BANGKOK, THAILAND - Media OutReach Newswire - 26 March 2024 - As emerging with rapid digitalization that paves the way for transnational corruption, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Thailand further tightened its collaboration with international organizations in tackling new tactics and complicated illicit activities in accordance with global standards.
The NACC's Secretary-General, Mr. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol recently met with representatives of the Nordic Police Liaison Office, led by Mr. Carsten Andersen, Assistant Attache/Liaison Officer, Nordic Police Affairs Department at the Danish Embassy, Thailand and Ms. Jane Ohlsson, Assistant Ambassador/Coordinating Officer for Police Affairs in the Nordic Countries at the Swedish Embassy, Thailand, along with NACC's executives and representatives from the Bureau of International Corruption Affairs and Cases, and the Bureau of Investigation and Special Affairs to enhance cooperation between the NACC enforcement agencies in combating transnational corruption.
"Current corruption problems are not limited to any one country. But it has developed into a transnational crime, which affects all countries around the world. Therefore, cooperation between each other in various forms, both bilateral and multilateral is considered an important mechanism for effectively preventing transnational corruption of all kinds," said the NACC secretary-general.
He further elaborated that the NACC has collaboration with enforcement agencies from the Nordic countries in both bilateral and multilateral. It has a memorandum of understanding between each other to exchange legal information, coordinate cases, as well as academic cooperation in particular, the sharing of knowledge and anti-corruption practices which is beneficial to raising the level of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of Thailand. This tie collaboration will help promote the prevention and suppression of corruption in Thailand more effectively.
Furthermore, under the cooperation, both sides discussed and exchanged information on international cooperation in criminal matters related to corruption cases between Thailand and the Nordic countries. Denmark has expressed great interest in the NACC's corruption prosecutions and is willing to cooperate in solving transnational corruption cases, while also exchanging information that is beneficial to the fight against corruption.
Mr. Niwatchai concluded that the NACC has given great importance to strengthening and expanding the network of cooperation with law enforcement agencies of various countries to deal with transnational corruption continuously. Presently, the NACC, in Thailand has made memoranda of understanding with 25 law enforcement agencies and international organizations, including nine ASEAN countries, the Ministry of Supervision of China, the Independent Authority against Corruption of Mongolia, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan, the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Australia, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority of Saudi Arabia, the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic, Federal Ministry of the Interior of Austria, Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, International Department of the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom, and Office of the Comptroller General of Brazil, as well as World Bank, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), Basel Institute on Governance, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).
*This exclusive interview translation is funded by the National Anti-Corruption Fund (NACF).
National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Thailand
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is a constitutional independent organization and supervised by nine commissioners selected from various professions. It is authorized to undertake work on the prevention and suppression of malfeasance, particularly in government agencies, on assets investigations, as well as on the monitoring of ethics and virtues of political position holders.
It has the authority to file charges in court as well as support and build up awareness of the penalties for committing corruption. The NACC is supervised by the NACC Board and has the Office of the NACC as its administrative agency.
Since 1997, Thai Courts have ruled against and punished politicians, former ministers, high-ranking government officials as well as executives of the private sector in the thousands of cases submitted by the NACC.
