PPRP wants to ‘turn bribes into taxes’

The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) wants the state to relax its stringent rules on entertainment venues and alcohol sales to stamp out bribery and raise tax revenues, said its deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn yesterday.

Mr Chaiwut, who is the Digital Economy and Society Minister, said the party believes the government should “turn bribes into taxes”. According to him, bribery is rampant in Thailand because the state outlaws many activities which are legal in other countries, such as buying alcohol outside a specified time window and operating nightspots beyond 2am.

“As a result, foreigners who come to visit or live in Thailand are often forced to pay up just so they can enjoy a drink past a certain hour, for instance,” he said. This results in the proliferation of grey businesses and bribery.

“As such, we should allow certain things [which are currently…