Ethics Given Priority By Thai Government

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001945 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/PD (JDAVIES),EAP/MLS (MHIGGINS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO TH SUBJECT: Ethics Given Priority By Thai Government ¶1. Summary: The Thai coup in September created unique challenges -- and also opportunities -- for using cultural unit programs to inform Thai audiences about American cultural values such as democracy, constitutionalism, rule of law, transparency, and ethics in government. At the same time, PD officers were able to engage a broad section of the Thai government, academia and civil society and to hear their assessments of efforts to reform government institutions and enhance democracy in Thailand once there is a return to elected government. End Summary. ¶2. In a country known for "mai pen rai" (no problem),recent initiatives by the RTG indicate that it is placing greater emphasis on morality and ethics in public life. Shortly after taking office, and presumably in response to the perceived excesses of the Thaksin government, Prime Minister Surayud indicated that ethics would be one of the pillars of his administration. -------------- Ethics for Kids -------------- ¶3. Several weeks after the September coup, in a meeting with a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Education, PDoffs first learned of concrete steps being taken at the direction of the Prime Minister to give morality and ethics a greater role in public life. The PM had asked that the Ministry ensure that morality and ethics be emphasized in the curriculum of the public education system in order to create a society where ethics and morality are widely understood and supported. The Ministry is now working on this new curriculum. -------------- Ethics for Grown-Ups -------------- ¶4. Working with various government ministries, including the Prime Minister's Office, in December 2006 the Public Affairs Section began a series of public diplomacy programs focusing on good governance. Programs have included digital video conferences (DVC) on moral government, ethics in government, and referenda, while U.S. Speaker Programs have covered constitutional issues, ethics in government, conflict of interest, rule of law, election procedures, civic participation, and transparency in government, among others. -------------- Trying to Institutionalize Reform -------------- ¶5. As a result of the December 2006 ethics DVC, the Prime Minister's Office requested that the speaker, Jane Ley, Deputy Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, come to Thailand to further support initiatives in good governance. She came in January 2007 under the Strategic Speaker Initiative and did a series of consultations and public programs on conflict-of-interest issues; these programs gave PDoffs greater insight into the activities of the RTG as it tries to come to grips with enhancing ethical conduct by both politicians and career civil service employees. PDoffs learned that the RTG is attempting to reform its civil service system by creating its own office of government ethics, placing Ethics Officers in each of the ministries and agencies, enhancing the existing regulations to make conflict-of-interest rules a part of the civil service system, creating a separate non-enforceable code of conduct for civil service employees that sets standards to which all employees should aspire, reforming the mandate of the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) to focus more closely on serious cases of corruption rather than petty offenses, attempting to assess the "ethics" of each ministry or government agency in Thailand, and introducing ethics legislation that will govern elected officials in the legislature and ministries. ¶6. Thai officials also explained the inherent difficulties in successfully institutionalizing these reforms because Thai culture places a premium on diffusing conflict, making it difficult for employees to complain when they see violations of law or ethics in the workplace. Further, fear of retribution by senior government officials is a disincentive for action by subordinates. To address this concern, the RTG is also considering whistleblower protection legislation for government employees. ¶7. While the current administration is focused on ethics, both senior leaders and civil servants stated they recognize that any long-term change would rest with the elected government that follows, and they told PDoff that they were not sanguine about the prospects of the next administration taking the issue as seriously. -------------- When Your Bribe Just Isn't Enough -------------- ¶8. Post also provided experts to work with members of the BANGKOK 00001945 002 OF 002 Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) and the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) as it considers various elements of the new Thai constitution. Under the U.S. Speaker Program, post invited two constitutional experts, Prof. Thomas Ginsburg from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign College of Law, and Senior Judge Loren Smith from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, to provide their views on constitutional issues. In one session at a local university, a former political science professor told PDoff about his unsuccessful run for the presidency of the university. (Note: It is unusual for Thai universities, but the president of this university is elected by the faculty and students. End note). The professor emeritus lamented that he had spent 3 million Thai baht of his own money to buy votes from students, but his opponent and ultimate victor had outspent him by 7 million Thai baht. It was not lost on those listening to his tale that this early introduction to "democracy" didn't bode well for the students' understanding of democratic activities in the future. ¶9. Comment: Though focusing on issues of morality and ethics by Thai governments isn't new (the Thaksin administration strictly enforced the bar closing hours to reduce juvenile delinquency),the recent emphasis on ethics and morality appears genuine and comprehensive, and has support from the very top of the government. However, entrenched cultural norms, as well as more immediate issues demanding attention, will make it difficult for the RTG to achieve significant, lasting changes in these areas in the short amount of time remaining in its tenure. ARVIZU