Mark Kent

On 15 September each year the UN and its member countries observe the International Day of Democracy. Following last year’s military coup in Thailand the UK and other members of the international community, including the Secretary-General of the UN, called for the early restoration of democracy. That seems even further away now than it did […]

I am very pleased to see that Thailand is becoming a member of the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST). In doing so, Thailand commits to implement CoST’s international standards by establishing a disclosure and assurance system to enhance transparency in public construction projects. Such a system will build trust in decision-making, help to ensure value […]

At the end of the year, most of us take time to look back and remember. This brings a mix of thoughts and emotions. For me, it is particularly appropriate as we reach the end of 2014. This Friday 26th December I will be in Phang Nga Province to take part in the Remembrance Ceremony […]

9 December is World Anti-Corruption Day. Corruption is a global problem – it hurts a country’s economic, political and social development; it adds unnecessary costs to doing business and it denies smaller, less well resourced companies the chance to compete fairly. It hurts individuals in their daily lives. Corruption impacts the most vulnerable groups in […]

Political turbulence in Thailand in the first half of 2014 took its toll on the economy. But in the immediate aftermath of the military coup on 22 May, I met many Thai and British business people who were optimistic that business confidence would quickly return to the Thai marketplace and that the economy would start […]