VZCZCXRO3686
RR RUEHCHI
DE RUEHBK #1945/01 0940131
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040131Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6021
INFO RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 3390

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PD (JDAVIES), EAP/MLS (MHIGGINS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO TH
SUBJECT: Ethics Given Priority By Thai Government 
 
¶1.  Summary: The Thai coup in September created unique challenges -- 
and also opportunities -- for using cultural unit programs to inform 
Thai audiences about American cultural values such as democracy, 
constitutionalism, rule of law, transparency, and ethics in 
government.  At the same time, PD officers were able to engage a 
broad section of the Thai government, academia and civil society and 
to hear their assessments of efforts to reform government 
institutions and enhance democracy in Thailand once there is a 
return to elected government.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. In a country known for "mai pen rai" (no problem), recent 
initiatives by the RTG indicate that it is placing greater emphasis 
on morality and ethics in public life.  Shortly after taking office, 
and presumably in response to the perceived excesses of the Thaksin 
government, Prime Minister Surayud indicated that ethics would be 
one of the pillars of his administration. 
 
--------------- 
Ethics for Kids 
--------------- 
 
¶3. Several weeks after the September coup, in a meeting with a 
senior civil servant in the Ministry of Education, PDoffs first 
learned of concrete steps being taken at the direction of the Prime 
Minister to give morality and ethics a greater role in public life. 
The PM had asked that the Ministry ensure that morality and ethics 
be emphasized in the curriculum of the public education system in 
order to create a society where ethics and morality are widely 
understood and supported.  The Ministry is now working on this new 
curriculum. 
 
-------------------- 
Ethics for Grown-Ups 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. Working with various government ministries, including the Prime 
Minister's Office, in December 2006 the Public Affairs Section began 
a series of public diplomacy programs focusing on good governance. 
Programs have included digital video conferences (DVC) on moral 
government, ethics in government, and referenda, while U.S. Speaker 
Programs have covered constitutional issues, ethics in government, 
conflict of interest, rule of law, election procedures, civic 
participation, and transparency in government, among others. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Trying to Institutionalize Reform 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. As a result of the December 2006 ethics DVC, the Prime Minister's 
Office requested that the speaker, Jane Ley, Deputy Director of the 
U.S. Office of Government Ethics, come to Thailand to further 
support initiatives in good governance.  She came in January 2007 
under the Strategic Speaker Initiative and did a series of 
consultations and public programs on conflict-of-interest issues; 
these programs gave PDoffs greater insight into the activities of 
the RTG as it tries to come to grips with enhancing ethical conduct 
by both politicians and career civil service employees.  PDoffs 
learned that the RTG is attempting to reform its civil service 
system by creating its own office of government ethics, placing 
Ethics Officers in each of the ministries and agencies, enhancing 
the existing regulations to make conflict-of-interest rules a part 
of the civil service system, creating a separate non-enforceable 
code of conduct for civil service employees that sets standards to 
which all employees should aspire, reforming the mandate of the 
National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) to focus more closely 
on serious cases of corruption rather than petty offenses, 
attempting to assess the "ethics" of each ministry or government 
agency in Thailand, and introducing ethics legislation that will 
govern elected officials in the legislature and ministries. 
 
¶6. Thai officials also explained the inherent difficulties in 
successfully institutionalizing these reforms because Thai culture 
places a premium on diffusing conflict, making it difficult for 
employees to complain when they see violations of law or ethics in 
the workplace.  Further, fear of retribution by senior government 
officials is a disincentive for action by subordinates.  To address 
this concern, the RTG is also considering whistleblower protection 
legislation for government employees. 
 
¶7. While the current administration is focused on ethics, both 
senior leaders and civil servants stated they recognize that any 
long-term change would rest with the elected government that 
follows, and they told PDoff that they were not sanguine about the 
prospects of the next administration taking the issue as seriously. 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
When Your Bribe Just Isn't Enough 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8. Post also provided experts to work with members of the 
 
BANGKOK 00001945  002 OF 002 
 
 
Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) and the Constitution Drafting 
Committee (CDC) as it considers various elements of the new Thai 
constitution.  Under the U.S. Speaker Program, post invited two 
constitutional experts, Prof. Thomas Ginsburg from the University of 
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign College of Law, and Senior Judge Loren 
Smith from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, to provide their views 
on constitutional issues.  In one session at a local university, a 
former political science professor told PDoff about his unsuccessful 
run for the presidency of the university.  (Note: It is unusual for 
Thai universities, but the president of this university is elected 
by the faculty and students.  End note).  The professor emeritus 
lamented that he had spent 3 million Thai baht of his own money to 
buy votes from students, but his opponent and ultimate victor had 
outspent him by 7 million Thai baht.  It was not lost on those 
listening to his tale that this early introduction to "democracy" 
didn't bode well for the students' understanding of democratic 
activities in the future. 
 
¶9. Comment:  Though focusing on issues of morality and ethics by 
Thai governments isn't new (the Thaksin administration strictly 
enforced the bar closing hours to reduce juvenile delinquency), the 
recent emphasis on ethics and morality appears genuine and 
comprehensive, and has support from the very top of the government. 
However, entrenched cultural norms, as well as more immediate issues 
demanding attention, will make it difficult for the RTG to achieve 
significant, lasting changes in these areas in the short amount of 
time remaining in its tenure. 
 
ARVIZU