Academics call for putting corruption eradication on national agenda

BANGKOK, August 30 (TNA) - Academics has urged Thailand's National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to amend laws, aimed at plugging loopholes which pave the way for malpractices, and to include corruption eradication into national agenda. Wuthisarn Tanchai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Phra Pok Klao Institute, stressed, while opening a seminar in Bangkok on Saturday (Aug 30), that the corruption problem should be listed as national agenda and the Thai society should oppose and map out measures to punish corruptors, but supporting those who are honest. Besides, Wuthisarn said, Thai leaders should be a good model for people, pointing out a positive signal now that Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha has clearly spoken out against corruption. Meanwhile, Thavilvadee Burikul, also of the Phra Pok Klao Institute, along with a number of other academics of the same institute, presented a report prepared by Berlin-based Global Corruption Barometer issued last year, indicating that Thai police were most corrupted, followed by political parties, and that the practice had affected the country’s credibility, especially on the Thai economy. Thavilvadee and other academics proposed that a law be also promulgated in Thailand to protect informants and witnesses on malpractices, aimed at encouraging people to disclose them to the society. (TNA)