Thailand’s Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has called on government agencies, the private sector, and civil society to work in concert to reduce opportunities for graft and strengthen confidence in doing business in the Kingdom. Speaking at a policy seminar themed “Reducing Gaps, Reducing Corruption,” PACC Secretary-General Phumwisan Kasemsuk outlined a practical agenda that targets red tape, fragmented permitting, and weak complaint-handling as the main openings for bribery.

Focus on systemic fixes

Business leaders highlighted that complex permitting and overlapping mandates across agencies create discretion and delay—conditions that can fuel illicit payments. The proposed remedies are administrative rather than rhetorical: cutting duplicative procedures, consolidating approvals into genuine one-stop services, publishing clear service standards and timelines, and installing independent complaint channels that can trigger swift review.

Enforcement and early intervention

The PACC emphasized proactive enforcement in coordination with Thailand’s specialist bodies, including the Anti-Corruption Division of the national police, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, and the State Audit Office. A priority is to act early—identifying misconduct or neglect of duty before losses spread—and to use administrative powers to reassign implicated officials while investigations proceed. The approach is designed to stop damage quickly, protect the public interest, and demonstrate visible consequences.

Service centres for investors and the public

To give investors and residents a clear channel to seek redress, the PACC has established a dedicated public service centre for foreign investors to receive complaints about improper treatment or demands by officials. Thailand has also expanded one-stop service models for investment, visas, and work permits, reflecting a broader government push to reduce bureaucracy and provide predictable, transparent service delivery.

Legal backbone: stronger protections and compliance

Thailand has modernised parts of its anti-corruption framework, including enhanced protections for whistleblowers and clearer corporate compliance expectations under recent amendments to the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption. These changes aim to make it easier and safer to report wrongdoing and to ensure companies adopt effective internal controls.

Public–private partnership against graft

Thailand’s leading business organisations, working together under their joint committee, have pledged active cooperation—backing complaint centres, internal due-diligence standards, and sector-specific guidance to help firms resist and report solicitation. The message from industry is unambiguous: the culture of “pay for convenience” must give way to zero-tolerance practices that reward compliance, not connections.

Why it matters

Corruption deters investment, raises costs for households and small firms, and erodes trust in public services. Thailand’s drive to streamline rules, empower early intervention, and protect those who speak up is central to safeguarding consumers, supporting fair competition, and maintaining the country’s reputation as a reliable place to invest and work. By closing gaps that allow discretion and by aligning enforcement with modern service standards, authorities are signalling that Thailand is committed to clean, efficient, and investor-friendly governance.