Thai police in massive debt - they owe 270 billion baht

[Mr Meeseeks]

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

From 27 years personal experience anyone who says that they are  connected usually isn't. They like to talk it up though. My family this and my family that. 

 

All bravado!

You can usually tell who is really connected by their social status, job or business and whether they are cashed up. 

 

Singlet wearing slavers on a bar-stool need not apply. 

[Liverpool Lou]

24 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

38 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's irrelevant to this thread, however, it applies to all foreigners, not just "farangs" because at any time foreigners can just go home and leave their credit card debts here unpaid.  Thais cannot do that.

It didn't apply to me and I am a 'foreigner'. ????

That's because you met your bank's credit requirements for an unsecured credit card.  Those who don't meet those requirements usually have to provide a security deposit.

[Mr Meeseeks]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

That's because you met your bank's credit requirements for an unsecured credit card.  Those who don't usually have to provide a security deposit.

Yes, I did. But you said it applies to all foreigners because we can just go home and leaver credit card debts unpaid. 

[bougnat]

If this debt represents the total amount owed to the population then I think it is grossly underestimated...

[racket]

Well, the question one might ask why Thai banks have been so bullish on the police force? Did the laundry month dry out that quick? 

[Cabradelmar]

230,000 bodies nationwide for a population of 70 million, compared to 670,000 in the US for a population of 330 million. Might want to start with payroll...

[ThaiFelix]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Nothing new here really, just a rehash of a story from last year. Many owe the banks that approved lax loans. Looks like a US style meltdown will be occurring...

Great idea.  Put all the loans together in bundles and sell them off as bonds.  Its gotta work!

[tandor]

...Look out!

[sambum]

4 hours ago, khunpa said:

Life’s not easy when you have to buy into your job position and your normal revenue stream from illegal activities and corruption goes down.

 

Maybe time to establish a completely new police force and way of doing things. You know like in countries where policing means upholding and enforcing the law. Do good and unselfish things to protect and serve the community…

 

Yes, I know… never going to happen…

 

 

Actually, paying them a decent salary might attract a better standard of recruit. 

 

Add to that the fact that they have to pay for their own uniform, motor bike, and gun, it is little wonder that a lot of them get into debt. Probably the ones that don't are the ones that supplement their income by "scams"!

[keithkarmann]

4 hours ago, Denim said:

It means individual police officers , using their position as government employees , have taken out private loans to buy cars and homes etc but are struggling to make repayments having bitten off more than they can chew.

 

 

not the police force as such.

Probably time they started teaching mathematics in schools.

[ChaiyaTH]

Not surprised at all when people earning 10x less than me are able to buy ford rangers for 1M, houses for 2-3M and add some 1-2M credit lines for gadgets.

 

Still wonder when the bubble bursts tho. Perhaps the Loei figures explain the large count of girls working in Singapore.

[Asquith Production]

One would have to question why they need around 250000 officers for a start. Is their no cap on the number they employ? The UK as about the same population and employs around 160000. 

 

One of the reasons there pay is so low is this sheer number of officers that means that an increase of 5,000 baht in every cop's monthly salary would cost the government a politically untenable 15 billion baht annually..

 

They should cap the number of Police and then they might be able to pay a more realistic wage and hopefully bring down the amount they borrow.

[LivinLOS]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

I didn't understand a word for this article.. the Thai police owe billions to whom? and to re-finance their debts? what is this, a private police force funded by non government fiances companies?...

 

You are aware government officials qualify for special deals, low interest loans etc.. 

You are aware that most police as government officials use these services heavily ?? 

This ariticle is talking about the private debts of the Thai police force..

[ChaiyaTH]

7 minutes ago, sambum said:

Actually, paying them a decent salary might attract a better standard of recruit. 

Absolute nonsense, those who want to get paid better also buy higher positions and milk them. 

 

That aside, this happens on every level of income as well every sector.

 

Paying more only magnifies the problems, they would just live a higher style life and buy a benz instead of truck, a small villa instead of a house etc. Its not like the bangkok office crew does better.

 

 

[Zack61]

BIGGER brown paper bags are needed

[Golden Triangle]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

The Vig at police-operated gambling dens is probably down as a result of COVID?

 

 

What the heck is vig ????

[crickets]

Teachers are in even more debt.

[Trip Hop]

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

From 31 years personal experience any Thai girl that says she is connected usually isn't. They like to talk it up though. My family this and my family that. 

 

All bravado. 

 

When they find out who I know they soon keep quiet. 

Generally yes. The ones that actually are, don’t brag about it but from snippets of general conversation with them over time, you can figure it out for yourself?

[Almer]

4 hours ago, jaideedave said:

@denim--Yes you are correct. Firstly they have to pay a fairly large fee to even enter the force. As gov't employees they can borrow sums much larger than their incomes support. Hence the heavy handed fining system at road blocks or anywhere else they can get involved. My sister in-law did exactly that. Within weeks of getting the job she borrowed her tits off , new car, old loans paid off etc. I know she has borrowed $ from madam to make payments a few times. All a gov't job in Tland provides is unlimited borrowing power.

Mrs daughter 25 a teacher still living at home has ordered a new Vios top spec of course, fed up driving about in my 5 year old truck.  7460 a month x84 months guarenteed by the Mrs, after I calmed down she told me not to worry because soon she will want her gold back from the gold shop and she will be happy to let us take the car payments over, only one problem I don’t want the Vios so trouble ahead for sure.

[Dionigi]

Solution is simple, out on the streets stop all without helmets, more than 2 on a bike, no seatbelts, talking on phone, no insurance, no license, parking car or bike where they shouldn't, riding bike on pavement etc. Fines go into a big pot, 50% to police officers, 50% to police force for fine. Everyone would get an increase in wages and as people stop breaking the law the wages could be increased from the government.

[GarryP]

Those policemen married to school teachers are probably in deeper sh!t, with the vast majority of school teachers also running on air due to massive debt.  

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

I didn't understand a word for this article.. the Thai police owe billions to whom? and to re-finance their debts? what is this, a private police force funded by non government fiances companies?...

Police taking out loans to live beyond their monthly salary, caught out by 2 years of a decrease in dubious revenue schemes and thus unable to pay back loans.

[XJPSX]

If they logged the fines properly instead of putting the money in their pocket they would certainly have a profit. 
Too many snouts in the trough.

[Golden Triangle]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Don't you now who my father is.....

No, and neither do you ???????????????????????????? ( sorry, said in jest )

[Classic Ray]

The funding model is unsustainable without corruption. In US and UK, and now Singapore and Hong Kong, good living wages raised from effective local and national taxation are paid to police officers with control of corrupt behaviour. Police are not allowed to have business interests which conflict with their duties eg own bars and clubs.

 

Because the only tax effectively collected in Thailand is VAT, there is not enough raised to fund public services like the police. They are encouraged to run as profit making enterprises to pay for even such basics as air conditioning in stations, uniforms and weapons, and many vehicles are self-funded. Consequently some of the money raised is diverted into officers’ pockets. The Immigration Police even partially fund officer’s salaries from the fines they impose.

 

This also applies to the armed forces, education, national airline etc. 

 

Whilst this funding model remains, including purchase of entry and promotion, there will always be a cycle of debt. Time to effectively collect taxes, especially from large corporations, fund public services and crack down on corruption.

[Caldera]

So it isn't enough that they have a license to steal, they need to borrow more on top of that? Outrageous. 

[dlclark97]

'famously bloated in numbers '  and yet in all too many cases ineffective.  It's known as living beyond your means.  Seemingly poorly paid and equipped for the job, it's no wonder there is corruption, brown envelopes and other resourceful ways to raise income. 

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Most Plod that visit Gold Shops are there to collect the weekly or monthly 'Protection Money' that all Business's have to pay them; not that they get any 'Protection' as such but if they get robbed the Plod may actually investigate and try and catch someone !

Oh !, I thought it was to oversee the borrowing of Money against the Customers Gold on a Monthly payback for a Loan.

Maybe its all of these things and possibly more.

[BestB]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

How would that benefit individual police officers with debt?   You're not seriously suggesting that people with private debts (police officers) should have those debts paid off for them using the proceeds of fines or the sale of impounded vehicles, are you?    

You seriously suggesting that you do not know how fines distribution works in Thailand?

I thought you were an all out expert on all Thailand and Thai related, there is no subject you do not know about or will not critisize.

 

Did you need some education on how getting more fines helps police and individual police officers?

[Dont confuse me]

Here's Ferrari Jo get out of jail card! 

Give him a free hand for a couple of years he could clear those debts!