This corruption plague arrived in 2001
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Thailand used to be practically corruption-free, with a political reputation as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. Large-scale bribery and electoral fraud were almost unheard of. Then along came Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai Party.
After Thaksin became prime minister in 2001, suddenly Thailand seemed plagued with corruption in government, the police, military, business and the judiciary. Bribery, embezzlement, kickbacks, favouritism and nepotism are now everywhere. Rampant vote-buying was introduced and helped Thaksin win two elections in landslides. The pro-Thaksin People’s Power Party and Pheu Thai also bought votes to win elections. The Democrat Party had no chance of winning, since it sticks to clean politics.
We must uproot the Thaksin regime and eradicate Pheu Thai so that the Democrats can bring change and free Thailand of corruption and vote-buying.
Somsak Pola
Samut Prakan
