Thailand has risen from 84th to 80th in the rankings of the least corrupt countries issued by global watchdog Transparency International, thanks to actions against corrupt politicians following 2006 coup that toppled the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

Juree Vichit-Vadakan, secretary-general of Transparency Thailand, said that in this year's corruption perceptions index (CPI) survey by Transparency International of 180 countries, Thailand moves up from 84th last year, when it scored only 3.3 points on the honesty scale, to 80th, with 3.5 points.

A country's score indicates the degree of public sector corruption as perceived by business people and country analysts, and it ranges between 10 (highly clean) and zero (highly corrupt). In 2006 Thailand was 63rd, and 59th in 2005.

Mrs Juree attributed Thailand's improvement to the actions of independent organisations that have investigated and prosecuted politicians for corruption and for cheating in the elections in 2007 and 2008.

"Thailand should score better next year as corruption cases against national politicians will be clearer later this year," Mrs Juree said.

In Asia, Thailand ranks 10th.

Worldwide, the first ranking belongs jointly to Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden, who each scored 9.3, while Somalia is at the bottom with a paltry 1.0, after Burma and Iraq, who both ranked 1.3.