A case from a Thai newspaper reporting on how, a snack box or a lunch box was left in a court containing 2 million Baht. This converts to around $66,000 Australian dollars.

The lunch box was brought to the court by a lawyer who informed the court staff to give the box to a certain judge who is presiding over a high profile case. The court staff due to regulations opened the box and found the 2 million Baht in cash. It was said that the lawyer who is handling a high profile politician’s case left the box.

Straight away people have accused Thaksin Shinawatra’s lawyer, Thailand’s ex prime minister who was overthrown by a coup a few years ago.

The judge was notified of the lunch box and its contents and he then phoned the lawyer who returned and picked up the money and left. There is an inquiry panel now looking into the case to asses if this was attempted bribery, or not.

Thailand is plagued by problem of corruption. It runs from high government departments to small business men. Anyone who has read a newspaper about Thailand knows of the allegations of corrupt police, this is also stated in many forums on the internet. I can honestly say I have never had to bribe anyone for anything. I am lucky I suppose.

Corruption in Thailand is hurting the country as many countries refuse to work closer with Thailand; they keep Thailand as friends but distant friends. I can never see Thailand stamping out corruption as it is so rife.

I personally know of people who pay different people money to trade in illegal goods, nothing like drugs but copied CD’s, VCD’s and DVD’s. The person pays the local area police protection or warning money every month. He pays for each stall he has and this costs 10,000 Baht and 8,000 Baht per month. He has to pay the copyright police as well. This ranges, in price and he also has to pay representatives from the CD companies at times if they turn up at his stall.

Corruption isn’t restricted to just Thailand, it’s worldwide. Even if a person has virtually anything they want, they still want more. Australia, USA and many other first nations have problems with corruption but thankfully there are plenty of departments that will try to and usually track these people down and deal with them through courts of law.

Corruption hurts little people, normal everyday people. In the end it is them who end up paying more for whatever the product is that has been through the hands of corruptors. I just watched a programme about corruption in India and it seems to be a lot worse there. I can only hope that one day a government comes to power in Thailand; it cracks down on corruption with no leniency.

I know in my time this will not happen and it may not happen for another 100 years, maybe my kids will one day live in a corrupt free Thailand, but this is wishful thinking.