Reforms will make it easier to file police complaints

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Reforms will make it easier to file police complaints

By Jitraporn Senwong 
The Nation

 

File photo

 

Interrogations to be captured on film; no parading of suspects before press
 

AS PART of police reform, people will soon be able to lodge a complaint with police via email. 

 

Complainants will also no longer have to worry about the jurisdiction of police stations once reforms are in place, because their complaint can be registered at any police station. 

 

Under the reform plan, every police interrogation of a suspect will be filmed, and in serious criminal cases, public prosecutors will also be present.

 

Preparations for these new procedures for the police bureau have already gained solid momentum. 

 

The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft amendment to the Criminal Code, which is key to the police reform. 

 

“This amendment seeks to bar police from bringing suspects to press conferences,” Government Spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta, who is also the PM’s deputy permanent secretary, said. 

 

Police often hold press conferences to report on their achievements, especially in much-publicised cases. Some suspects are even required to answer questions at such conferences. 

 

In one high-profile case, police even allowed a confrontation between the suspects and victims in front of media. 

 

Damned in advance

 

Human-rights activists have said that such practices are unacceptable, especially since according to law, every suspect is considered innocent until proved guilty. 

 

Rights advocates have also pointed out that a suspect’s reputation is damaged when their photo appears in the media – even if they are found innocent later. 

 

In the face of the activists’ outcry, National Police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda last year issued an order instructing police not to bring suspects to press conferences. 

 

Yet in August, Chakthip himself appeared at a press conference to announce the arrest of Panya Yingdung, who has now confessed to fatally shooting Paweena Namuangrak, 20, and Anantachai Jaritram during the victims’ trip to Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. 

 

The double murders drew huge public attention because the shooting was blatantly carried out in front of a huge Buddha image on a large cliff. The suspect, who was in love with Paweena, had been on the run for a few weeks before being caught at a border province. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30361140

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-26

[Lingba]

Easier to file??..maybe ...but try getting them to properly and truthfully follow up competently...good luck

[mok199]

Blah Blah Blah......Police work in thailand is all about money,optics and noise,rather than making a difference...''why bother enforcing any laws if no one sees''.......SAD

[jaiyen]

So all complaints will be easier to ignore. Just delete and say they never received it

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Lingba said:

Easier to file??..maybe ...but try getting them to properly and truthfully follow up competently...good luck

 

I think the "easier to file" part is mainly the change about not being required the file only at the police station with jurisdiction for where a crime occurred. And it only took how many years for them to make that kind of a simple administrative change???

 

But more to your point, the main issue isn't how hard it is or isn't to first file a police report. The main issue is, probably most of the time, once it's filed, little or nothing is done about it.  And I'd presume, they're done absolutely nothing to remedy that!

 

[dickjones2018]

hahaha, via email

 

in the meantime... 90 day report site does not work for most => report to local office error

 

and when you need any other crap, you still need a shitload of copied documents

 

2019 - 50 years

[SOTIRIOS]

....considering the number of times I have read here....and experienced myself...

 

...threats of false charges being brought against one.....

 

...simply because one refuses to dish out any more money....for example...

 

...that this could be a potentially bad thing for foreigners...

 

 

[evadgib]

Welcome to the 1970s...and what's stopping the interview tapes entering public domain along with the usual point-a-thon?

[Borzandy]

4 hours ago, Lingba said:

Easier to file??..maybe ...but try getting them to properly and truthfully follow up competently...good luck

It will be easier to dismiss the complaint and say it was in spam

[GinBoy2]

Maybe the the real question should be;

 

Easier, but any more effective?

 

In that, I am rather skeptical 

[Emdog]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

So all complaints will be easier to ignore. Just delete and say they never received it

maybe a part of the "Green Thailand" push. Reduce paper going into wastebasket. Virtual wastebasket slows down destruction of the planet.

[ubon farang]

5 hours ago, mok199 said:

Blah Blah Blah......Police work in thailand is all about money,optics and noise,rather than making a difference...''why bother enforcing any laws if no one sees''.......SAD

So that means large brown envelopes will have to be given to the police so the cameras don't see them or are they turned off when that happens

[PerkinsCuthbert]

The RTP has barely heard of the telephone yet. I believe they are currently installing a trial fax machine in selected locations. E-mail should be along in about another fifty to seventy years. Good luck with your complaint.

[Ulic]

E-mail, easier to file, easier to delete. 

[MyFriend You]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I think the "easier to file" part is mainly the change about not being required the file only at the police station with jurisdiction for where a crime occurred. And it only took how many years for them to make that kind of a simple administrative change???

 

But more to your point, the main issue isn't how hard it is or isn't to first file a police report. The main issue is, probably most of the time, once it's filed, little or nothing is done about it.  And I'd presume, they're done absolutely nothing to remedy that!

 

Yep, each Police Station is a Kingdom in its own right, wonder how this will go over with the Police Chief "Kings" that someone can make a complaint in another police station  and not his.

• Police Station Nakona Norwhere calls Police Station Chief in Nakona Somewhere:
• Hey Chief Somchai  Kuhn Blic complains one of your Policeman stole money from her.
• Chief Somchai: Kuhn Blic?? no worries, I'll take care of her fagetaboutit.
• Okay Chief, will file in 'round file and delete email'.