How corrupt is Thailand?

[Toby451]

How corrupt is Thailand really - let's say in Bangkok?

Is corruption endemic, and are bribes needed to get anything done?

How about wages - are they only so low in order to keep the elite happy, or is TL just a poor developing nation that cannot afford to pay people a reasonable amount?

How does it compare to Cambodia for example?

[The Fresh Prince]

How corrupt is Thailand really - let's say in Bangkok?

Give me 200bt and I'll tell you.

[Smug Farang Bore]

I heard you could buy copy DvDs there.

[Smug Farang Bore]

Cambodia doesn't have a sky train.

Does that help?

[hillbilly]

Tried to get my Thai driving license renewed a few months past. Did not want to waste time with a test and such, so I offered a bribe. It was declined.

Went to a different office and was asked to pay B500 for extra fees. Got my 5-year license.

Make of it what you will...

[The Fresh Prince]

When I went to get my Thai license I was too lazy to do the medical. So paid a motorcycle taxi driver to get one for me.

[terry57]

Cant get anymore corrupt can it ?

Trick is to make that corruption work in your favor.

[CaptainNemo]

How corrupt is Thailand really - let's say in Bangkok?

Is corruption endemic, and are bribes needed to get anything done?

How about wages - are they only so low in order to keep the elite happy, or is TL just a poor developing nation that cannot afford to pay people a reasonable amount?

How does it compare to Cambodia for example?

GCSE Economics - Finance: Elasticity

When there's always someone willing to sell something cheaper, then someone will buy it, and that keeps the price down.
What keeps prices up is the exclusion of others from accessing the market, via legal or financial barriers, and that's what keeps elite wages (and countries up).
That... and culture... climate... geography... natural resources... debt... etc...
Never knowingly paid a bribe... (apart from the fees that Estate/Lettings agents expect for doing something that you could probably do better yourself) frankly I think tipping in restaurants is a form of corruption - what extra am I getting for my tip other than a lower probability of digging out one of chef's shiny and curly ones from my meat sauce?
I think Cambodia's a lovely place. Less up themselves like the chinky Thai tryhards and their guanxi and their aggressive "cultural" flagwaving.

[The Fresh Prince]

Cant get anymore corrupt can it ?

I'd say Phenom Penn is more corrupt.

[Chairman Mao]

The coppers have managed to pull me over twice in the last two weeks. Both times they've flatly refused the option of paying there and then and actually forced me to go to the police station to pay the fine. Bastards.

It's odd because you become Thai and get pissed off at them for catching you riding illegally (over a signed overpass) and then not accepting a bribe and making you go to the copshop.

[adzt1]

^^ yes ,but its on a smaller scale

[OhOh]

The Thais request a "present" with a smile, the US requests a "present" with a gun. The Belgians request a "present" with the offer of a house with a basement. The French with a pair of high heeled shoes, the Italians with an invitation to a bunga party........................

Same same worldwide.

[ltnt]

Corruption began in Asia, "Chinese institution of historical record." Vietnamese were pretty good at extortion as well.

[AUSSIE EXPAT]

When I went to get my Thai license I was too lazy to do the medical. So paid a motorcycle taxi driver to get one for me.

What, is there another way?

The coppers have managed to pull me over twice in the last two weeks. Both times they've flatly refused the option of paying there and then and actually forced me to go to the police station to pay the fine. Bastards.

You've got to have the 100B ready before they open their mouth...

[Toby451]

seems Cambo is a more crooked place from what you folks have been saying.

I guess that's ok if you're a foreigner with a little more money than the locals, but must suck being born into this mess though.

[FarangRed]

I dont mind a bit of corruption 100 baht here 100 baht there WTF who cares

[Chairman Mao]

I dont mind a bit of corruption 100 baht here 100 baht there WTF who cares

Yeah, but when it's 100b there, not here, and you actually have to move, it becomes an inconvenience.

I'm not overly fond of this new no bribes policy some of the coppers have seem to have implemented.

Of course they may have finally figured out that 400b at the station is more than 200b on the spot, and are doubling their money, but I'm not happy about it! How dare they enforce the law and not accept bribes during the enforcement.

[ltnt]

Street cops have to pay their masters a percentage of everything they graft. A real Pyramid payoff system within the ranks. That's why all the colonels and such have big houses and drive merc's.

[nidhogg]

How corrupt is Thailand really - let's say in Bangkok?

Is corruption endemic, and are bribes needed to get anything done?

Without doing your own business here, I don't think you would even notice it - except perhaps as said, for driving.

In more than a decade here, the only single occassion I can think of was getting offered the choice between a 200 baht "on the spot" fine for littering (ciggie butt, and I was bang to rights) or a 2,000 baht formal ticket.

Thats it. All my paper work has always been processed without any hints, subtle or otherwise, for extra payments.

[Thaihome]

Tried to get my Thai driving license renewed a few months past. Did not want to waste time with a test and such, so I offered a bribe. It was declined.

Went to a different office and was asked to pay B500 for extra fees. Got my 5-year license.

Make of it what you will...

There is no test required for the renewal. You walk in a few days after your license has expired, pay the fee and walk out with a new 5 year one.

In the process I went through at the office in Bangkok I wouldn’t have even known who to offer a bribe to.
TH

[Carrabow]

This post is a re-peat....


J.H.C

How many times do we have go here? Does it rain in LOS?

[ltnt]

^Only on Thursdays...

[beerlaodrinker]

When i lived in the west every time i broke the law the bastards prosecuted me to the full extent , Much better service in asia just sling them a couple of hundred baht for offences either real or " imagined" and bobs your aunty youre of on your merry way again wouldnt want to be late for happy hour at my local chrome pole
excellent system, the best police force money can buy , we really are lucky being farangs in asia , and as i mentioned in a previous post to you , if you are lucky all this sloth and decadence will turn you into the self aggrandising arsehole but it takes years of practice Pm me if you want to know how it can be done

Cheers

[9999]

This news article from w while back paints a pretty good picture...

DSI 'doesn't have' missing jewellery
20/07/2010

The missing jewellery, valued at about five million baht, is not in the custody of the Department of Special Investigation, DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said on Tuesday.

"The jewellery confiscated at Wat Pathum Wanaram was transferred from the police to the army before it was delivered to the DSI," Mr Tharit said.

He said his department was not passing the blame to the army or the police.

"The DSI is ready to cooperate with the Justice Ministry but will not intervene in its investigation into the case," he said.

Two sets of jewellery stolen from a Ratchaprasong shop at the end of the prolonged anti-government rally in May, allegedly by a red-shirt protester, were recovered by police.

The shop's proprietor was able to reclaim one set, but the other set disappeared from the DSI's vault, according to a complaint lodged by the owner.

bangkokpost.com

[9999]

When i lived in the west every time i broke the law the bastards prosecuted me to the full extent , Much better service in asia just sling them a couple of hundred baht for offences either real or " imagined" and bobs your aunty youre of on your merry way again wouldnt want to be late for happy hour at my local chrome pole
excellent system, the best police force money can buy , we really are lucky being farangs in asia , and as i mentioned in a previous post to you , if you are lucky all this sloth and decadence will turn you into the self aggrandising arsehole but it takes years of practice Pm me if you want to know how it can be done

I agree with you for the lower end, petty stuff. It is a good system. Cops get paid fk all and extract money from law breakers.

It's the shit that goes on at the upper levels, and keeps people out of the loop down, that will hinder the progress of Thailand unless something changes.