Deadly raft of graft
After several decades of insidious and systemic corruption Thailand is finally seeing the true cost of this scourge on its society. Corruption is not only theft but it under- mines the rule of law, allows people to stay in jobs for which they are not fit, confines the talented to the sidelines and adds to the costs of nearly every public project. Most Thais wish to remain ignorant to the true costs of corruption on society but in this last year we have seen massive evidence pointing toward its deadly effects.
The abuse of workers and the evading of laws has been shown to exist in many aspects of business, especially in fishing, farming and factories. Foreign investigative reporters have had no trouble locating slave labour, underpaid workers and horrific working conditions.
After earlier problems with smaller Thai airlines operating in Asia the scandal of unsafe airline practice has finally arrived at Thai Airways’ door and, after several years of huge losses, their problems look to be just beginning. Thai roads are now widely known to be some of the deadliest in Asia if not the world and Thai rail remains in a state of decay. National forests have disappeared and resorts have sprung up in their place. Rubbish is thrown everywhere, the air is polluted and the water unfit to drink. Hundreds of citizens suffer poisoning and contamination from mines, factories and chemical sprays and nothing happens.
Corruption wrecked several successive governments and finally brought about a complete mistrust of the political class leading to the present military takeover. Still refusing to lie down, corruption now threatens the stability of the current government and is permanently causing panic amid a police force that seem more often to be in charge of extortion rather than against it.
The education system is still in a bygone era and few people have any belief in paper certificates that could easily be made in a sidewalk stall. The whole house of cards is crumbling and nobody has the strength or desire to finally rid the country of the one thing that needs tackling. Thailand can never move forward until its dealt with but a multitude of unusually rich appointees are unlikely candidates for this serious task.
LUNGSTIB