Corrupt government officials were viewed as the main factor allowing foreigners to illegally operate businesses in Thailand, a Nida poll showed on Sunday.
The pollsters said 67.10% of people blamed corrupt state officials for all illegal businesses directly run by foreigners or by using Thais as nominees.
Lenient penalties came second with 59.31%, followed by legal loopholes, 52.21%, and corrupt politicians, 50.46%.
Money-hungry Thais working with or helping foreigners shared the blame according to 48.70% of responders, followed by officials turning a blind eye to offences committed by foreigners, which was checked by 44.35% of responders.
The National Institute of Development Administration surveyed 1,310 people aged 18 or more across the country from Monday to Wednesday. Each person could give more than one answer to a question.
The poll was conducted as the country was shaken once again by the problem of Chinese babies receiving Thai citizenship with help from allegedly corrupt officials, hospital staff and Thai men wrongfully claiming to be the biological fathers.
Law enforcement officials have recently busted several businesses, big and small, belonging to foreigners but illegally fronted by Thai nominees and operating in major cities and at popular tourist destinations.
