prime objective of this study is to explore the crucial causes lead to ineffectiveness of the internal
control and auditing systems in detecting corruption risks in Northern Thai local administrations. This
study was investigated through local administration internal auditors in North of Thailand by using a valid
questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used for
analysing the questionnaires while a phenomenological research approach and content analysis based on
Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement were used for analysing the interview transcripts. As a result
of this study discovered that various factors contribute to the weakness of Northern Thai local administration
internal auditing systems in detecting common risks consist of the lack of independence of internal auditing
systems and teams which is difficult to achieve the determined internal auditing goals; a lack of officials’
cooperation and interest with internal control system especially from administrators and audited
departments while a lack of important support and promotion from administrators to internal auditors’
professional prospects due to a lack of their knowledge and understanding to the importance and benefit
of internal control and auditing systems. Similarly, the lack of internal audit team’s competency for dealing
effectively with administrators and those audited officials also contributes to the ineffective local
administration internal auditing systems in North of Thailand. Therefore, the whole causes above have
been betided due to the ineffectiveness of Thai federal authorities with their enforcement of laws and
regulations in detecting common risks especially corruption risks, this crisis must be solved before local
administration internal auditing systems can work effectively.