24 : 21/07/2011 at 02:09 AM24
Post this to my Facebook
I think this poll shows more about Thai culture and mores than many want to accept. The point made by another poster is spot on - can you imagine if the Club Santika fire had occurred and no one was punished? What of appointing cabinet ministers that ran massage parlors/prostitution businesses? Can you imagine in a country such as Japan, China, Germany, United Kingdom, Korea, USA what would happen if police routinely stopped motorists to demand money from them? Look at what is happenign in Great Britain now with the scandla over Rupert Murdoch's newspaper scandal. The head of Scotland Yard resigned and a top business executive has already been arrested. Thailand just started the Buddhist Lent period - think of the hypocrisy of not selling liquor for that day and shutting down the red light districts; and right after that back to normal in the sex trade and drunken driving massacres occurring on our roads every week. And when a core belief if buddhism is about denying the material things of this world - yet Thai's worship Paragon, BMW, Louis Vuitton, Johnnie Walker, iPad and Blackberry. I love the friendly, calm, loving side of my Thai family members. But even with them, I find it difficult to live with the gambling, drinking, affairs, and cheating of each other. It is corruption of a personal level - that translates as a country to tolerance of corruption at a national level.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
spiceman
Post : 1,776
Send message

Discussion 23 : 21/07/2011 at 01:48 AM23
Post this to my Facebook
Morality is doing the right thing when no one is watching. Unless Thai people are serious about doing the "right thing," Thailand will continue to be plagued by corruption. I am not surprised by the poll at all, corruption is all they see since the day they're born, and they're simply being numbed by it.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
bikeme
Post : 411
Send message

Discussion 22 : 21/07/2011 at 01:10 AM22
Post this to my Facebook
JungleJim D16 - "The drug related extrajudicial killings was a form of cutting through red tape."
... extrajudicial killings are NEVER acceptable for any reason.

What if the government had gone around shooting everyone with a red shirt because they were "suspected" of aiding and abetting red shirt terrorists aka Men in Black. Would you find that an acceptable means of "cutting through red tape" and saving the justice system some work ?
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
ricefield
Post : 1,714
Send message

Discussion 21 : 20/07/2011 at 11:07 PM21
Post this to my Facebook
Walter Cronkite had it right, " That's the way it was, that's the way it will be and that's the way it is"

Disc 2 & 7 - the question is very leading.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment
bonzo
Post : 516
Send message

Discussion 20 : 20/07/2011 at 10:28 PM20
Post this to my Facebook
The same mind set that convinces some people that “the East End was safer under the Kray Twins”.
Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this comment

1 2 3 Next Last

Poll: Majority accept corruption in govt | Bangkok Post: breakingnews