Nothing personal, your view certainly isn't rare here in Thailand. Thai people get screwed over all the time. Paying someone to do a task is not harmful to anyone, paying someone to bend rules is, and that is just the truth, not woke or idealistic. Thai people stated very clearly this year that they believe in idealistic ideas such as democracy, some dedicate their lives to it, some were shot dead for it. That's the system bribery funds and encourages. We expats live in fluffy cloud land in comparison.

@Jacob *******

here here. Just posted a similar sentiment above before coming across yours.

I disagree quite strongly with this attitude. Corruption only looks benign when you can afford it. Corruption hurts the poor most of all, and tilts the system in favour of the rich, who get a reduced set of rules to live by at the expense of the poor. In my opinion Thailand's biggest problem is that the system serves the rich. We are guests of Thai people, not the wealthy minority, and should strive very hard, even if it must be at our own expense or inconvenience, to not worsen the country for the majority. Often it just takes a little determination and polite resistance.