Is police corruption in Thailand the same as elsewhere?

[webfact]

File photo for reference only

 

OPINION | by Michael Bridge

 

We keep reading about police corruption regularly in the media.

 

This month for example it was widely reported in the Thai media that Bangkok and Pattaya-based police officers were caught taking bribes.

 

The Bangkok police officer has been sentenced to 50 years in prison this month, after he was found guilty, by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, of demanding and taking bribes, totaling THB641,000, from a soapy massage parlour in Bangkok.
 
According to the press release, issued by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the unnamed officer, attached to the Metropolitan Police Bureau, took sixty-five bribes from the parlour, in exchange for not taking legal action against it for alleged violations of the law.
 
The court found him guilty on all sixty-five counts and imposed a five-year prison term for each of the counts, bringing the accumulated jail time to 325 years.

 

Pattaya receives bribe 

A police sergeant was accused of taking a THB20,000 bribe from a young woman to help write off her case and sexually harassing her has been dismissed pending an investigation into three serious charges.

Pattaya city police chief Apichai Krobphet on Saturday said officers had interrogated the 23-year-old woman and examined closed-circuit television footage following media reports about alleged bribery and sexual harassment involving a Pattaya police officer.
The investigation found the allegations had grounds. The accused officer was a police senior sergeant major, who also admitted to the allegations to an extent, said Pol Col Apichai.

Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chaiya Thiangthaisong faces charges of taking a bribe, illegal detention, and public indecency.
These are just two incidents reported in June.

It is naturally hard to understand how the Thai police seem to get by, often by removing a corrupt police officer from his duties or posting them to another province.

But what is the situation across SE Asia?

In 2021, Singapore was perceived to be the least corrupt country in the Asean region, with a corruption index score of 85 out of 100. 

Comparatively, Cambodia was perceived to be one of the most corrupt countries across the Asean region, with a corruption index score of 23 out of 100 in 2021.

Thailand ranked sixth with a corruption index score of 35 out of 100.

The Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Thailand in 110th place out of 180 countries evaluated. 

The index examines public sector corruption; countries whose public sectors are perceived to be more corrupt receive a higher ranking.

Meanwhile Law enforcement authorities are perceived to be the most corrupt public institutions in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

What are the legal consequences of being found guilty of bribery offences in Thailand? 

Officials can face up to life imprisonment and/or a THB400,000 fine on conviction (section 173 PSC Act).

 

Individuals can face up to five years' imprisonment and/or a maximum of THB 100,000 fine or both (section 175 and 176 PSC Act).

The NACC is charged with combating corruption in Thailand by high-ranking government officials and politicians. 

A similar organization, the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) under the Ministry of Justice focuses on corruption by low-level governmental officials.

Although corruption in the police force is widely acknowledged, the judiciary ranks a close second in many Asian countries.

So, if you want a less corrupt lifestyle head for Denmark.

Globally Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, Singapore, and Sweden are known as the least corrupt nations in the world, ranking consistently high among international financial transparency, while the most apparently corrupt are Syria, Somalia (both scoring 13), and South Sudan (11).

 

 

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[rodknock]

worse

[zzaa09]

Same Same Everywhere.

Unfortunately, most don't have the ability to recognize as such.

[KhunLA]

I don't find corruption here much different than elsewhere.  They simply don't concern themselves with hiding it as good.   Probably because the consequence of being caught is less.

[ikke1959]

It depends on what is seen as corruption.. A fine with a ticket of 500 THB or without a ticket for 300 THB..... Is that corruption??? Paythe police to do a proper investigation, or they don't it and let it go... as we noticed that in a motoraccident someone died and the police asked for 100.00 THB to investigate the case, but the people did not have the money so standard nothing was investigated as only speeding and an accident occured... It  happens all over Thailand and I am sure that in many places the police is being paid for things, as gambling dens, karaoke bars with extras, and drugs.....   We have to live with it I think

[RichardColeman]

Back in the days of VHS, I used to copy videos and 'let them out' so to speak. 

 

My girlfriend at the time had a policemen as her father. The amount of movies he 'borrowed' showed he really could not give a hoot. That said, if I had been distributing and selling cocaine it may have been different ! (or more expensive)

[wombat]

If memory serves....Verbaling by Australian police seems to be newsworthy when papers are having a slow news week

[Iamfalang]

America…you can post videos, shame, bring light to issues.  Investigate.  

 

SE Asia…….silence is your best protection.    Falang want no problem, everything great.  Never post bad.  Great great.  

[Classic Ray]

Police corruption is a product of severe underfunding by Government even for salaries, station running costs, personal cost for uniforms, guns etc.

 

Coupled with the selling of promotable posts for senior officers and the lack of any will to investigate or reduce corrupt acts, it leads to the police being treated as a money making business, with excess profits generated by lower ranks being kicked up the chain.
 

The few corruption cases we do hear about are probably the result of not kicking the profits up as required.

 

The only answer is a complete change of culture from the top down, large salary increases funded by increased  public taxation, and the formation of an agency similar to Hong Kong ICAC (formed under British rule) to investigate and deal with corrupt officers.

 

The tax increases would be a vote loser, and I don’t see any will to upset the gravy train either from the Government or the police commanders.

[Boomer6969]

I am currently watching "Narcos" and keep thinking that Thailand is much closer to the Mexico and isn't even close to most of the European countries. 

 

Here you have a reasonable assessment.

[klauskunkel]

Quote

Is police corruption in Thailand the same as elsewhere?

In most other countries, officers may get corrupted after being on the job for a while.

Here, it seems, a good percentage of officers join the force because of the possibility of corruption.

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Here, it seems, a good percentage of officers join the force because of the possibility of corruption.

Or even pay graft to get the job.... being corrupt is on the application form!

[Mr Meeseeks]

If you are saying Thailand is the same as everywhere else, you don't really know the extent of the problem here.

 

Some African countries, Cambodia, Burma are worse. 

 

Sure, corruption happens in the West too, but there are mechanisms in place that actually function to deal with it and punishments are severe if caught. 

 

Saying it is just better disguised or hidden in the West is facile and doesn't hold up to scrutiny. 

 

 

[Gottfrid]

Yes, it´s absolutely same as anywhere else. The only difference is that they got the percentage of it just a tad more than the median level. ????

[BritManToo]

Police corruption in the west is limited to the big money players.

In Thailand everyone can take advantage, prices starting from 100bht.

[BritManToo]

21 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Saying it is just better disguised or hidden in the West is facile and doesn't hold up to scrutiny. 

I was once involved in a complaint about police corruption in the UK.

Apparently none of them were corrupt, they just needed 13 police and civilian employees to take further training. And they didn't want to go to court about it, so payed for my complaint to go away (7,000 pounds).

Edited June 22, 2022 by BritManToo

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

took sixty-five bribes from the parlour, in exchange for not taking legal action against it for alleged violations of the law.
 
The court found him guilty on all sixty-five counts and imposed a five-year prison term for each of the counts, bringing the accumulated jail time to 325 years.

Seems a little unfair to me, considering you can hit and run on a policeman and completely get away with it.

Moved to an inactive post would be fairer IMHO.

[phetphet]

Not corruption, but when our little one was about five or six, she once asked as we were driving along, why do policemen alway drink beer, eat pizza and play cards?

 

Don't know where she got that from.

 

Mind you, she might be sharper than me. Whenever she saw a temple fair, she used to point and shout, "Look! Monk party! ????

[blackshadow]

i would say WORSE.....

[userabcd]

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

A fine with a ticket of 500 THB or without a ticket for 300 THB..... Is that corruption???

Bit of money laundering and tax evasion for the 500 baht part could be tacked on there though.

Edited June 22, 2022 by userabcd

[IgboChief]

I have never made any bad experience with any police anywhere in the world. Most of the time, it is a matter of how you approach them: Talk family first, then mourn about economy and bad wages. Then tell them how your wife makes life a hell by nagging all time an beating your nerves. It's all <deleted>, but they do love this kind of "dancing".

 

Thai police always treated me with utmost respect and I do not mind to support their welfare fund from time to time. Laos police always treated me nicely and so I am glad to help them out.

 

Nigerian police is mafia and its good to know some people, just in case. But never any bad experience.

 

They are all just people trying to make a living. Respect and accept that and you will be fine.

 

[peter zwart]

Sometimes it works for you and sometimes it doesnt. Overall i like the idea that i can pay things of with relative small money. In my home country youve got corruption on a different level which is much more expensive and doesnt change anything in a positive way for you. 

[mikebell]

53 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Or even pay graft to get the job.... being corrupt is on the application form!

It is said it costs 1 million for a Pattaya post recoverable within a year.  I was in a room in Dongtan station where a car thief had been 'arrested' by family members.  The fat officer wanted 10K to proceed with prosecuting.  The victim did not have the money & continued paying the bank for FOUR years for a car she did not have!

[seajae]

police in other countries especially the west usually do their work the right way in most cases, they man police stations 24/7, they go out of the office and patrol roads etc, they investigate when needed(and dont demand to be paid to do it) and do not openly use stolen/confiscated goods, sell drugs, run gambling dens, consistently break the law themselves, take backhanders and ignore certain people breaking the law etc. When the higher ups are paid for other officers advancement, to make sure that "important" people are not charged/arrested etc their corrupt ways are all on display yet they dont care as they think they are above the law that applies to others, I have seen how police in other countries behave(even have 3 family members in the police force that tell me what happens) but it is no where near the extent of corruption in the thai police, police in Thailand look at it as a means to make more money only by using their positions, they do not care about doing what they are paid to do

[thailand49]

Not only not the same their responsibility and training not the same. 

Like China the whole system is like one big Mafia. 

Whatever cases you read like this story is nothing but smoke to show as if they are doing something but these are small time guys not worth <deleted> that are made examples.

Years back in China remember the lead being used in toys many ended up in U. S.  Just like the poison dog food, medicine,  sheet rock when it got out examples had to be made they take a sorry ass Chinamen ( I can exempt myself from such language since I'm one) one but not sorry A--????

Take him do a photo op,  dig a big hole executed him bury him and millions of the lead toys to set a example then the same officials take the other millions of lead toys and ship them all over Asia including Thailand selling them.

If you think it is the same it isn't people are fooling themselves the reality we use the phrase This is Thailand! 

[Will B Good]

Does it really matter.?...it is wrong, wrong, wrong.

[IgboChief]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Sure, corruption happens in the West too, but there are mechanisms in place that actually function to deal with it and punishments are severe if caught. 

Those mechanisms exists everywhere: Call the Commissioner of Police and there will be apologies and punishment.

 

Of course, when you are without your phone and constraint to your un-inflamable mattress in a police cell in Germany -- and suddenly burn to ashes, then this is no-ones fault and definitely no case of corruption.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Oury_Jalloh

[Hanuman2547]

Thailand ranking 110 out of 180 puts them a bit on the below average side of things.  No surprise there.

[mania]

Oh come on,

This is not even a question

Although Britmantoo came closest with his in Thailand corruption is available to all & it is

 

But truth is try bribe a cop on the spot in the USA...You would be tazed & laying on the ground belly down in cuffs ????

 

Trust me I'm not saying it is not nice being able to bribe a cop in Thailand for $6-$150 but you might think otherwise if your the dead guy at the scene

that some perp is bribing his way out of

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

The victim did not have the money & continued paying the bank for FOUR years for a car she did not have!

Because also of the theft insurance I presume she did not have.

(Usually obligatory to have insurance when the car is bought with a loan.)