สรุปความน่าสนใจจาก “การประชุมเชิงวิชาการด้านการต่อต้านการทุจริตคอร์รัปชันในระดับภูมิภาคเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ ครั้งที่ 2”

 

On June 7, 2024, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of Thailand, in collaboration with the Knowledge Hub for Regional Anti-Corruption Cooperation and Good Governance Collaboration (KRAC), supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT), and the Thai Private Sector Collective Action Coalition Against Corruption (CAC), hosted the Second International Conference on Anti-Corruption Innovations in Southeast Asia at the Grand Ballroom, S31 Sukhumvit Hotel, Bangkok.

 

This conference aimed to create a platform for stakeholders from public, private, and civil society anti-corruption organizations, as well as renowned anti-corruption experts at both regional and international levels, to exchange academic knowledge, experiences, and innovative anti-corruption strategies. The knowledge shared aimed to enable participants to effectively implement anti-corruption measures in their respective countries.

 

The conference began with a keynote address by anti-corruption expert Professor Matthew C. Stephenson from Harvard Law School. He discussed “Unveiling Corruption’s Puzzle: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities for Anti-Corruption Agencies in Southeast Asia,” highlighting the challenges in preventing corruption in the region, such as political interference, agency independence, budget constraints, and social norms. He also discussed opportunities to prevent corruption by establishing clear boundaries and norms to create operational transparency, utilizing technological tools like Big Data Analytics for corruption monitoring, improving legislation for whistleblower protection, and raising public awareness to combat corruption. He emphasized that this conference was an important opportunity for agencies, academics, and anti-corruption professionals to exchange knowledge, experiences, and collaborate on anti-corruption initiatives and projects.

 

Ms. Annika Wythes, Team Lead, Anti-Corruption Hub for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, UNODC, delivered a keynote on “Thematic Insights in Anti-Corruption in the Region,” emphasizing the importance of preventing corruption through the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) framework. She highlighted the role of civil society and non-profit organizations in promoting and implementing anti-corruption measures.

 

The conference featured three main discussion topics: Open Data, Foreign Investors’ Perspectives on Anti-Corruption in Southeast Asia and Linkages between Corruption and Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). We have summarized the details for you!

 

Open Data: This session emphasized the importance of data and open data, the right to access and use data, and increasing data disclosure to enhance public participation and collaboration between anti-corruption agencies. It advocated for national open data standards to ensure public benefit, transparency, and sustainable accountability. It also addressed the need for coordinated open data approaches and standards, facilitated by tools to engage stakeholders, support anti-corruption efforts, and promote investigative journalism based on data.

 

Foreign Investors’ Perspectives on Anti-Corruption in Southeast Asia: This session highlighted that improving the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) would boost investment confidence and promote good practices in Thailand, as viewed by academics and both local and foreign investors. It suggested leveraging technology to digitize data for analyzing corruption vulnerabilities and addressing corruption issues, such as using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in business processes to enhance transparency. It also recommended putting procurement data online to provide standardized access. Investing in innovation and technology not only helps prevent and mitigate corruption but also promotes development and innovation, encourages local governance, and strengthens cooperation. The government was urged to adopt international anti-corruption standards to attract more foreign investment.

 

Linkages between Corruption and Transnational Organized Crime (TOC): This session discussed the importance of understanding the context and situation of corruption and transnational crime, highlighting vulnerabilities that need urgent attention, such as corruption in casinos, money laundering, and human trafficking in border areas. Solutions included providing employment for migrant workers through decentralization, comprehensive bribery inspections, whistleblower protection, and data sharing with protective laws. The use of technology, such as AI for financial data analysis and tracking, was also emphasized. The key to fighting corruption and transnational crime lies in societal participation, involving civil society organizations, law enforcement, and media in addressing these issues.

 

This event provided a platform to build a strong anti-corruption network in Southeast Asia, fostering cooperation and addressing interconnected issues through collaboration among government, private sector, civil society, academia, and international organizations. This effort promotes transparency across the region through collective anti-corruption initiatives.

 

Although the 2nd Southeast Asia Regional Anti-Corruption Academic Conference has concluded, those interested can follow anti-corruption information on the Knowledge Centre for Anti-Corruption Cooperation and Good Governance (KRAC) Facebook page KRAC Corruption Stay connected with KRAC for more updates!