Thursday, 09 April 2009
Written by George McLeod
The Phnom Penh Post
CAMBODIA was ranked less corrupt than Thailand on Wednesday by a Hong Kong-based organisation, counter to the findings of other recent graft surveys, but still came in third from bottom.
The report by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) scores 16 Asian countries based on interviews with 1,700 expatriate business leaders.
It ranked Singapore and Hong Kong as the Asian region's least corrupt countries, with Indonesia and Thailand at the bottom, below Cambodia.
The organisation was not available for comment Wednesday.
Local business leaders welcomed the report's findings, saying it corresponded to the oft-overlooked reality on the ground.
"I have always maintained that Cambodia isn't as bad as it is made out to be," said John Brinsden, vice chairman for ACLEDA Bank and a spokesman for the International Business Club of Cambodia.
"I've been to a number of countries where I've seen corruption at a worse scale than in Cambodia. It's nice to see Cambodia isn't at the bottom of this report," he told the Post Wednesday.
He cautioned that corruption remains an issue for businesses in Cambodia, but said other problems were more serious.
"Probably the biggest problem in Cambodia, from a business perspective, is [the lack of] availability of cheap electricity and poor enforcement of laws, as well as infrastructure. Corruption is not the top of the list," he said.
"[Corruption] is an issue that many investors seem to find a way to work around," said Douglas Clayton, managing partner of Leopard Capital.
"And when we compare the expenditure on the airport in Thailand and the airport in Cambodia versus the final product delivered, you can draw your own conclusions," he said.
Conflicting reports
Despite such consensus within the private sector, other surveys suggest that corruption is the No 1 concern of businesses in Cambodia.
The World Bank annual report released in January said that more than 50 percent of businesses cited corruption as a top complaint, followed by macroeconomic stability and anticompetitive informal practices.
"Corruption remains widespread, in its many forms.... The perception of corruption is high, even compared to countries at the same level of development," said the report.
The report also said that poor governance in Cambodia is a major problem.
"There are multiple facets of corruption: (i) at the service delivery (ii) in public procurement (both small and large contracts); and (iii) in gaining favour for policy decisions," the report states.
Corruption watchdog Transparency International also issued a harsh assessment of Cambodia's level of corruption, putting the country at 166 out of 181 countries.
Thailand was ranked 80 and Indonesia 126 by the same organisation in its report last year.
"It depends on how they measure [corruption]," said Kevin Britten, managing director of The Secretary.
"I have always been disappointed in my business dealings with Thailand.
"But I think I am quite typical in saying that I have had good experiences in Cambodia."
The PERC system rated countries from zero to 10, with zero as the least corrupt and 10 as the most corrupt. Indonesia earned a score of 8.32, Thailand 7.63 and Cambodia 7.25.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP
The report by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) scores 16 Asian countries based on interviews with 1,700 expatriate business leaders.
It ranked Singapore and Hong Kong as the Asian region's least corrupt countries, with Indonesia and Thailand at the bottom, below Cambodia.
The organisation was not available for comment Wednesday.
Local business leaders welcomed the report's findings, saying it corresponded to the oft-overlooked reality on the ground.
"I have always maintained that Cambodia isn't as bad as it is made out to be," said John Brinsden, vice chairman for ACLEDA Bank and a spokesman for the International Business Club of Cambodia.
"I've been to a number of countries where I've seen corruption at a worse scale than in Cambodia. It's nice to see Cambodia isn't at the bottom of this report," he told the Post Wednesday.
He cautioned that corruption remains an issue for businesses in Cambodia, but said other problems were more serious.
"Probably the biggest problem in Cambodia, from a business perspective, is [the lack of] availability of cheap electricity and poor enforcement of laws, as well as infrastructure. Corruption is not the top of the list," he said.
"[corruption] is an issue that many investors seem to find a way to work around."According to the head of Cambodia's largest investment fund, corruption has not prevented Cambodia from being a favourable environment to do business.
"[Corruption] is an issue that many investors seem to find a way to work around," said Douglas Clayton, managing partner of Leopard Capital.
"And when we compare the expenditure on the airport in Thailand and the airport in Cambodia versus the final product delivered, you can draw your own conclusions," he said.
Conflicting reports
Despite such consensus within the private sector, other surveys suggest that corruption is the No 1 concern of businesses in Cambodia.
The World Bank annual report released in January said that more than 50 percent of businesses cited corruption as a top complaint, followed by macroeconomic stability and anticompetitive informal practices.
"Corruption remains widespread, in its many forms.... The perception of corruption is high, even compared to countries at the same level of development," said the report.
The report also said that poor governance in Cambodia is a major problem.
"There are multiple facets of corruption: (i) at the service delivery (ii) in public procurement (both small and large contracts); and (iii) in gaining favour for policy decisions," the report states.
Corruption watchdog Transparency International also issued a harsh assessment of Cambodia's level of corruption, putting the country at 166 out of 181 countries.
Thailand was ranked 80 and Indonesia 126 by the same organisation in its report last year.
"It depends on how they measure [corruption]," said Kevin Britten, managing director of The Secretary.
"I have always been disappointed in my business dealings with Thailand.
"But I think I am quite typical in saying that I have had good experiences in Cambodia."
The PERC system rated countries from zero to 10, with zero as the least corrupt and 10 as the most corrupt. Indonesia earned a score of 8.32, Thailand 7.63 and Cambodia 7.25.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP
8 comments:
Has Siamese accepted the facts that Siam existent came about the Collapse of the Khmer Empire circa. 7th through 12th century A.D?
The current Siam topography is resulted from Terrorist acts on the feebling Khmer villagers and government.
IT'S TIME FOR SIAMESE TO TEACH THEIR GENERATION ABOUT THE TRUTH BECAUSE THE IS NOT AS ASSININE AS THE SIAMESE THOUGHT OF. WORLD GEOGRAPHY IS THOUGHT BY FACT FINDINGS AND SCIENTIFIC SOUNDS.
Cambodian Town
Long Beach, Ca
Cambodian government has implemented serious ethics than devellopping country such as Thailand.
Other reason the shelling of civil population homes by Siams soldiers were intentionally purpose, we can record that as criminals act.
New Phally
Secretary of State for Ministry of Interior and Adviser for first Vice President National Assembly
yes, it's called siem's provocation on cambodia, meaning they created problem and thus cambodia cannot stand there and do nothing, we have to fight back! good analysis. god bless cambodia.
That’s strength when Thailand democratic country scores below Cambodia in corruption. It’s a bit embarrassment for the Kingdom.
Keep going Cambodia. We have enough bad images in the past and that should be fade away with all the hard effort tackling of the government ahead.
Thailand has became something like Thailier was reported on 05 Apr 09
By Thomas Bell in Bangkok
The Telegraph (UK)
It’s fund reading that article!
Thai's reputation and credibility is now almost trash.
Thailand is that low on the scale? I thought Cambodia would be lower than Thailand. I wonder how remotely accurate these data are. Well, with the Thai government acting like a bunch of flip-flopping fools and the Thai citizens destroying their own economic, political and social reliability, stability and integrity through selfish & disregardful mass protests....we can see Thailand falling through the cracks.
Right now, Cambodia is what Vietnam was 10 years ago and what Thailand was 20 years ago in terms of economy and development. Lets take advantage of the moment and help ourselves advance as a regional competitor!
yes, cambodia have to think competition if we to become a strong economy like the next asian tiger. rebuilding good infrastructure in one of the most important development so people can travel easier from place to place as everyone is now buying cars and other form of modern way of traveling. god bless cambodia.
Australia the worst Corruption in the world,Australian Embassy office in Cambodia big Corruption each application must talk about money with Cambodian cruel staffs first because the Australian cruel staffs not speak Cambodian but the cruel Australian staffs using the cruel Cambodian staffs to knock the application door or make callto the application before lodge the application form to apply to live in Australia, this Corruption if the Australian cruel staffs not involve the bribe the Australian Visa not easy grant or approve as Australian Visa can be grant by the cruel Austalian staffs only, and Australian Police officer also receive bribe and Australian driver & Truck Licence can using money to buy or to get it and now most department in Australia big Corrution and I am believing that one days Australia become second United State Of America September 11 2001 & Second Cambodia, from Chung Hak Cambodian Victim mostly following the Australian Policy & Laws better than the Australian born and also Cambodian Victim from 1975 to 1979 during the Pol Pot Khmer Rough regime under A Yuonese/Vietnamese Behind The Killing Field Melbourne Australia.
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