Top 10 Corruption News Stories of 2568: Impacts and What Should Be Done in 2569

Here are the top 10 corruption news stories of 2568, while 2569 will be a crucial test of whether Thailand dares to dismantle the corrupt system or allow it to become even more deeply entrenched.

Dec 25, 2568 – Mr. Mana Nimitmongkol, Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Organization (Thailand). It was revealed that 68 was the year of... "Network fraud" There have been many instances where politicians and the elite have acted in ways that defy societal expectations without fear or regard for ethics.

While many senators and members of independent organizations have become a burden to the country, making anti-corruption efforts difficult and severely hindering the rule of law and human rights,

Here are 10 corruption news stories as examples.

1. The collapse of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building, a corruption scandal that resulted in 86 deaths and over 2 billion baht in damages, has left the mastermind and the true cause of the collapse unknown. This is because the official investigation report has been kept secret within the shelving of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the government. This raises questions about the safety standards of the Thai construction industry and the reliability of the NACC's ITA (Integrity and Transparency Assessment).
2. The Buddhist clergy is facing a crisis of "faith and trust" following reports of several high-ranking monks embezzling temple funds. In the case of the laywoman Golf alone, there are as many as 13 individuals implicated, with investigations revealing damages of approximately 385 million baht over a three-year period. The embezzlement and fraudulent activities against the faith of devotees have continued to be exposed, involving other prominent monks such as Phra Alongkot, and an additional 181 individuals who are currently being pursued by the Central Investigation Bureau.
3. The seizure and freezing of assets worth over ten billion baht from three scammer networks has implicated individuals such as "Yim Liak, Ben Smith, Kok An, and Chen Zhi," as suspected by the government and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO). However, what has most alarmed society is the continuous media coverage and photographs of celebrities implicated in these activities. This highlights the interconnectedness between "bribes and corruption among Thai police, politicians, and businessmen, and a global network of illicit capital" that dominates the state, causing hardship to Thai people amounting to 115.3 billion baht annually. This occurs amidst a weak, discriminatory, and secretive state oversight mechanism, yet one ready to target anyone who dares to expose the corruption.
4. A drug embezzlement scandal, spanning seven years, has been exposed at the Veterans' Hospital. Over 20 doctors and accomplices were involved, causing approximately 80 million baht in damages. The scandal was uncovered by a courageous woman who dedicated two years to investigating. This embezzlement was further exposed by news of a police doctor (or "Doctor Air") involved in drug trafficking and a military doctor administering fake flu vaccines to patients. These widespread fraud cases within hospitals have negatively impacted the quality of service under the universal healthcare scheme (gold card and 30-baht healthcare programs), and many state hospitals are facing severe cash flow problems.
5. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was the first to actually serve a prison sentence after a long period of "phantom imprisonment" due to a "distortion of the law and truth" orchestrated by politicians, some within the Department of Corrections, and doctors at a police hospital. This continued until the Human Rights Commission's investigation led to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division ruling against him. This act of cronyism and manipulation of law enforcement has undermined public trust in Thailand's justice system internationally and within Thai society.
6. Former National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukvimol, along with over 200 others, were found guilty of disciplinary misconduct by the Police Complaints Committee on charges of accepting bribes from an online gambling ring. This is the most scandalous news for the police force this year, raising the question, "Who can the public rely on?" When trust in the justice system is shaken, people's confidence in living securely and safely is inevitably diminished.
7. Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Pichet Chuemuangphan, was removed from office by the Constitutional Court for "violating the Constitution" by proposing a budget for a project that appeared to be allocated funds for his own constituency. This constituted a conflict of interest in the use of 443 million baht in the 68 budget. Such behavior is common in the Thai Parliament, although it is not publicly disclosed or pursued as a legal case. This results in the concentration of funds in the constituencies of certain politicians, creating injustice for the entire Thai nation.
8. The Social Security Office (SSO) is embroiled in scandals involving its annual calendar production costing 50 million baht, the purchase of an old building for 7 billion baht at double its market price, the exorbitantly expensive development of a new application for 850 million baht, and, not to be forgotten, the attempt to sell its shares in Bangchak Corporation to Charter Group, which led to a major scandal. It's crucial to remember that the stability and assets of the Social Security Office, whether increasing or decreasing, are in line with the health and security of over 24.8 million people who pay 750 baht per month each to the SSO.
9. A secret room in the prison, used to provide services to VVIP inmates under the orders of the prison warden, underscores once again the fact that almost all prisons are rife with "embezzlement of public funds" and "accepting bribes from inmates" for special privileges. This is something everyone knows about, but those in power have consistently denied. Examples include inmate promotions, transfers to hospitals when they aren't genuinely ill, corruption in food budgets, construction projects, etc.
10. The "3 Ps" (referring to the three key figures in the Thai law enforcement network) have led to numerous arrests of government officials for accepting bribes, extortion, and corruption. These cases highlight the greed and disregard for the law by officials, including local politicians, influential figures involved in forest encroachment, and senior monks embezzling temple funds. Therefore, these swift arrests represent a new step in the cooperation between the police, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), the Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Suppression Division (ACMSD), and the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), a move that deserves applause from the Thai people.

Mr. Mana said that: Throughout 68, worrying news stories continued to emerge regarding the future direction of the nation, including:

• first story The acquittal of the masterminds in two transnational bribery cases – the palm oil plantation case in Indonesia and the Rolls-Royce bribery case at PTT (the national oil and gas company) – and the high-profile 6 billion baht bid-rigging case for police station construction nationwide, is a prime example.
• Second story The Khao Kradong conflict and the Senate collusion case clearly illustrate the abuse of power by state agencies and civil servants as bargaining chips and political sabotage, leading to the decline of the rule of law in Thailand.
• Third story The attempts to amend the duty-free shop concession contract and the joint venture agreement for the high-speed rail project connecting three airports raise questions about what is more important: national interests versus the business interests of cronies. What exactly are the laws and governance in public procurement? Both projects will be a test of Thailand's prestige in the eyes of the international community.

In addition, there was political and election news throughout the year, starting with a famous statement made to the media by the winner of the Thanyaburi municipal election, stating that... "The villagers like to eat stevia." How shameless and utterly disgraceful.

Another phenomenon to watch closely is how alert Thai people are to the upcoming general election. How will we counter those who use dirty money from illegal businesses and shady sources to buy votes and politicians? If we can't stop this, corrupt individuals will inevitably transform into politicians and rule the country.

"In my personal opinion, the news of the seizure and freezing of assets worth over ten billion baht from three scammer networks involved in illegal money laundering has had a structural impact on society. It connects the interests of diverse groups and facilitates the growth of illicit capital, undermining political mechanisms and spreading to the economy. Ultimately, this affects the well-being of the people." Mr. Mana said.

Mr. Mana stated that in the Subdistrict Administrative Organization elections on January 11, 2026, and the nationwide parliamentary elections on February 8, 2026, he urged Thai people to make their single vote a "one vote that can dramatically change lives," choosing competent and good people to serve the country. He called for an end to the old way of voting, where voters choose those who buy votes, those connected to powerful political families, influential figures, and those with a history of corruption and illegal activities.

Reference : Facebook : Anti-corruption organization

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