Quick and decisive legal action that makes people afraid to cheat is the only solution to Thailand’s corruption problem, Privy Council chairman Prem Tinsulanonda said Friday.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a corruption-prevention workshop, Gen Prem said the country now has two major problems: poverty and corruption.
Privy Council chairman Prem Tinsulanonda speaks at the closing ceremony of a corruption-prevention workshop Friday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
It is the government's responsibility to formulate and implement measures to reduce poverty, he said after handing out completion certificates to 61 people in the "high-level corruption prevention and suppression strategists" training course. Yet while poverty is an important issue, it does not need as strong and urgent attention as corruption, the former army chief and prime minister said.
He said corruption long has existed in the country, fighting against it has not succeeded because most people think it is not their business. They think it is better for them to stay indifferent instead of making enemies, he added.
"People holding this attitude can be regarded as not caring about the country's development. In other words, they do not love their country," said Gen Prem.
The statesman said that, in his opinion, adhering to principles of morality, ethics and good governance is good, but too slow and ineffective to cope with corruption.
Gen Prem said in order to solve the corruption problem, quick and decisive legal action is needed. All corruption cases must be finished quickly and the penalties must be harsh to make people think twice about engaging in graft, he added.
"More importantly, don't leave the country in shame. We have to do everything we can to make other people see that our country has little or no corruption," he said.
The former prime minister continued: "We should have the courage not to raise our hands to wai, or pay respect, to whoever cheats and plunder the country. It is not necessary for us to wai the cheats. We must hate the cheats because they are the worst and undesirable elements of our country."