เอกชนไม่ทน โพล ส.อ.ท. ชี้คอร์รัปชันรุนแรงขึ้น ดันต้นทุนพุ่ง 20%Private Sector Unyielding: FTI Survey Indicates Increasing Corruption Driving Costs Up by 20%

M.L. Pikthong Thongyai, Vice Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), announced the results of the FTI CEO Poll No. 49 for March 2026 under the theme "Private Sector Unyielding: Business Voices on Corruption Issues." This survey gathered the opinions of 645 FTI executives across 48 industrial sectors and 76 provincial industrial councils to reflect the private sector's perspective on the ongoing corruption problem, which remains a significant obstacle to business operations and economic development in the country.

The survey found that a majority of industrial executives, 85.7%, believe that the corruption issue has become more severe compared to the past, indicating that this problem remains deep-rooted and continuously undermines the confidence of the business sector. The main reason for the ongoing corruption issue is primarily attributed to the culture of patronage and conflict of interest, accounting for 70.9%. This is followed by the gaps in laws and lax enforcement at 57.2%, and the high discretion granted to officials leading to misuse of power at 53.0%, all of which are structural factors that the private sector sees as urgently needing serious reform.

In terms of the types of corruption most frequently encountered, the highest rate, 81.4%, is attributed to corruption in procurement processes, such as specification locking and bid rigging. This is followed by bribery and extortion at 72.6%, and policy-based corruption favoring certain groups at 69.8%. This reflects that corruption is not only occurring at the operational level but is also linked to policy mechanisms and public administrative structures.

It is concerning that over 55.5% of respondents indicated that the costs resulting from corruption account for more than 20% of the total business operation costs. Additionally, the survey revealed that 61.2% of respondents have personally experienced issues related to bribery or corruption, while 38.8% reported that they have not. This underscores that corruption is not merely a matter of governance but imposes direct cost burdens on businesses, affects competitiveness, and significantly diminishes the overall efficiency of the economic system.

When asked about the actions the government should expedite to address corruption, the top priority identified was to reform laws and enhance enforcement rigorously and effectively at 64.5%. The second priority was to advance digital government initiatives, utilizing technology to reduce discretionary powers while ensuring the transparency of public data (Open Data) at 60.2%. The third priority included promoting citizen and private sector engagement, expanding complaint channels, and providing tangible protections for whistleblowers at 55.5%. The fourth was to enhance the scrutiny of public policies and projects to assess value for money and transparency before, during, and after implementation at 54.9%.

Therefore, the FTI believes that addressing the corruption issue must be conducted systematically and continuously, including legal reforms, serious law enforcement, reducing discretionary powers of officials through digital systems, ensuring that government data is publicly accessible for verification, and creating mechanisms for participation from all sectors to restore confidence, enhance the investment climate, and elevate the country's competitiveness in the long term. The private sector is ready to support and actively drive the anti-corruption efforts to ensure that Thailand moves towards a transparent, equitable, and sustainable economic system.

Summary of the results from the FTI CEO Poll No. 49:

1) How severe is the current corruption problem compared to the past?
Rank 1: Increased 85.7%
Rank 2: Same 11.8%
Rank 3: Decreased 2.5%

2) What are the causes of the current corruption problem?
Rank 1: Culture of patronage and conflict of interest 70.9%
Rank 2: Gaps in laws and lax enforcement 57.2%
Rank 3: High discretion granted to officials leading to power abuse 53.0%
Rank 4: Political interference in administration 49.6%

3) What forms of corruption are most commonly occurring?
Rank 1: Procurement corruption, such as specification locking and bid rigging 81.4%
Rank 2: Bribery and extortion 72.6%
Rank 3: Policy-based corruption favoring certain groups 69.8%
Rank 4: Lobbying for positions among officials 40.2%

4) What percentage of total business operation costs do corruption-related costs represent?
Rank 1: More than 20% 55.5%
Rank 2: 11 – 20% 29.9%
Rank 3: 5 – 10% 11.2%
Rank 4: Less than 5% 2.5%
Rank 5: No costs attributed to corruption 0.9%

5) What areas should the government expedite to tackle corruption?
Rank 1: Urgently reform laws and enhance enforcement rigorously and effectively 64.5%
Rank 2: Advance digital government, utilizing technology to reduce discretionary power 60.2% while ensuring the accessibility of public data (Open Data). Rank 3: Foster community and private sector participation 55.5%, expanding complaint channels and providing tangible protections for whistleblowers.
Rank 4: Upgrade the scrutiny systems of public policy and projects to assess value for money and transparency before, during, and after implementation 54.9%

6) Have you personally experienced any issues related to bribery or corruption?
Rank 1: Yes 61.2%
Rank 2: No 38.8%    

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Corporate Communications Department, Federation of Thai Industries
Telephone 02-345-1051