Transparency International ranked Thailand 84th out of 180 countries in its 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index.
The no-nonsense attitude taken by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in dealing with the latest corruption case to come out of the Public Health Ministry has had an unexpected result.
Possibly influenced by the rarity of seeing a government minister ordered to fall on his sword, opposition MPs are talking of postponing the censure debate they had intended to hold immediately after Parliament reopens on Thursday. Puea Thai executives say the party might wait until it has more ammunition.
No matter how it plays out, Mr Abhisit should be given full credit for the firm stance he has adopted on corruption. His administration must be encouraged to get even tougher on graft in the coming months. With economic recovery will come the need to attract greater foreign investment, rejuvenate flagging businesses and overhaul the worst aspects of the system we live by. This will mean an emphasis on innovation and accountability. There will be no room for bureaucratic overkill, outstretched hands or a return to "business as usual" if we are serious about success. It is time to eliminate these problem areas and bottlenecks.
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