Government Launches Khao San Sandbox to Tackle Bribery in Venues
The Thai government has launched the 'Khao San Sandbox' campaign to crack down on bribery of officials who enable illegal entertainment venues, starting with Khao San Road. Officials face disciplinary and criminal action, with a 30‑day deadline to refer cases to justice. The initiative involves the NACC, Metropolitan Police, and Bangkok administration to identify legal loopholes and enforce anti‑corruption measures nationwide.
Phradorn Prisananantakul unveiled the 'Khao San Sandbox' initiative to tighten controls on bribery of state officials facilitating illegal entertainment venues, warning of disciplinary and criminal action within a 30‑day frame. Speaking at the Government House on 19 October 2069, he said the meeting followed inspections by Deputy Interior Minister Phonphit Suwanchavee that uncovered numerous illegal venues, most recently in Rayong Province. The meeting assigned the Office of the National Anti‑Corruption Commission (NACC) to work with the Metropolitan Police Bureau and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to first identify legal loopholes that enable bribery, then develop solutions starting with Khao San Road as a sandbox model. The goal is to eradicate graft as fully as possible, in line with government policy, and to refer any official violations to justice swiftly.
Phradorn added that addressing legal gaps in laws such as the Building Control Act and the Entertainment Establishments Act is essential, as obstacles create opportunities for bribes. If amendments are needed, the government will proceed, determining which agency owns each law to draft revisions or propose them through political parties for faster action.
He noted that the 'One Agency, One Transparent, No‑Grey' policy is a major government initiative; thirteen pilot agencies have submitted approaches, enabling the policy to take shape. The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) will coordinate with the NACC to push all state agencies—over a hundred—to accelerate implementation.
When asked about recent KTV venue inspections that revealed state officials, including district‑level staff, taking bribes, Phradorn said he had discussed with the Metropolitan Police Bureau the punishment of officials implicated or alleged to be involved. They must face both disciplinary measures and criminal charges. Discipline will be handled by internal committees of each agency, while criminal cases fall to the NACC, which will work with police to prosecute. He instructed the NACC to handle such cases as quickly as possible, aiming to determine the nature of wrongdoing and refer them to the justice system within 30 days.
