Anti-graft drive 'making little progress'

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Anti-graft drive 'making little progress'

Published: 16 Aug 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Fighting corruption is one of the Yingluck Shinawatra government's priorities but it appears the anti-graft drive is making little progress.

The Anti-Corruption Network representing private companies released a report in July saying under-the-table payments account for 50% of the costs of all government concessions.

Earlier, Prime Minister Yingluck ordered all agencies involved _ the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the Office of Public Sector Commission Development Commission (OPDC) _ to devise strategies to deal with graft.

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onlyme
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Discussion 34 : 16 Aug 2012 at 10.1034
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This isn't about who is in power causing corruption, it is about who in power has the will to stand up to it. As more ways are found to corrupt the system those that are corrupt will expand because new avenues such as the rice scheme are presented to them as opportunities. Restrict the opportunities by being public in both process and punishment for wrong doing and things may come back under control. Justice should be blind. It would almost make sense to allow for whistle blowers to keep the graft they are offered (free and clear) to 'turn an eye' provided they turn in the person who offered it. They get their money and the system gets the crook.
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hawaiiman
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Discussion 33 : 16 Aug 2012 at 10.0233
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Suggestions for really doing something about corruption: 1. eliminate the rice scheme, 2. require ALL government procurement to be paid for COD. I have seen how much of the corruption in procurement works. Merchants are willing to collude with purchasing managers to write phony bills, marking up the purchase price to as much as 1000% of market price, justified because the merchant will have to wait 1-2 years for payment from gov. Then the merchant rewards the purchaser with a nice gratuity. Pay cash, get a fair price. If the Gov. feels the need to borrow the money for purchasing, it can issue bonds or make arrangements with BOT.Paying 12% to a bank or bond holderis much cheaper than paying up to 1000%.
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robins
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Discussion 32 : 16 Aug 2012 at 10.0032
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@ Discussion 17. You have a good point about protection for whistle blowers, a necessary start would be changing the ridiculous criminal and civil defamation laws that allow wealthy corrupt officials to use the legal system to threaten or harass anyone that mentions their crimes regardless of whether or not their statements or writings are true.
Much like in the West, people who purposely put themselves in the public light by entering politics should need to show a higher standard to claim defamation than Joe citizen.
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bern1005
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Discussion 31 : 16 Aug 2012 at 09.4231
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Pretty much every official, every policeman, every military officer and every politician (of every party) regards corruption and abuse of power as being perfectly normal.

PT claiming that they want to attack corruption does not mean government corruption of course (that would be unthinkable) it means that they make the right noises for the international audience and that they can bring down a few old opponents and perhaps some lower level officials.

The sad reality is that, it will take a lot of years of development, significant changes in the educational system and then some big big problems for the country before there can be any chance of corruption ceasing to be an "acceptable and normal" part of Thai life.
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soltair
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Discussion 30 : 16 Aug 2012 at 09.3730
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pquinlan # 16, wrote "In 1994, the "rule of thumb" was 10%. By 2005 this had grown to 30% to 35%. And now it is 50%. Facts. ..... In 1997 I was personally involved in designing a 29 prison security system and I was aware it was already 33%, even big "foreign" Thai based companies were playing this game all along. The floating (sinking) of the Baht stopped all five days before signing this contract. Indeed, only heavy prison sentences and confiscation of ALL assets may turn the tide.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 29 : 16 Aug 2012 at 09.0229
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@redview #27: Sorry calling most Thaksin voters uneducated and gullible is no disrespect, it is the simple truth! I would love to see a public discussion on TV with 10 average red voters and 10 average DEM voters. They don’t even have to discuss current policies. I just love to hear their definitions of democracy, checks and balances, corruption, nepotisms, rule of law, etc.
I would be delighted to hear meaningful arguments from the reds in real life and in this forum. Unfortunately nine out of ten times I hear only the repetition of propaganda. Which brings me back to my original point...
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 28 : 16 Aug 2012 at 08.5328
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Amazed 26 asks: “Can you name one meaningful effort that PT has made since being in power to curb corruption in any segment of society?”
Sure, they put Chalerm in charge!
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redview
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Discussion 27 : 16 Aug 2012 at 08.4627
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Disc. #25 --- "The only point which you really make is that the uneducated and gullible will still reelect the corrupt" That is not my main point, however, you raise another one. When one reads a litany of negativity, without one redeeming positive, surely shows there are forces at play, other than purporting to discuss Government performance. Your point about the "uneducated" and "gullible", shows the disrespect and contempt held by one side of the political divide of the other, and why one side is on the electoral outside, looking in.
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amazed
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Discussion 26 : 16 Aug 2012 at 08.3326
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Disc. 10 - We all know that corruption wasn't invented by the present government. However, they are the ones currently in power and did promise to do something about it as one of their campaign promises. Can you name one meaningful effort that PT has made since being in power to curb corruption in any segment of society? I can think of several ways they have expanded corruption. And just so you know, attempting to remove checks and balances leads to more, not less corruption.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 25 : 16 Aug 2012 at 08.2825
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@redveiw #21: The only point which you really make is that the uneducated and gullible will still reelect the corrupt. Unfortunately you are right about that in Thailand.
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