Bangkok: In an era where corruption is too complex for human intervention to monitor, technology has become a crucial weapon for promoting transparency. In particular, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a "watchdog" to monitor the use of public funds is becoming increasingly important. Kittidej Chantangkul, Director of the Anti-Corruption Organization (Thailand), revealed the mechanisms behind this technology and offered interesting recommendations for reforming Thailand's procurement system.
According to Thai News Agency, the anti-corruption organization has developed a system called ACT Ai, which collects open data from three main sources: the government procurement database, the asset and liability declarations of politicians from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and the registered company database from the Department of Business Development (DBD). The AI system performs initial screenings to identify risks that may constitute bid rigging or conflicts of interest, displaying warning signals known as "Red Flags" to allow the public and relevant agencies to investigate further.
Based on the data processed by the system, Mr. Kittidech identified suspicious behavioral patterns frequently observed in government projects. These include budget subdivision to bypass proper price comparison processes, circumventing loopholes in ministerial regulations to apply specific methods to high-value projects without competition, and specifications rigging through unusual conditions in the TOR (Terms of Reference).
Even with the help of AI, a significant obstacle remains: data is not real-time. Government agencies do not provide direct data connectivity channels (APIs), meaning AI systems often lag behind actual operations. Furthermore, there are "black holes" in oversight, such as the procurement of military equipment, which frequently cites security exceptions under Section 7 of the Public Procurement Act, preventing external monitoring until contracts are signed. Public hearings are often short and lack comprehensive public awareness, making it impossible to promptly halt problematic projects.
Kittidech suggested that Thailand should consider reforming its procurement regulations. Currently, the system is decentralized, making oversight difficult, and should be centralized for strategic projects or goods needed nationwide, similar to Singapore and South Korea. A professional central agency would create a system of checks and balances and make it easier for auditing bodies like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the State Audit Office (SAO) to monitor large projects from a single point. This would significantly improve budget efficiency and reduce the likelihood of corruption.
However, current anti-corruption efforts are not just about following paperwork procedures, but about a continuous monitoring process. Using AI to analyze the massive amount of data from over 7-8 million contracts annually is therefore not just an option, but a lifeline to help protect taxpayers' money and ensure it's used most effectively.