The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) and the Zero Corruption Organization have recently listed Thailand’s 10 most corrupt state agencies, in terms of average bribe taken in exchange for ‘special services’ to navigate complicated bureaucratic red tape.
The damning findings by Thailand’s private sector indicate that bureaucratic corruption remains a serious issue, with 89.1% of the respondents stating that corruption poses a moderate to serious obstacle to doing businesses in Thailand.
The ten most corrupt state agencies and the average amount of bribe demanded each time are:
1. The Pollution Control Department; 102,160 baht.
2. The Marine Department; 100,000 baht.
3. The Excise Department; 94,667 baht.
4. The Revenue Department; 89,498 baht.
5. The justice system, with the exception of courts of law; 88,750 baht.
6. Thailand’s Food and Drugs Administration/public health services; 74,643 baht.
7. The Highways Department; 70,167 baht.
8. Department of Public Works, Town and Country Planning; 70,000 baht.
9. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation; 68,000 baht.
10. The Forest Department; 67,500 baht.
The findings show that 60.9% of businesses who sought licences from these agencies have been approached by their officials asking for ‘compensation’ for their services. 46.9% admit they have given cash, gifts or other interests to officials in exchange for such ‘conveniences’.
For government projects, bidders have been required to pay under-the-table commissions amounting to 11-15% of the value of the contracts. Cash payments account for 46.6% of the bribes, followed by gifts or entertainment (23.11%) and donations or sponsorships (18.7%).
Asked why members of the private sector agreed to pay bribes:
· 29.11% of them say that the bureaucratic process is too complicated.
· 25% note that legal loopholes allow the officials to use their discretion in making decisions.
· 18.8% admit they paid bribes to avoid punishment from breaking the rules.
Members of the private sector say that they have detected a lack of transparency in bidding processes. 27.3% of the bidders say that they have been approached by individuals who claim that they could help in winning the bids, while others say that they were advised to use the services of a go-between if they wanted to win.
52.3% say that they do not trust the government’s whistle-blowing system, while 43.7% say they dare not inform the authorities when they come across corrupt practices.
