Thai police to speed up clearing of criminal records of those found not guilty

[snoop1130]

 

The Royal Thai Police have announced the launch of a program to facilitate the clearing of the criminal records of those either acquitted in court or who have had their cases dropped by public prosecutors, so that they can resume their normal lives and apply for employment without problems.

 

Currently, such people have to file petitions with the Police Clearance Service Centre to have their criminal records expunged, after which they are issued with a “clearance certificate”.

 

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Assistant to the National Police Chief Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn said today (Tuesday) that this old process places the burden to the petitioners. To end this, the names of these people will now be removed from the records once they are cleared by a court or by public prosecutors of any wrongdoing.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-police-to-speed-up-clearing-of-criminal-records-of-those-found-not-guilty/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-05-03

 

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[ukrules]

54 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Royal Thai Police have announced the launch of a program to facilitate the clearing of the criminal records of those either acquitted in court or who have had their cases dropped by public prosecutors

Hold on a minute, you're telling me that people have a 'criminal record' before being convicted by a court?

 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

To end this, the names of these people will now be removed from the records once they are cleared by a court or by public prosecutors of any wrongdoing.

Why are they given a criminal record if they have not been found guilty of any criminality?

[worgeordie]

So it's Guilty ... until proven innocent , Thai justice ,

regards worgeordie

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Currently, such people have to file petitions with the Police Clearance Service Centre to have their criminal records expunged, after which they are issued with a “clearance certificate”.

Begs the question why do they have a "criminal record" before a guilty verdict issued in court?

Surely up-to and in court only an investigation has taken place, and if innocent those documents can be destroyed?

[sammieuk1]

Looks like everyone starts off with a criminal record until your rich then your criminality is on the pay as you go system ????

[PETERTHEEATER]

Rest assured, we're  on it. Our new loose-fit uniforms are built for speed.......????

[smedly]

10 hours ago, ukrules said:

Hold on a minute, you're telling me that people have a 'criminal record' before being convicted by a court?

 

hard to figure out what they are sating - but yes, it seems in Thailand you are guilty until proven innocent would be my interpretation - what a backwards country

[300sd]

The beauty of  being guilty before proven innocent is that one gets to buy his freedom without the hassle of court and lawyers etc. This must be the reason why many young men want to join the police force.

[mtls2005]

26 minutes ago, smedly said:

but yes, it seems in Thailand you are guilty until proven innocent would be my interpretation

 

Depends on status.

 

And your relationship with the powers that be.

 

Sure even heinous criminals from the upper reaches occasionally get prosecuted, but with good behavior and royal pardons, they walk after having served quite short terms. And seem to slide right back into previous jobs and society.

 

 

You also get a 50% discount if you plead guilty.

 

And only the rich folks get bail, all others languish in jail.

[mikebell]

Does this apply to crooked police?  About 80 have been dismissed already this year; will this mean they can re-apply?

[TropicalGuy]

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

Hold on a minute, you're telling me that people have a 'criminal record' before being convicted by a court?

 

any arrest or caution record in UK without court conviction is held privately on police computer and not shown on any public police clearance letter.

Same with minor convictions like common assault after maybe ten years. This is probably common practice worldwide ?
Thailand might follow that ? (especially in a society with no enforced rules that cannot be circumvented by cash or connections !). 

[TropicalGuy]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

hard to figure out what they are sating - but yes, it seems in Thailand you are guilty until proven innocent would be my interpretation - what a backwards country

When the King reformed & modernized Thai Law some 140 years ago, necessary for international trade purposes initially, they took heavily from the Napoleonic French Law in Cambodia which was “ I Accuse ! So Guilty Until Proven Innocent ”. Believe Thai Defamation Laws came in this way too. 
 

Complete opposite of the English Common Law in British Burma / Malaysia then ( Innocent until Proven Guilty / No Defamation if Proven True)  which was also partly incorporated in modern Thai law. 
So not sure about current Thai Law in respect to Innocence.

[SomchaiCNX]

And the main question how much to put in the brown envelope to get cleared by those who put your name on the list in the first place. Or did I read between the lines they want those in uniform the be cleared from the list?

 

[DJ54]

Read that Thailand is innocent before  proven guilty. Perhaps it’s suspected of crime on record 

And once innocent not cleared quickly..

[JimmyJ]

2 hours ago, TropicalGuy said:

any arrest or caution record in UK without court conviction is held privately on police computer and not shown on any public police clearance letter.

Same with minor convictions like common assault after maybe ten years. This is probably common practice worldwide ?
 

Not in the USA. (AKA "Prison Planet").

 

On the record forever (unless one can get it expunged but that is not automatic, and a limited window).

 

 

 

[300sd]

5 hours ago, SomchaiCNX said:

And the main question how much to put in the brown envelope to get cleared by those who put your name on the list in the first place. Or did I read between the lines they want those in uniform the be cleared from the list?

 

Oh don't worry. They will tell you exactly how much they want. The problem is there is usually half a dozen to pay off! So just times it by the number on duty that day.

[Andycoops]

Yet another archaic law that puts the not guilty last in the process of the law as we see daily.

Dark ages stuff from the Thai government yet again.

No interest in justice, just prosecute, prosecute.

[BTB1977]

With a 95% conviction rate it shouldn't take long to erase the 5% lucky ones.