Corruption skyrockets: Thailand fall from 76th to 101st

New constitution fights corruption but entrenches military & unaccountable govt. Cambodia rated most corrupt in Southeast Asia.

CORRUPTION

Corruption skyrockets: Thailand fall from 76th to 101st

Thailand seen as more corrupt last year
25/01/2017
Online Reporters

Thailand's corruption ranking has plummeted, from 76th in 2015 to 101st place of the 176 countries assessed in 2016 by independent watchdog Transparency International.

The corruption watchdog organisation released its Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 on Wednesday (see here).

WHAT CAUSED THE SUDDEN DROP IN RANKING?

The drop in Thailand's corruption ranking was attributed to government repression, lack of independent oversight, entrenched military rule, deteriorating rights and a banned opposition that eroded public confidence in the country.

Thailand's ranking fell from 76th out of 168 countries assessed in 2015 to 101st out of 176 countries in 2016, equal with Gabon, Niger, Peru, the Philippines, East Timor, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Thailand's new constitution, while it placed significant focus on addressing corruption, entrenched military power and unaccountable government, undermining eventual return to democratic civilian rule, it said.

Free debate on the constitution was impossible; campaigning in opposition was banned and dozens of people were arrested and detained.

The military junta also prohibited monitoring of the referendum, Transparency International said, referring to the constitutional referendum in August last year.

CAMBODIA RATED MOST CORRUPT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 

In Asia-Pacific, both Thailand and Cambodia both fell in the rankings.

Cambodia, for the second year in a row, was rated the most corrupt Southeast Asian country on the list, with a score of 21 points.

As space for civil society continued to be extremely restricted, that was not surprising, Transparency International said.

GLOBAL RANKINGS

Over two-thirds of the 176 countries and territories fell below the midpoint of the scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

The global average  was 43 points.

Top scorers were Denmark and New Zealand and the lowest was Somalia.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1186572/thailand-seen-as-more-corrupt-last-year

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