Bribery hotline for foreign investors

PACC chief Prayong Preeyajit told The Nation that the centre has opened with a 24-hour hotline (09 2668 0777) and Line ID (FD.PACC).

He said the centre was launched because the Board of Investment revealed many foreign investors were pressured for bribes by officials but had no channel to speedily file complaints. The service would be provided to companies that win tax incentives from the BOI, he said.

Prayong, who is also secretary of the Thailand Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, said the PACC had asked for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s approval to open the centre, which will contact complainants and update them on the progress of cases within seven days. 

“If probes find officials are guilty of wrongdoing, respective agencies will proceed with disciplinary probes and punishment against the officials within three to four months, then the cases would be finalised,” he said. 

Prayong said the accused officials’ agencies would also be punished if they ignore disciplinary probe requests. Article 44 of the interim charter might be used to order the transfer of supervisors, he said. 

Director of the PACC’s International Affairs Division Bhumivisan Kasemsook said the economy would not be secure if there was a lack of investor confidence in the country, so officials must not demand bribes or take advantages of investors. This was in line with the PM’s policy to rid Thailand of corruption, he said. 

The PACC would carry out probes in tandem with criminal punishments, he added.

Bhumivisan revealed that the South Korean Chamber of Commerce chairman, who is an adviser to the South Korean president, recently exchanged ideas with the PACC |and expressed interest in cooperating over the matter. 

He said PACC wanted exchanges with over 40 chambers of commerce and foreign investor representatives in order to boost confidence in Thailand – and show that it has effective preventive measures against corruption in place and will seriously probe cases after receiving complaints. 

He said the PACC was also ready to expand cooperation with other countries in a bid to stamp out corruption because the problem plagues many countries. So far the PACC has cooperated only with Hong Kong and Singapore, he said. 

Bhumivisan said in the past only a few foreign investors filed complaints – partly because the criminal process could drag on for up to a decade. 

“This issue is like boiling water bubbling under a kettle lid, which if left unattended could explode. Hence some channels must be opened to release pressure,” he said. 

He said investors could contact the PACC or the complaints centre, which is equipped with English speaking officials. Information provided was confidential, he noted.

Prayong credited the National Council for Peace and Order for the country’s better scores in terms of transparency and foreign investor confidence.

He said the government also sought to help investors by setting a timeframe for state agencies to approve licences, with agencies that breach the timeframe liable to be punished. 

He said public sector management was also clearer and rogue officials would be held accountable – with disciplinary probes and punishment expected to enacted within 45 days for mild violations and within 120 days for serious violations. Probes for both violations, however, could be extended to up to 180 days. 

Common problems that foreign investors face include difficulties and delays in getting permits to build factories, Prayong said.

Previously, he said, a probe for alleged bullying could last up to two years without even going to the criminal process, but the establishment of the centre should speed things up. And with officials getting punished more often, it was likely that fewer would seek bribes from investors, he said.