CORRUPTION PREVENTION IN LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS BY BUDDHIST INTEGRATIVE MECHANISM

Abstract

Objectives of this research were 1.tostudy general context of organization administration soliciting corruption in Thai society, 2.tostudy a procedure of corruption prevention in local administrative organizations by the Buddhist method, and 3. to propose a model for corruption prevention in local administrative organizations by means of Buddhist integrative mechanism

             Methodology was the qualitative method collecting data from document and anti-corruption network by state mechanism and in-depth-interviewing 30 key informants, purposefully selected from state and private sectors and 5 high ranking administrators from head department and people from 4 provinces with administrative organizations that received the Gold Phrapokklao Award.  Data were also collected from 9 participants in Focus Group Discussion to cross-check the findings and data were analyzed by descriptive interpretation.

             Findings were as follows:

1.General context that solicits corruption in Thai society could beDivided into two levels: 1) personal level; state personnel do not understand the rules and regulations so they use positions for bribery solicitation for themselves and their associates, lacking of virtuous consciences in practicing duties. People also like to pay bribery to state personnel for the good and fast services. So they see that bribery is normal, not personal involvement. Those who made complaint against bribery dared not disclose the names people involved, mentioned only organizations. These contexts made corruption scrutiny difficult to check, 2) organizational level; Owing to bureaucratic system was complicated, so that state personnel use this gap to seek for unprofitable bribery for themselves. Some cases the rules and regulations were set so that the right persons could not perform their duties. Internal checking mechanism was not efficient. External corruption control mechanisms and judicial process were slow, not right to minute. Punishment by law and by society were not tough enough.

2.Corruption prevention of local administrative organizations according to Buddhism was that local administrative organizations had transparency and participation management in line with national strategy of corruption prevention emphasizing good governance, particularly the transparency with indicators set forward by PhrapoklaoInstitute and dividing the corruption prevention into 2 levels:  1) personal level; emphasizing values and attitudes of personnel to abide by the virtuous morality and observing the five precepts and live the life by the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, 2) 0rganizational level; administration by good governance, coordinating with independent agencies to generate common knowledge to check the organization for transparent  and participatory action from people in every step.

3.A model of corruption prevention in local administrative organizations by Buddhism integrative mechanism consisted of two internal administrative levels: 1) personal level; integrating Lokapaladhamma; the virtues that protect the world, (Hiri, moral shame and Ottappa, moral dread) as generating mechanism to implant the consciences of personnel in organizations to enhance moral shame and moral dread, to be afraid of the consequences of bad doing and implanting the morality consciences that is the starting point of human development, 2) organizational level; integrating Apparihaniyadhamma 7; the virtues for administration leading to only prosperity and strength, harmony of the group, elder respect, abiding rules and regulations, total responsibility and practicing along religious, good and well-believed traditions and cultures. By integrating these virtues along with good governance as driving mechanism, local administrative organizations would be sustainable corruption-free organizations.