Arya News - Key strategies include reducing official discretion, increasing the use of digital systems for transparency and online tracking, and streamlining regulations.
BANGKOK – Government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises said on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) that the government had taken office facing the major task of tackling corruption.
Thailand scored 33 on the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), while a private-sector opinion survey found that 89.1% of respondents considered corruption a moderate to major obstacle to doing business.
In response, the government is accelerating efforts to establish systematic mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption.
It has formed the Anti-Corruption Coordination Committee, chaired by the prime minister, along with a subcommittee to advance the monitoring, prevention and suppression of bribery.
Ekkapob added that the Cabinet had recently approved in principle the “One Agency One Integrity” project, as proposed by the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC).
The project is intended to tackle corruption risks at their source by requiring state agencies to select high-risk services or work processes for improvement and produce tangible results.
The OPDC has been designated as the lead agency for implementation and monitoring.
For the first phase, 24 pilot agencies have been instructed to select 1–5 areas of work carrying corruption risks, such as approval and licensing processes, inspections, procurement, tax collection and licence renewals.
They must identify risk points, establish preventive measures and consult the private sector and other stakeholders, completing the work within six months of the Cabinet resolution.
Ekkapob emphasised that the project’s central aim was to close gaps before corruption could occur.
Agencies must revise their work processes, reduce official discretion, use digital systems to reduce face-to-face contact between officials and service users, and enable online status tracking.
They must also streamline overlapping regulations and procedures, disclose information for public scrutiny, and develop accessible and effective complaint systems.
The government, private sector and public will also be able to participate in designing solutions.
“The government is moving ahead with tackling corruption at its source. It aims to streamline public-sector approvals, licensing and services, reduce official discretion, and make processes transparent and open to scrutiny. These measures are intended to provide the public with high-quality, prompt and fair services, build business confidence, help raise the CPI score and sustainably enhance Thailand’s competitiveness,” Ekkapob said.