Cabinet mulls charge-waiver scheme for bribers
The Cabinet is still undecided about whether to endorse a proposal to waive criminal charges against people who commit bribery if they provide information about official corruption, the Secretary-General to the Council of State said Tuesday.
Distat Hotrakitya said the Cabinet had thoroughly discussed the proposal by Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong that Article 44 of the interim charter should be enforced to drop charges against bribers willing to give details of officials on the take.
While Cabinet would like to see such an approach being more effective, it did not resolve to endorse it nor assign the council to look into possible legal aspects, he added.
The issue emerged after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he had instructed the Finance Ministry to come up with measures such as legal amendments to get cooperation from people who may have succumbed to pressure for bribes from state officials.
Under current anti-corruption laws, bribers and those receiving bribes face criminal prosecution, undermining any cooperation they might give to the state, he said.
