The Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, recently pronounced his confidence in the capabilities of his deputy, Chada Thaiset, in their collective fight against underworld networks. In particular, their aim is to sever the chains of command and control these mafia-like organizations exert over local governmental bodies.
Following an incident of violence, in which one police officer was fatally shot and another injured, Minister Anutin tasked Chada Thaiset with scrutinizing and investigating local leaders suspected of affiliation with the criminal underworld. This incident, which took place at a party in the residence of a reputed leader in Nakhon Pathom’s Muang district, sparked public outrage and rekindled discussions about corruption in the ranks of public servants.
When asked if this task came with a deadline, Minister Anutin dispelled such notions, stating that such deeply-rooted corruption was a persistent societal problem, and tackling it required sustained pressure and oversight.
In a session of parliamentary debate regarding governmental policies, Senator Prasit Pathummarak lauded the fresh administration’s commitment to neutralizing such organized crime syndicates and the powerful personalities goading their illegal narcotics trade.
In a parallel development, Thailand’s Anti-Corruption Organisation (ACT) has enforced a clarion call for the government to up the ante in its crackdown on corruption, particularly when it comes to state officials’ nepotistic promotions.
The organization utilized the recent Nakhon Pathom crisis to highlight the existing collusion between corrupt businesses, public agency reshuffles, and unlawful benefits offered to officials tasked with holding such business entities accountable.
The ACT emphasized that this case reflected a defective public administration system suffering from corruption and poor governance. They insisted on the termination of all those involved in these unlawful activities, in an effort to protect diligent state officials and to enforce meritocratic promotions.
The ACT further reminded Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of his promise, pledged on Thailand’s Anti-Corruption Day, to clamp down on the unscrupulous exchange of key positions in state organizations, and unfair personnel rearrangements. The PM has also pledged to impose sweeping regulations to mitigate corruption during his term in office.
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