New laws to tackle Thai corruption
Updated
Thailand, whose government officials and public servants are perceived as among the most corrupt in Asia, is hoping new anti-corruption legislation, due to come into effect later this year, will cast a wider net and curb practices which cost the country millions of dollars each year. The National Anti-Corruption Commission hopes the new laws will help to turn the tide on corruption in government.
Presenter: Ron Corben
Speaker: Professor Pakdee Pothisiri of Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission
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CORBEN: Thailand has the unenviable reputation as being viewed by business as one of the most corrupt nations in Asia.
Survey ratings by international organizations, such as the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic risk Consultancy or PERC have placed Thailand alongside with Indonesia and the Philippines, both facing serious reputations of corruption in government and the bureaucracy. Former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, had been accused of corruption and abuse of power when in office, and was the pretext for the September 2006 coup.
The military appointed a special investigation Assets Examination Committee to look into allegations of corruption against Thaksin. Several cases are still with the Attorney General's Office. Mr. Thaksin already faces a two year jail term over conflict of interest in a land purchase deal by his former wife. At the same time the military appointed National Legislative Assembly in 2007 moved to tighten anti-corruption laws.
Professor Pakdee Pothisiri is a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Professor Pakdee says he is confident the new laws will go some w ay to improve Thailand's standing in the fight against corruption.
PAKDEE: The major flaw in the past. But it's no longer the case because of the amendment that has been made about a year ago during th time we had the National Legislative Assembly. We have an amendment to the existing organic Act on anti-corruption in such a way that anybody at all that just happen to know or learn about the corruption case that involved those political appointees can always file the case or ask the NACC to investigate the case. So because of that it is now more effective in terms of the public involvement in dealing with politicians.
CORBEN: Can I ask you about the situation with the cases involving the former Prime Minister Mr. Thaksin. Where are they at the moment?
PAKDEE: There are already a number of cases which have been concluded by the so called Assets Scrutiny Committee and the cases are now with the Attorney General Office and they are about to prosecute those cases. And some of the cases have been referred back to the NACC and a joint working group is working on them. And most of them have been sent to the Attorney General waiting for the prosecution. And if the Attorney General finally disagree with the NACC and don't want to prosecute then the NACC prosecute by us.
CORBEN: Do you think with the law now that corrupt politicians have more to fear than in the past?
PAKDEE: Yes. I believe so because of the new constitution and the organic Act that is about to pass into law and also because of this National Anti-Corruption strategy - what we call for all the sectors to work with us in dealing with the corruption - not only for the suppression of the corruption but also for the prevention. Particularly right now we are working with the government sector agencies in trying to introduce the so called risk management scheme. So with the introduction of this new risk analysis approach I hope that we will be able to prevent the corruption from happening rather than waiting for them to happen and then going to punish those people who are involved.
