Representatives from Asean have voiced concern over the gravity of corruption rampant throughout the region.
The concern was shared at a forum on anti-corruption in Asean held by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and attended by representatives from eight countries in the region.
PACC secretary-general Korntip Daroj said corruption hinders national progress and also leads to other problems such as drug trafficking.
The PACC has received about 10,000 graft complaints since it was founded in 2008, of which it has accepted about 3,000 cases, he said.
He also said that disciplinary and legal measures should be strictly enforced in cases pending investigation, adding that measures must be put in place to protect people in Asean who do business across the region.
Abdullah Zulkifli, a counsellor attached to the Indonesian embassy, said that corruption has a negative impact on the economy in Indonesia. He agreed that corruption is linked to human trafficking, transnational crimes and money laundering.
He said Indonesia has an agency established to fight corruption named Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), abbreviated as KPK.
He added that corruption cases are rising each year, with 56 cases in 2015, 99 in 2016, and 114 last year.
In one of the most high-profile convictions in Indonesia, an Indonesian court in April sentenced Setya Novanto, the former parliament speaker, to 15 years in prison for his role in the theft of US$170 million (5.3 billion baht) of public money.
Prosecutors said Novanto was among about 80 officials and several companies who used the introduction of a US$440 million electronic identity card system in 2011 and 2012 to steal more than a third of the funds.
Suraya Pauzi, minister counsellor of the Malaysian embassy, said that several crimes originate from corruption. In her country, former premier Najib Razak is embroiled in a graft scandal involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Ms Suraya said anti-graft agencies are finding it hard to fight against the former prime minister who can afford to hire lawyers from around the world to represent him in court.
Some corruption cases in Malaysia are complex and some prosecutors handling them were killed mysteriously, she said.
Juan Carlos Borromeo, third secretary and vice consul at the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, shared the view that graft is a fundamental problem which diversifies into other nefarious activities such as drug trafficking and terrorism.
He stressed the need for Asean countries to share intelligence on those involved in corruption.
PACC assistant secretary-general Bhumivisan Kasemsook said that the PACC has set up a complaint centre for foreign investors as over the past two years the agency has received a lot of complaints from European investors about being defrauded by local property owners.
Foreign tourists also have complained that three tessakij, or city inspectors, fined them 30,000 baht for dropping cigarette butts in public places.
This case has now been sent to prosecutors for indictments and the three city inspectors have been suspended from duty, Mr Bhumivisan said.