Anutin orders anti-graft overhaul after Thailand’s CPI slips

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand’s score in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 had fallen to 33 out of 100, placing the country 116th out of 182 worldwide, and ordered agencies to accelerate legal and administrative reforms to restore confidence.

Speaking at Government House, Anutin said a score of 33 was “quite low” and could be interpreted as reflecting high corruption and low transparency. He said he had asked the secretary-general of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) for clarification on the assessment and for recommendations on how Thailand could improve.

Anutin said being placed in the lower half of the global ranking was not a good sign, and he did not want the issue to become an obstacle that would cause foreigners to view Thailand negatively, particularly after the election. He said he had instructed the PACC and Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno to urgently prepare improvements to laws, procedures and regulations—ranging from legislation and ministerial regulations to decrees and potential new laws—to strengthen Thailand’s ability to prevent and suppress corruption.

He added that corruption was not only about paying money for convenience, but also about the broader system of approvals and permits, which he described as critical to building confidence among investors and businesses. He said the law intended to facilitate business operations must be enforced seriously, and there should be a dedicated unit responsible for the work.

Anutin said relevant agencies—including the PACC, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), and the Board of Investment (BOI)—could be brought together to find ways to increase transparency as much as possible. He said enforcement agencies must act decisively against those engaged in corrupt conduct and abuse of office, and if existing laws were insufficient, amendments should be pursued.

He said he believed the next government would likely have a parliamentary majority, and expressed confidence that lawmakers, including senators whose endorsement is required for certain legislation, would support anti-corruption reforms and measures to make legitimate business and transactions in Thailand more convenient.

Anutin said he was uneasy about the CPI score, describing it as a tool reflecting a country’s image. He said Thailand had effectively “failed” against a 100-point benchmark, and argued the issue must be treated as a national priority because it affects confidence, credibility, and investment flows, with knock-on impacts on the economy and society.