Thailand taking more serious steps against insane drivers

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gerefan
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Re: Thailand taking more serious steps against insane drivers

Post by gerefan »

Jun wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:24 pmWhat Thailand needs is to start putting corrupt officials into some very nasty prisons. Probably needs a body independent of and above the police to deal with this.
The Army would have been ideal.
fountainhall

Re: Thailand taking more serious steps against insane drivers

Post by fountainhall »

The argument about taking no action in tackling corruption in Thailand is that everyone does it and has been doing it throughout history. The fact is, though, something can be done about it and Jun hits the nail on the head.

In the early 1970s Hong Kong was one of the most corrupt corners of the planet. It was not just the triads. The British colonial administration was rife with corruption. The relatively new Governor, Murray MacLehose, was determined to stamp it out. With speed he established the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) with its own special police unit and section of the judiciary. Anyone believed to be guilty of corruption was essentially guilty unless they could prove themselves innocent. Many triad chiefs and members disappeared over the border to China.

With near indecent haste, a top police official and senior judge fled Hong Kong. Many others were caught in the net and ended up in jail. Since then, the Commission has remained active and helps keep Hong Kong relatively free of most forms of corruption. Only a few years ago, the co-Chairman of the largest property developer and a former top civil servant were jailed for several years for corruption.

But to make a similar body work in Thailand, there needs the political will. The army cannot do it. That’s like giving the fox free rein in the hen coop. The anti-corruption commission makes all sorts of pronouncements, but until there is a government prepared to fight a huge battle against special interests, I cannot see any improvement taking place.

Interestingly, in a poll taken at the turn of the millennium, Hong Kong citizens were asked to list the 100 most important developments in Hong Kong in the previous century. The establishment of the ICAC was listed as no. 8 in importance.
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