The Department of Business Development is ready to investigate allegations of extortion thoroughly, stating, “If wrong, we will say wrong; if right, we will say right,” without bias. Should wrongdoing be found, the highest penalties will be enforced. The department emphasizes instilling honesty and integrity in officials at all levels, not only to earn trust and credibility from users but also to allow officials to take pride in serving transparently without being cursed by businesses or the public for soliciting benefits that cause harm. Currently, the department has implemented 100% digital services for businesses and the public in all service areas, reducing face-to-face contact between officials and service users, which can be a source of extortion and corruption.
Mr. Poonpong Nainapakorn, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce, stated that the department recognizes corruption in the public sector as a serious issue, as it is an indicator of the country's capabilities in various areas—especially in building confidence for foreign investors and enhancing national competitiveness. The department adheres to good governance principles at all levels and welcomes audits of every step of its operations to demonstrate transparency throughout. It has strictly supervised official conduct and service delivery, with clear penalties set. In particular, complaints from businesses or the public are promptly investigated due to their impact on the department’s credibility. The department has also implemented digital systems across all processes, reducing face-to-face contact between officials and service users, which is a major cause of extortion and corruption in the public sector.
According to a private sector survey on transparency in public administration under the “Thai People Do Not Tolerate Corruption” project, the Department of Business Development was named among agencies involved in extortion (bribery), ranking 21st out of 26 agencies in terms of average bribe amount per transaction with contacted agencies. This is surprising because businesses and the public can now access all departmental services 100% digitally, such as registering partnerships and companies through DBD Biz Regist, registering public limited companies via DBD e-PCL, submitting financial statements through DBD e-Filing, applying for foreign business licenses via e-Foreign Business, registering business securities through e-Secured, and accessing corporate data via DBD DataWarehouse+, among others.
All these systems are nearly fully utilized. The department continually reviews and updates its digital platforms to keep them modern, secure, and aligned with technological changes, aiming to reduce service time and steps. It has produced standardized operation and service manuals to unify document verification processes, reduce disparities, promote equality, and minimize officials’ discretionary power. Additionally, it has implemented tracking systems for every service step to inform businesses and the public about clear service timelines, reducing suspicion about departmental services. These measures help eliminate extortion, the root cause of corruption. Officials are instructed to serve with honesty, without soliciting benefits in their duties, and clear penalties and strict internal controls are in place. Despite the survey results, the department is prepared to investigate these allegations based on truth and fairness, applying discipline and legal action decisively if wrongdoing is found. A nationwide meeting of provincial commerce offices will be held next Tuesday to communicate policies and directives to ensure transparency in operations.
Director-General Poonpong added, "The Department of Business Development supports and commends the private sector for courageously participating in monitoring public administration and services at every step to ensure transparency and fairness in business operations and public services. This also helps combat longstanding, serious public sector corruption in the country. We believe that feedback from businesses and the public will help drive public sector reform toward transparency, digital government transformation, and meeting the expectations of businesses and the public. However, there are concerns about the survey’s methodology, including the selection of only five specific public agencies, a sample size of just 401 respondents, and potentially unclear questions, which may lead to respondent misunderstandings and disputing the survey findings.
Businesses and the public who witness officials soliciting benefits or engaging in corruption can file complaints through the Department of Business Development’s website at www.dbd.go.th and Call Center 1570. The department thanks all complainants for contributing to the development of a transparent Thai public administration system and elevating the public sector as a true support for businesses and the public," Director-General Poonpong concluded.
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