Minister: Local bodies rife with corruption

Local administrations are supposed to be the real prime minister of local people. The question is: Have our local administrations reached that stage?" says Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Local administration organisations throughout the country are plagued with corruption, with both political and permanent officials being the worst of those involved, Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya said on Wednesday.

Gen Paiboon, in his capacity as chairman of the Centre for National Anti-Corruption (CNAC), made the comment at the opening of a workshop to address budget overspending among local administration organisations, which comprise municipalities, provincial administration organisations (PAO) and tambon administration organisations (TAO).

He said CNAC was an anti-graft agency which focused on prevention rather than suppression based on the belief suppression alone could not solve the problem.

Like the drug trade, money is the main catalyst for corruption.

Corruption involves not only budget allocations, but also abuse of laws to allow for dishonest practices.

"It has been evident that political and permanent government officials are involved in most corruption cases. Although not all of them are bad, they are the main cause of corruption," he said.

"What is quite alarming is the fact that more officials from independent agencies and justice-related agencies have a tendency to enter politics after retirement and some of them are given cabinet posts because of their connections and power to benefit certain groups of permanent officials," he said.

Citing an example of corruption on the part of government officials, the justice minister said: "No investors would dare encroach on a forest to build a resort worth thousands of millions of baht without their help."