New police chief lays down the law: No more checkpoints nationwide

[rooster59]

New police chief lays down the law: No more checkpoints nationwide

 

Image: INN

 

Thailand's new police chief has begun his term in office by making a sweeping change that will affect the entire country.

 

Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk has called for an immediate end to all forms of roadside checkpoints in the country.

 

An order ending the notoriously unpopular roadside checks was dated yesterday and published by INN.

 

This will mean an end to roadside checks for DUI in particular as the new chief wants to see greater transparency with tests being done in hospitals. 

 

Speaking to 496 senior officers at an event in Bangkok yesterday, Gen Suwat spoke of his five year plan to bring greater transparency to the RTP and inspire confidence among the public, especially the young. 

 

He ordered his men to do their jobs in a proper and dignified manner and promised new faces in command positions, greater use of technology and improved efficiency in a drive to improve the help given to the public.

 

While these are general comments to be expected of any incoming chief there were some specifics apart from the checkpoint ban to go with the rhetoric, notes Thaivisa. 

 

In Bangkok the chief has ordered 5,000 new CCTV cameras to be installed in the next 4 months to help the police.

 

Regarding gambling, he has promised severe action against any police involved in turning the other cheek. 

 

It is widely recognised that the police are inextricably woven into the fabric of illegal gambling in Thailand, notes Thaivisa. 

 

He promised an end to big casinos operating with apparent impunity. 

 

He also called for greater transparency in the process whereby police get new positions and an end to the buying of positions. 

 

Naew Na called the new chief "Big Pat" in one of their headlines that referred to an end of checkpoints, and the flushing out of casinos and online betting.

 

Those who doubt the resolve of the chief to make a difference regarding the unpopular checkpoints may look to Bangkok, notes Thaivisa. 

 

Roadside checkpoints on main roads were ordered to stop several years ago in the capital after a new police chief came in. 

 

And that is exactly what happened.

 

But whether the new edict filters through to places like Pattaya where shakedown checkpoints are legendary remains to be seen.

 

Sources: Naew Na and INN

 

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[Thaiwrath]

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

This will mean an end to roadside checks for DUI in particular

So you will only be done if you are involved in an accident, or even kill someone whilst D.U.I. ?

Hardly a deterrent for a drink driver nowadays.

[PatOngo]

The drug traffickers will be ecstatic! The police chief has iced it!

[ChipButty]

Phuket will make it's own rules who does he think he is?

[DaLa]

So no roadside checks that I don't find to be a particular problem...and no monitoring and stops for moving traffic violations. Now add another x number to the fatalities.

[finnsk]

 

 

The roadblocks/checkpoints looks ok to me, I think they can find some drug dealers in these checkpoints and they could actually get a lot of drunken drivers, so maybe the checkpoints can do a good job if you want them to do it.

[scubascuba3]

Misleading headline, its a temporary stop to the alcohol checkpoints

[Enzian]

A night time roadway (not roadside) check-point was still going strong on Din Daeng Road, about a quarter mile before the big Asoke intersection, earlier this year. But though I walked by it all the time I never did figure out what they were checking for.

Also, Yingluck promised to stop the buying of police promotions and how far did that get?

This really is a case where the news media needs to promise to review in six months exactly what this article says and report on any progress or lack thereof.

[Hayduke]

26 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

New police chief lays down the law: No more checkpoints nationwide

 

There will be no more ‘checkpoints’…from now on they will be called “Emergency Decree Enforcement Stations’.

 

 

[colinneil]

27 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk has called for an immediate end to all forms of roadside checkpoints in the country.

Your underlings are going to love you Suwat, roadside checkpoints are where they make most of their earnings.

Now how are they going to screw over motorists?

[Scot123]

I remember this being said a few years ago and it was ignored by the district police forces up and down the country. The same as travelling in the back of pickups, seat belts, bench seat not to be used for people etc..... laws rules simply ignored.

[RotBenz8888]

From now on, it's 20% for me. Capisce?!? Ok, back to business. 

[spidermike007]

Some fascinating claims he is making. First of all, the RTP at it's inception seems to have been created with a status quo from the government. We will NOT pay you a living wage, but you have a franchise, and the limit of your income is based solely on your own creativity and initiative, and you will always be protected. Is that not the case? 

 

So, even if this clown was sincere, which of course he is not, where would you begin to change that culture? You know where? You would double all salaries. And invest in modern equipment, forensic labs and an effective highway patrol. Probably a trillion baht to start.

 

DUI? How about pulling people over for reckless driving? 

 

The police here are not law enforcement. They are franchisees. 

 

But the elimination of the checkpoints is a good move. I have seen one hour delays for that nonsense before. The highways are already choked enough. 

[Bluetongue]

Yes, we'll see. Which traffic stops, ie I live in a border area, there are lots of military checkpoints, and quite a few combined military/police ones. I'll bet they remain. And the casual stop on the highway where they have a highway patrol car pulling people over and randomly extorting drivers for alleged speeding will remain. Perhaps the fixed extortion points on Highway 304 might go, the ones where everyone has to slow down, drive through the cones, and the truck drivers at certain times automatically pay 20 baht (well at least it was a couple of years ago).

[AbeNormal]

45 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

This will mean an end to roadside checks for DUI in particular as the new chief wants to see greater transparency with tests being done in hospitals. 

good idea, wait until a drunk driver injures or kills some innocent victim then test them

 

no comprehension of crime prevention

 

this is very disturbing

[cyril sneer]

so normal checkpoints will still exist checking if I have tax and a licence? ????

[J Town]

I'm wondering it this applies to those annoying stops to check license and proof of insurance/up to date registration.

[jvs]

Times are changing,those who actually read the article will understand(hopefully)why he is doing this.

Open your eyes,the students are revolting and that is only a start and it looks like a good start.

If you want change you have to start some where,is this guy a clown? as someone mentioned?

He has a pretty good track record so far,did he pay for his promotion?

Some times more questions than answers but like i said you have to start some where.

[Don Mega]

Awesome, I won't bother getting my bike licence then !!

[Surelynot]

Dispensing with check points seems to me totally counter-productive......carry them out in a different manner, carry them out with independent observers, carry them out only for very specific reasons......but just to abandon them is ludicrous.

[potless]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Regarding gambling, he has promised severe action against any police involved in turning the other cheek. 

I think that should read 'turning a blind eye". However, it is likely that police will be turning both cheeks toward him.

[OneeyedJohn]

So no more gangs of uniformed crooks, ooops, police, on the roads indiscriminately stopping motorbikes and extorting money for arbitrary offences like exhaust too noisy or lights too bright. 

 

I'll settle for that.

 

 

[Greer]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Roadside checkpoints on main roads were ordered to stop several years ago in the capital after a new police chief came in. 

 

And that is exactly what happened.

I have to assume you are being sarcastic... I went through a roadside checkpoint and breathalyser only a month or so ago in Bang Na.

[saakura]

"Roadside checkpoints on main roads were ordered to stop several years ago in the capital after a new police chief came in. 

 

And that is exactly what happened."

 

Nonsense. They are still very much there. Gangs of uniformed police standing on blind corners and extorting in several locatiins around where i live.

 

[KhunKenAP]

If I get stopped at a roadside checkpoint and get a ticket for some stupid reason, I can take a copy of this new rule to court. Case will be dismissed right? lol

[ChipButty]

I think we have one doing a bit of freelancing near where I live, I've clocked him a couple of times parked up at the side of 7/11 waiting for bikes coming around the corner 

[BobBKK]

Don't tell me pc liberalism is coming here too? "oh we can't check people as it's hurting their human rights"  I think in a country that's full of DUI's and dead bodies this ain't the right move.

[holy cow cm]

This won't sit well with the Thonglor branch.

[connda]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He ordered his men to do their jobs in a proper and dignified manner and promised new faces in command positions, greater use of technology and improved efficiency in a drive to improve the help given to the public.

Hopefully this guy will lead the department into the 21st century.  Now, purchase patrol cars and train the cops to pull over traffic violators and issue citations.  Maybe then they could put a dent in the 21,000 lives lost a year on the Thai roads of death.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, cyril sneer said:

so normal checkpoints will still exist checking if I have tax and a licence? ????

..and helmetless bike riders.

 

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

Awesome, I won't bother getting my bike licence then !!

...and them without licenses.