Thread: Thai Graft Buster Laments Losing Battle With Corruption Culture

Thailand is awash in corruption and the battle against it will be lost unless there is a fundamental shift in Thai politics and culture, an anti-graft official said.

“Everywhere in Thailand there are conflicts of interest,” said Vicha Mahakun, a commissioner with the National Anti-Corruption Commission. “Every business, every government office, everywhere.”

At the heart of the issue is the political patronage system in which campaigning politicians spend money and make promises in exchange for votes and then raid state coffers once in office, Vicha said in an interview in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok on March 30.

“Patronage makes the politicians the center of the communities”, which means “the ordinary people must depend on them,” he said. “Corruption grows and grows because the people think they have the benefit from corruption too.”

Vicha’s scorn for politicians echoes that of the nation’s coupmakers, who since seizing power last May have tried to frame their reform campaign as necessary to rectify the failings of past elected governments. They accuse elected officials of putting their own interests before those of the nation and perverting democracy by enticing voters with ill-conceived populist policies.

Since taking power, the junta’s legislature has retroactively impeached former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose government was ousted in last year’s coup, over an allegedly graft-riddled rice-purchasing program, and its appointees are writing a new constitution that would limit the power of politicians.

More here: Thai Graft Buster Laments Losing Battle With Corruption Culture - Bloomberg Business

Originally Posted by misskit

At the heart of the issue is the political patronage system

No, frankly- the very core of the issue is the byzantine State Bureacracy. The politicians are very much a symptom, but ultimately temporary stewards that come and go. The NACC bureacracy is at the core of the problem too- it is a political agency, not an anti-graft commission. Likewise the 'judiciary'. And the Army.

Originally Posted by misskit

They accuse elected officials of putting their own interests before those of the nation

A more accurate summation of the current shitfight/ power struggle-

Originally Posted by misskit

They accuse elected officials of putting their own interests before those of the Bureacracy

As usual, they're blowing smoke up our arse.

Originally Posted by misskit

Vicha’s scorn for politicians echoes that of the nation’s coupmakers, who since seizing power last May have tried to frame their reform campaign as necessary to rectify the failings of past elected governments.

Not surprised given he is beholding to the coup makers for his position. Perhaps K. Vicha should focus his anti corruption efforts on the current unelected government and worry less about "past elected goverments".

^Well said...