Students, UNDP and NACC fight back against corruption

Event to kick off new student-led initiative to change perceptions of corruption in Thai society
6 December 2011, Bangkok With public acceptance of corruption at an all-time high, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand is fighting back, aiming to change attitudes and educate a new generation about the many dangers of corruption in Thai society. In partnership with the National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC), UNDP will host a major anticorruption event on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at the Open Space at Siam Discovery Plaza in Bangkok. The event will debut short films from seven universities from across Thailand. UNDP and NACC partnered with university students to develop anti-corruption messages that can be shared with their peers. The films can then be shared among peer groups, as well as posted on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Although polls show that people with a higher education are more likely to oppose corruption, acceptance among students is now a majority. College students who will soon enter the workforce are critical to changing public attitudes about corruption in Thai society.

Featuring Pop Star Bell Supol

Student films from: Chiang Mai University Thammasat University Prince of Songkla University Khon Kaen University Chulalongkorn University Thai Chamber of Commerce Rangsit University Chandrakasem Rajabhat University A preview of a UNDP-NACC anti-corruption documentary, Corruption: Whose Problem is it? Tuesday, December 6, 2011 Open Space at Siam Discovery Plaza in Bangkok

UNDP will launch a wider anti-corruption effort after the December 6 kickoff event, establishing youth edutainment anti-corruption hubs that will build awareness among young adults about the dangers of corruption and build stronger links between active youth participation and later involvement as adult citizens to prevent corruption. University students are critical to our effort to fight corruption. Its about reaching out to future generations of public servants and businessmen and women, said Yuxue Xue, UNDP Resident Representative (a.i.) in Thailand. A lot of our work is top down and some of that work isnt as successful as wed like. Youth arent passive in their attitudes about corruption. A lot of them have really good ideas. We intend to take these ideas and find a way to put them into practice, Xue said. UNDP and NACC produced a documentary highlighting the effects of corruption on Thai society. A preview of the film, Corruption: Whose Problem Is It? will be shown in university classrooms throughout Thailand and via social media. A preview of that documentary will be shown. The event will also include remarks by NACC Chairman Parnthep Klanarongran, a discussion panel (Associate Professor Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, Pas Passatta from NACC, and Bell Supol), and an anti-corruption play, Corrupt Me, presented by the Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University. There is no fee to attend the event and it is open to the public.

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Corrupt Me? I Refuse to be Corrupt Programme 16:00 16:15 16:15 16:20 16:20 16:30 16:30 16:40 16:40 16:45 16:45 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:30 18:10 18:10 18:30 18:30 19:00 Anti-Corruption Play Corrupt Me by Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University Greetings and Programme Introductions by M.C. Opening remarks by National Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman, Mr. Parnthep Klanarongran and UNDP Resident Representative, (a.i.) Mr.Yuxue Xue Introduction of singer, Bell Supol Opening performance Introduction of 3-person Panel, Thailands Got Corruption. Assoc. Prof. Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, Mr. Pas Passatta, NACC, Bell Supol UNDP-sponsored Anti-Corruption short films from 3 Universities Quiz game UNDP-sponsored Anti Corruption Video Clips short films from 3 Universities Launch and preview of NACC-UNDP Anti-Corruption documentary film, Corruption: Whose Problem is it? Mini-Concert with Bell Supol

For further information, please contact: Mark S. Cogan, Communications and Media Officer, UNDP Thailand, office: 02 288 1887, cell: 087 972 7435; email: mark.cogan@undp.org

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