Madam Dear urges voters not to elect corrupt politicians in next poll
Madam Dear urges Thais to reject vote buyers and corrupt politicians as experts, ACT and Nida Poll push new PM Anutin to lead a tougher anti-corruption fight.
- Watanya “Madam Dear” Bunnag urged Thai voters to use their power in the next election to prevent corrupt politicians and vote buyers from entering Parliament.
- She warned that politicians who buy votes will inevitably engage in corrupt practices once in office to recover their expenses.
- Despite potential disillusionment, she encouraged voters not to lose faith in politics but to actively participate to block unscrupulous candidates.
Watanya calls for rejection of vote buyers
Watanya “Madam Dear” Bunnag on Saturday urged voters not to elect vote buyers or corrupt politicians in the next election, expected after the new government completes its four-month tenure.
Watanya, who resigned from the Democrat Party in June after it joined the coalition led by former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, encouraged Thai voters not to lose hope in politics but instead to use their power to block unscrupulous politicians from entering Parliament.
“What has been happening now may cause many to lose faith in politics, as they see cheaters winning important posts and still living happily,” Watanya said. “But I want to emphasise that if an election is held after the new government’s four months in office, all voters will have the power to prevent cheaters from entering Parliament.”
She warned that if vote buyers succeed in gaining seats, they would inevitably try to recoup their spending through corrupt practices.
Anti-corruption seminar highlights
Watanya was speaking at a political seminar organised by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) at the Stock Exchange of Thailand under the theme: “Is it true that without cheating, you can’t progress?” The seminar was held to mark Anti-Corruption Day on September 6.
Opening the event, ACT president Mana Nimitmongkol urged new prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul to show zero tolerance for corruption by setting a transparent example in government. Anutin was elected by the House on Friday and received a royal command confirming his appointment on Sunday.
Public survey reveals top priorities
Mana also unveiled results from a Nida Poll survey on what Thais want the new prime minister to do to combat corruption. The top five demands were:
- Uphold the rule of law
- Personally lead the anti-corruption effort
- Take tough action against corrupt politicians in government
- Provide channels for voters to monitor politicians in office
- Suppress corruption and reject corrupt practices
The survey found that 70% of respondents blamed politicians for corruption, followed by permanent officials (55%), businessmen and contractors (29%), and some members of the public as collaborators (7%). Meanwhile, 44% believed politicians committed corruption to recover vote-buying expenses, while 41% saw it as a political “norm.”
Experts stress stronger measures
Other key speakers included Dr Dejrat Sukkamanerd, advisor to the opposition leader; Assoc Prof Dr Tavida Kamolvej, deputy Bangkok governor; Lisa Nganmtrakulpanich, president of the Thai Contractors Association; and Phan Paniangwet, managing director of Thai President Foods Plc.
- Dejrat said although corruption may help politicians gain power, their influence does not last long. He called for greater transparency to expose wrongdoing.
- Tavida highlighted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s adoption of online bidding for all projects as a model of transparent practice.
- Lisa dismissed the outdated notion that achievements could justify corruption, noting that over 20,000 contractors must collectively reject kickbacks.
- Phan stressed that honest business suffers when officials turn a blind eye, urging voters to elect honest politicians to gradually replace corrupt ones. He also said children must be instilled with values to reject corruption.
