BANGKOK, Jan 22 — A survey updating Thailand's corruption situation index (CSI) finds that the index rose to 49 points in December from 46 last June, according to University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) president Sauwanee Thairungroj.
Ms Sauwanee said the improvement in the CSI from June to December showed that corruption could be further reduced in future.
The UTCC survey found that the bribes that government contractors had to pay corrupt officials and politicians to secure their contracts fell from 25-35 per cent of project costs in 2010-2013 to 15-25 per cent in June to 5-15 per cent at present.
Thanavath Phonvichai, UTCC Economic and Business Forecasting Centre director, said that the corruption situation was the best in the country in five years from 2010 and it was significant progress.
He said 60 per cent of respondents saw corruption decreasing steadily after the National Council for Peace and Order seized power and that it was for the first time for people and businesspeople to think that corruption situation would become even less in the future.
Corruption suppression would increase Thai economic growth by 1 per cent, Dr Thanavath said. (MCOT online news)
