Prem flays 'incurable' graft

Prem flays 'incurable' graft

Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda said corruption is an incurable disease dragging the country backwards.

Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, right, talks to Senator Khamnoon Sitthisamarn, left, anti-graft commissioner Vicha Mahakhun, second left, and National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) spokesman Klanarong Chanthik, behind, before addressing a seminar on anticorruption policy at the Miracle Grand Hotel yesterday.

Addressing a seminar on anti-policy corruption, Gen Prem yesterday raised his concerns over graft that he compared to a terrible disease that could not be cured, even in nations with the lowest levels of corruption like Singapore.

He said Thailand placed 80th among 183 countries worldwide and 10th among 26 Asian countries listed in the 2011 Corruption Perception Index. The country's ranking was not satisfactory, he added.

He said a report by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) indicates the executive branch was the root cause of policy-oriented corruption.

Gen Prem said he was not worried if those who formulated public policy were cabinet members as he believed they were unlikely to be corrupt because they had to work honestly in accordance with the oaths they have given.

"I tell myself there is nothing to worry if those policy makers are cabinet ministers as those in the cabinet might be good, capable and knowledgeable people with a sense of goodness.

"Cabinet members have sworn their oath before assuming office duties and they must strictly abide by the oaths they have given. This is no cause for concern unless Thais encounter bad fortune," said the privy council president.

He was speaking at a seminar, organised by the NACC, which was also attended by executives from independent agencies, representatives from public and state enterprises and academics.

During the seminar, the NACC proposed 12 measures to combat policy-oriented corruption.

NACC member Prasart Pongsivapai, chairman of the commission's sub-panel studying policy corruption, said cases of policy-oriented corruption were complicated and it was difficult to take action against those involved.

Such malpractice generates huge profits for some people and their cronies.

Among Mr Prasart's anti-graft measures were revocation of the political rights of election candidates, their canvassers, political donors and officials involved in poll irregularities.

He said the Election Commission should be able to order investigations of donations given to political parties.

The measures also called for greater public scrutiny of large government projects and increased public access to information on government investments.

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