The Election Commission (EC) has certified 95% of the nationwide election results as of 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7, while people are beginning to see a rough outline of the government’s composition, including party strengths, under the leadership of the blue-colored party, "Bhumjaithai."
The upcoming timeline includes MPs reporting in, the opening of Parliament, the election of the House Speaker, and then the selection of the Prime Minister candidate, who is likely to be Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, the current 32nd Prime Minister.
Afterward, there will be the oath-taking ceremony and the policy address to Parliament. During the new government’s policy announcement, many will be keenly interested in anti-corruption efforts, as this is a key pillar of governance that will test whether state policies are genuinely effective, how much under-the-table payment is required, or if such payments will be endless.
Social media buzzed immediately after the Bank of Thailand took the lead in combating grey capital, working seriously with related agencies to tackle scammer gangs.
Especially as Thailand’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2025fell below the threshold.Thailand scored only 33 points, dropping to 116th globally, its lowest in 19 years, while the global average is 43, indicating that Thailand remains among countries with relatively high corruption problems.
Economists interpret this signal as:
| Score | Meaning |
| 60 and above | Transparent system (Rule-based State) |
| 45 - 60 | Corruption exists but is controllable |
| 35 - 45 | Network-based corruption |
| Below 35 | Systemic corruption |
Thailand’s CPI score of 33 means corruption is deeply rooted in state mechanisms that facilitate collusion between the bureaucracy and politics. Many have long sought answers as to why the CPI worsens despite more anti-corruption agencies, suggesting Thailand may have no solution to this problem.
Looking at Singapore, which once faced severe corruption, the government adopted an "extreme" policy to build a transparent state, starting with centralizing power, imposing strict penalties, enforcing arrests, and leaving no room for negotiation.
By contrast, Thailand’s low CPI ranking reflects multiple power groups constantly negotiating behind the scenes, frequent network shifts, and unequal law enforcement, resulting in nobody knowing what the "real rules" are, causing businesses to fear uncertainty over whether payments will settle issues.
Imagine comparing these two countries:
Country A: Bribes are paid clearly at 10%, and projects proceed smoothly. Next year’s rules stay the same, no extra charges arise, and courts consistently apply the law. Although corruption is disliked, businesses can still "plan accordingly."
Country B: Sometimes no bribes are needed, sometimes they are, with additional demands later. Rules change with governments, and similar cases have differing verdicts.
Global investors find model B much more frightening. They fear not corruption itself but "uncertainty." Everything is interconnected—from the economy and investment to public perceptions of justice.
The main reason for corruption in Thailand is not "people’s wickedness" but rather a system that depends on and enables mutual survival, known as the "corruption trap," which coordinates bureaucracy to function, politicians to maintain bases, businesses to compete, and citizens to survive.
Singapore is an interesting case because it did not start by "instilling ethics" but by "changing the entire state incentive structure." They did not make people morally better but made corruption unviable through four main measures:
Removing discretionary power: setting clear licensing rules, using fixed formulas for taxes and zoning. When officials have no leverage or "nothing to sell," corruption dropped by more than half.
Offering sufficiently high government salaries to reduce risk: raising civil servant pay to make the cost of being caught corrupt outweigh the benefits.
Enforcing real, impartial punishment: ensuring penalties are certain and firm, regardless of ministers or influential figures. When society sees no favoritism, culture changes naturally.
Reducing political dependence in the economy: ending negotiated concessions, switching to transparent auctions with uniform rules for all companies.
These methods instantly changed the rules without waiting for ethical campaigns, enabling honest people to thrive and corrupt ones to fail. Ultimately, it depends on Prime Minister Anutin’s government to decisively and effectively tackle this issue as they intend to govern for many years ahead.