GCR to Hold Dialogue on Outdated Law Reforms on May 19
The Zero Corruption Task Force will hold a dialogue on May 19 to prioritize outdated laws needing reform, after presenting anti-corruption initiatives and digital transparency proposals to Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister.
On May 15, Phot Aramwattananont, chairman of the Zero Corruption Task Force of GCR and chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, along with teams from three private sector institutions—GCR, the Thai Anti-Corruption Organization (Thailand), the Institute for Justice (TIJ), and academics from TDRI—met with Deputy Prime Minister Phorn Nila Praphand (Legal Affairs) to propose sustainable solutions to corruption and push for legal reforms to strengthen the country's competitive capacity.
The Zero Corruption Task Force presented three key initiatives:
1. Declaring anti-corruption as a "national agenda" and proposing the establishment of a "National Anti-Corruption Committee" chaired by the Prime Minister, along with a public-private cooperation committee to jointly monitor and promote ethical practices.
2. Using digital technology to open government data, proposing the use of budget tracking dashboards and centralized data exchange systems to reduce official discretion and emphasize interconnected government data.
3. Elevating four transparency pilot agencies—the Finance Ministry, Interior Ministry, Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration—by emphasizing the disclosure of procurement information through the e-Government Procurement system and establishing citizen feedback mechanisms.
The task force also proposed the "Reinvent Thailand" plan to address outdated laws that obstruct business operations in target industries.
Deputy Prime Minister Phorn Nila Praphand acknowledged the proposals and stated that the government has a clear policy against corruption, particularly closing legal loopholes that facilitate bribery. He committed to presenting these recommendations to the Prime Minister.
The next step for Zero Corruption will be tabled at a GCR meeting on May 19 to prioritize laws requiring urgent reform, with emphasis on measures benefiting small businesses and the general public. The refined proposal will be discussed again with the Deputy Prime Minister in early June 2025, with a June 10 submission deadline before proceeding to the Cabinet meeting.
"We must work together to build trust and confidence. Without it, the country cannot move forward," the statement emphasized.
