BangkokPost-Aug 13
The Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) has criticized the Paetongtarn Shinawatra administration’s first year in power as lacking a clear direction, effective mechanisms and a genuine commitment to tackle corruption. ACT president Mana Nimitmongkol said there were a number of reasons why the government has failed to gain public confidence in its many policies and initiatives. Despite numerous plans such as legalizing casinos, the 10,000-baht digital cash handout, a 157-billion-baht economic stimulus plan, and proposals to host more music festivals, many people still view these as political ploys, Mr Mana wrote on Facebook. He argued that such mistrust stems from the rampant corruption in Thailand and the government’s failure to show it is serious about suppressing this scourge. Several factors have caused public sentiment toward the government to turn negative, he said. For example, he noted, there has been no concrete anti-corruption policy even though the government has announced a plan to improve Thailand’s score in the annual Corruption Perceptions Index from 34 now to at least 57. State anti-corruption mechanisms have weakened over the past two years, with the government discontinuing bodies like the Anti-Corruption Operation Center, said Mr Mana. There has been no progress in the bureaucracy or legal reforms to tackle the root cause of graft as promised. He urged the administration to take the lead in battling corruption, beginning with open government practices and making it a national agenda item. To advance this goal, the ACT will host Anti-Corruption Day 2025 on Sept 6, inviting online participation to help design a system where honest individuals can thrive and wrongdoers have no place in society. Read more at: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3086242/government-given-failing-grade-on-corruption?tbref=hp.
