Picture: Siam Rath

 

Siam Rath reported that top cop Lt-Gen Surachate Hakpan was in Betong, southern Thailand, yesterday to evaluate the effectiveness of the RTP chief's much vaunted Smart Safety Zone 4.0 crime reporting and prevention system.

 

The RTP think it is the best thing since sliced bread inspiring Thais to respect their force though the public are skeptical, even if they have heard of it.

 

Surachate - known universally as Big Joke - was slapping top brass in the area on the back after the Betong station was named number one for the scheme's implementation. 

 

S.S.Z. 4.0 - is the baby of RTP chief Pol Gen Suwat Changyodsuk and part of a 20 year strategy to address crime and get the public to respect the police again.

 

Suwat recognised that this has waned over the years and that the key was local, community policing that the public could get behind.

 

The system is basically CCTV linked to local command centers. The public can press a button to report crime on special reporting posts. 

 

Critics have said unkindly that this just wakes up the cops who are snoozing at the station or otherwise engaged in extortion.

 

But the RTP say it is innovative and has already won an international award for community policing projects in Dubai at a police conference. 

 

A pilot scheme was deemed successful - by the RTP - who said that polls are carried out monthly  and is now being rolled out in Stage 2. 

 

Siam Rath's article was full of rhetoric and praise and completely devoid of any serious journalism in asking awkward questions, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

Few people outside the media have heard of the scheme and fewer still think it has made any difference to crime or the relationship the police have with the Thai public. 

 

That has always been love/hate tinged with suspicion and skepticism with many Thais accepting that their police are little more than an organised state mafia. 

 

Suwat perhaps mindful as to how his force is perceived believes his Smart baby can change that and improve the public's perception. 

 

Big Joke is in charge of this PR and tours the country promoting his chief's initiative.

 

Big Joke, former deputy commander of the tourist police and head of immigration, was sensationally sacked several years ago and demoted to the PM's office.

 

His rehabilitation under Suwat includes promoting the safety zone as well as handling human trafficking cases and illegal fishing.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The system is basically CCTV linked to local command centers. The public can press a button to report crime on special reporting posts.

ring a bell and ill salivate. 

ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 4  .there  adjusted  for  Thailand

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

That has always been love/hate tinged with suspicion and skepticism with many Thais accepting that their police are little more than an organised state mafia. 

 

They are just one branch!

Big Joke indeed. The whole scheme is a Big joke if nobody knows about it.  What's so innovative about a Police Call box?

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Surachate - known universally as Big Joke

I always wondered about his name, dose he knows that his nick-name in english is NOTHING to be proud of and it is indeed a joke and the joke is on him? its like being called big Shmuck and thinking nothing of it...

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I always wondered about his name, dose he knows that his nick-name in english is NOTHING to be proud of and it is indeed a joke and the joke is on him? its like being called big Shmuck and thinking nothing of it...

Why not ask him  and let us know what he replied ?

Edited July 29, 20223 yr by Excel

Is it ok to report corrupt police force there, too ? 

Heck, if Smart Safety Zone 1.0, Smart Safety Zone 2.0, and Smart Safety Zone 3.0 all failed, then surely it's Einstein's definition of insanity to keep on trying the same thing and expecting a different result, lol. 

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

I always wondered about his name, dose he knows that his nick-name in english is NOTHING to be proud of and it is indeed a joke and the joke is on him? its like being called big Shmuck and thinking nothing of it...

I don't believe so..... 

I always thought his nickname stemmed from 'jok', ie rice porridge, the stuff available at breakfast in some hotels. The 'joke' moniker being just Westerners getting things wrong, as they often do.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

part of a 20 year strategy to address crime and get the public to respect the police again

Respect can't be pretended: it must be earned with clear behavior, hard work and honesty examples.

As long as there is so much corruption (the numbers are impressive), no person will trust the police

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Critics have said unkindly that this just wakes up the cops who are snoozing at the station or otherwise engaged in extortion.

Nothing unkind. Just stating a plain fact.

How  do you respect the law if the RTP are the biggest offenders.

 Press a button to report crime. It will only work after the coins are inserted 

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Heck, if Smart Safety Zone 1.0, Smart Safety Zone 2.0, and Smart Safety Zone 3.0 all failed, then surely it's Einstein's definition of insanity to keep on trying the same thing and expecting a different result, lol. 

FYI, Einstein never actually said that, just one of those things that goes around and everyone believes because they hear it so often. He also never said the line about compound interest either.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I don't believe so..... 

I always thought his nickname stemmed from 'jok', ie rice porridge, the stuff available at breakfast in some hotels. The 'joke' moniker being just Westerners getting things wrong, as they often do.

Defnition of jok - correct

Definition by Westerners of "Big Joke" - also correct.

I heard of a case a few months ago where some farangs were arrested for drinking illegally, jailed overnight, taken to court and fined 10,000 baht each, and given a year's probation. This in itself seems a bit steep, but they were then taken back to the police station and told that they were going to be taken to Immigration the next day to have their passports stamped, or they could pay 20,000 baht each and be free to go! 

Put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig. Organisations get respect through action and leading the community by positive example. Thai people don't trust the RTP because the RTP do very little to engender trust and/or respect.

 

 

 

 

Which numpty thought this up. ANY sane, intelligent person KNOWS that RESPECT must be earned. Not demanded nor expected, but if it is due, then it is given freely.

In Thailand I wear a Uniform so you must respect, well that attitude is so wrong it is laughable. 

It seems a bit late to change the leopard's spots now. More arrests and imprisonment of corrupt police would make the public feel there is action more than PR.

I am sure the public was impressed by the police attempt recently to give free plastic bags to cover suspects heads. And their kind assistance to serve the young Red Bull chap in his time of need. This is all the PR the RTP seems to need these days.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

known universally as Big Joke

Is this a joke? ????

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I don't believe so..... 

I always thought his nickname stemmed from 'jok', ie rice porridge, the stuff available at breakfast in some hotels. The 'joke' moniker being just Westerners getting things wrong, as they often do.

It was explained in a Thaivisa post in 2019 when he was head of Immigration where the name Big Joke came from.  His father loved to play a game of cards that included the use of the joker. It was a card he consistently managed to have & use in the hands he was dealt, and his son was given the nic name joke ( short for joker ) by his father's card playing companions, and it stuck. So like many Thai police when they get promoted to a certain level the term Big is attached to their nic names, hence big joke.

But...but...what about outside the  safety zone? 

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I don't believe so..... 

I always thought his nickname stemmed from 'jok', ie rice porridge, the stuff available at breakfast in some hotels. The 'joke' moniker being just Westerners getting things wrong, as they often do.

Presumably because he is thick and tasteless.

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I don't believe so..... 

I always thought his nickname stemmed from 'jok', ie rice porridge, the stuff available at breakfast in some hotels. The 'joke' moniker being just Westerners getting things wrong, as they often do.

But he was head of immigration, the lit that interact with foreigners.

3 hours ago, Deli said:

Is it ok to report corrupt police force there, too ? 

Hello caller. Please stay where you are, take two plastic bags from the dispenser in front or you, place them over your head and wait for the officer you are complaining about to arrive. Thank you for your cooperation, is there anything else we can help you with today?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

and get the public to respect the police again.

again?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The system is basically CCTV linked to local command centers.

CCTV doesn't usually work for very long here due to lack of maintenance. 

Respect is not the word that most Thais I have met would use to describe the police here. Fear would be a more likely response and a major reason they will go to great lengths to avoid involving them. Good luck changing their perceptions tho. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

S.S.Z. 4.0 - is the baby of RTP chief Pol Gen Suwat Changyodsuk and part of a 20 year strategy to address crime and get the public to respect the police again.

Address what crime ?

The corruption, torturing and general dishonesty of the RTP, not just Nationally, but Globally.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The public can press a button to report crime on special reporting posts. 

These "reporting posts" were introduced throughout the UK in 1929, but no CCTV! If you were lucky, you may have met Doctor Who in his Tardis!! This is the last surviving one at the Crich Tramway Museum in the UK. (information obtained from Google!)

 

 

Edited July 29, 20223 yr by Burma Bill
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