Widespread seed of corruption: Poll

Nearly 90 per cent of ABAC Poll's respondents considers "receptions" to government officials involved with government procurement projects are a normal practice of today's business.

"Thailand’s corruption problem is critical," said Noppadol Kannikar, the director of Abac Poll. "Corruption is now widespread as most Thais overlook the seed of corruption."

In the poll conducted in Bangkok during March 12-16, covering 1,561 respondents aged over 10 years, 87 per cent said lying is acceptable. 87.6 per cent admitted that they did not queue up for goods and services, while 80.2 per cent often paid "special money" to government officers in return for their special assistance.

Among students, 92.4 per cent admitted that they did copy their friends’ reports in the past 12 months. Some 74.9 per cent cheated in the exams.