JoePolice

14 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Yes, of course. You should have a work permit. All other volunteer work requires one, even the volunteers after the tsunami had to get one, or stop work.

This subject has come up before, which is why I know you don't have one. A great example of an organization that is supposed to uphold the law, but, doesn't if it's in their own interest.

I have residency Mate. and every one of the Foreigners who volunteer have a work permit.

I'm not sure which fantasy world you're living in.
 

8 minutes ago, lust said:

I feel bad for you and your circle of friends.

Don't feel bad, we are a happy band of brothers.

Just now, Joe Mcseismic said:

That's not true. The number you quote are Thais registered in Phuket. It's estimated that there are a million Thais on Phuket with all the others still registered in their home province.

You are probably correct, which make the situation even worse.

10 hours ago, gunderhill said:

***** me  they  have  enough men 10 times  over,  massively overstaffed like  the  army ... yet  they  "cant be everywhere"

Actually that's incorrect. For instance , in Phuket alone during the High Season over a Million Tourists pass through the Gates of Phuket Airport in a month. there are roughly 200 Tourist Police Officers, and 30 Foreign Volunteers and 60 Thai Volunteers. Who Operate throughout the entire Province of Phuket.

12 Officers and 6 Volunteeers of which only 2 are Foreign nationals Patrol the Districts of Surin,  Bang Tao Thalang, Saku, Mai Kao all the way to the Sarasin bridge which is Roughly 235 Square Km to cover 

Considering that the local Population is only about 386,000 People. Tourists outnumber the locals almost 3 to 1 during High season.  and at times Police officera and Volunteers have to run triple shifts just to deal with the case load.

4 hours ago, lust said:

I can’t wait until there’s a bunch of English, Chinese, and Indian wanna-be police running around trying to extort anyone and everyone, just stroking the short shaft of Thailand in hopes of staying in the country. 

There already is. And every one of them I know and are friends of mine. And they are all proffesional on duty.  And your  worst nigtmare if yo break the law because they all have their national volunteer tourist police ID.

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

That's good to know.  To give my opinion on the TPVS (before this thread is locked because that always happens with threads about the TPVs!):

 

I worked as a TPV at Lumpini Police station around 2006, while I was studying my Thai MA at Chula.  I worked only in the station as a translator.

 

Then I worked for about 8 years as a TPV in Phuket, mostly stationed at the airport where I lived, but also working in Bangla Road at the weekends.

 

I also did a year in Pattaya as a Thai translator at the police station.

 

When I worked in Phuket, I had to carry a retractable baton, taser, handcuffs and pepper spray.  I never liked carrying such items and usually patrolled only with a pair of handcuffs, which I never had to use in 8 years.  I was the only foreinger allowed to carry a walkie-talkie, (because I had a Thai radio ham licence).

 

I always declined to take part in traffic stops etc, because it was my opinion, (and I still hold that opinion), that these volunteers should not involve themselves in actual police work, but should only be used to assist foreign tourists with information, help in case of accidents, arrest etc.

 

I know that my opinions were not shared by my Thai bosses, and so I gradually grew 'apart' from them.  I continued my work at the airport helping tourists, but had little contact with the Thai police in Phuket.  Most of my contact was with the various embassies, who would contact me directly to assist their citizens.

 

Looking back on some notable events, none of them involved 'policing'.  I maintained the TPV website, I designed the large map of Bangla road that was installed at the lower end of the road etc.

 

I know that different groups of TPVs in different cities in Thailand have different policies, and the 'lure' of a police ID can attract those with the wrong motives.

 

I wonder how many TPVs would continue their work if they were placed under the authority of the Tourism Department and renamed 'Tourist Volunteers'.

 

 

I need to private message you. If you dont mind.

10 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

And the riff-raff would be everyone except the tourist police?

No the Riff-raff who do this to after a full moon party.

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Hi Joe, can you please tell me what police equipment you carry with you when on patrol?

We are allowed Only a set of Handcuffs and if they have completed the Certification a Police radio. Volunteers may not Carry Any Weapons or Irritants such as Pepper Spray .tear gas even Police battons and asps are not allowed.

2 minutes ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Your team??

What rank are you?

 

All ex-law enforcement? Kinda proves my original point......

I dont Carry rank I am a Volunteer, and "My Team" are the 12 members of the Thai Tourist Police and 6 Foreign Volunteers that patrol and operate in My district.

Just to also iterate that every Single Volunteer does this with No Salary or no Financial remuneration, I speak for myself and Many Colleagues in saying that we Volunteer because we Want to give something back to the Community and keep the riff-raff from spoiling this wonderful place for everyone else.

2 minutes ago, monkfish said:

One threatened to give me a parking ticket and he was defiantly alone.

 

 

 

You can actually report that Person to The Tourist police through their Hotline 1155. Next time it happens Get the person's Name, or ask to see his "Official" Volunteer TP Id, so that you can get his Poice Number also.

On 7/31/2019 at 5:56 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Indeed, if their past track record is any prediction of the future, the folks who gravitate toward this often are those who have ego/power trip complexes and get off on ordering others around and strutting around in uniforms with batons and such... And instead of actually helping tourists, usually end up using their positions to get involved in any variety of unsavory dealings.

 

It would actually be a good thing if Thailand could have a legitimate tourist police volunteers force (and I think it does exist in some areas) where good hearted folks mainly assist with translating and interfacing -- not out patrolling and enforcing.

 

But the problem here, I suspect, essentially comes down to the basic issue of how does a straight-up expat end up trying to do good honest service when they're working for the local version of Don Corleone and Co.....

 

My Team has never gotten involved in Unsavory Dealings, In the past 8 Months My team and I have helped over 20 Stranded Tourists Get home to their Countries Safely, Assisted with numerous Traffic accident "Shakedowns" where locals unfairly demand financial renumeration for a traffic accident. Assisted numerous Tourists in Court who Were Caught on Overstay, and Appealed on their behalf to be fined and Deported instead of Incarcerated.

These are the Cases you dont hear about because they are boring and dont have that "Sensational" ending people want.

 

On 8/1/2019 at 1:59 PM, Cake Monster said:

And all of these Volunteers will be fully trained in the use of a Baseball Bat.

Lesson 1. Learn to recognise a 2 year old child on a Motorcycle with its Parents, before engaging in needless violence.

Why are you driving o a motorcycle with a 2 year old child in the first place?

On 7/31/2019 at 6:29 PM, monkfish said:

Just how much authority do these Farang Tourist Cops have? In Phuket one threatend to give me parking ticket can they do that? It was some old english guy flashing his badge around like Kojak but didnt give time to look at it. Think he was angry cuz i was parked in front of his bar didnt see any no parking signs.

On their own and without supervision, Tourist Police Volunteers do not have any Power, They Can Observe and warn as well as report to Local Police, but can not Arrest or Fine someone,. but dont let that Mislead you. A Tourist Police Volunteer must be accompanied by a Warranted Justice of the Peace, and when accompanied by a warranted official, they then can exercise full authority through permission of the accompanying official, which includes Fines and arrests.

That means a Police Officer from either, The Royal Thai Police, Tourist Police, marine Police, Immigration Police, Customs and Excise, Territorial Defense Force, and Where Appropriate The Security Division of the Airports Authority of Thailand.

Tourist Police Volunteers who are Manning Checkpoints Carry the Authority from the Supervising Officer in charge of that checkpoint and can Stop any vehicle for Search, ask for a drivers Licence, as well as Check for alcohol consumption. In this instance they have the Authority to hold ans detain a driver for further investigation.

On 7/31/2019 at 11:44 AM, Joe Mcseismic said:

Anyone that actually wants to become a police volunteer are usually the worst people to become police volunteers (all respect to the Thai immigration volunteers, though).

there are 30 Foreign National Tourist Police Volunteers in Phuket of which I am one of them. Each one of us were either Ex Law Enforcment Officers in our  respective Countries, or Ex Military service personnel, Each volunteer member had to go through a selection process and Criminal background check, as well as Complete a full year of training before being issued a Tourist police Volunteer national ID.

Tourist Police Volunteer do not ask tourists to inspect their passports on the beaches, I personally have never see one of my colleagues ask a tourist for their passport on the beach.

We are guided by our motto "Your First Friend" and that is exactly what we are, we are sometimes not just your "First" friend my in most cases your ONLY friend. however we are part of the Law enforcement community, and if tourist break the law, then there will obviously be consequences.