Policemen ‘Using Free Time To Escort Chinese Tourist’

[webfact]

The Chinese female tourist who said everything is for sale in Thailand, left, and the off-duty policeman escorting her car to the hotel. Photo: Matichon

 

by TNR Staff

 

INVESTIGATION of a viral video shared by a female Chinese tourist claiming to have paid for police escort from the airplane to the hotel showed that some policemen have been using their free time and their modified personal vehicles to offer this service, Matichon newspaper said today (Jan. 23).

 

The three policemen seen in this video clip, Pol. Capt. Sompol Phinyosamosorn, a deputy inspector of Tourist Police Division One’s Operation Division Three which is responsible for Suvarnabhumi Airport, and  Pol. Sgt. Thanakorn Nukulthanakit and Pol. Sgt. Thanawat Simakachonboon, attached to the Traffic Police Division, were transferred to the headquarters yesterday.

 

The two traffic policemen did not today show up for questioning by Pol. Col. Sukit Arunrerkthawin, deputy commander of this division who is heading the investigation.

 

However the tourist policeman has given a full account of all that happened, Pol. Maj. Gen. Archayon Kraithong, the police spokesman said.

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2023/01/23/policemen-using-free-time-to-escort-chinese-tourist/

 

-- © Copyright  THAI NEWSROOM 2023-01-24

 

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[webfact]

Chinese national, tour operator to be questioned in police escort scandal

 

 

A tour operator and a Chinese tourist are to be invited in for questioning over controversial and unauthorised police escorts provided by Thai tourist and traffic police officers.

 

Pol Maj-Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said on Monday that two traffic police officers and a tourist police officer are now under investigation by their respective agencies for providing an escort to a female Chinese tourist.

 

He said that the tourist police officer, Pol Captain Somphol Pinyosamosorn, picked up the Chinese tourist at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok and escorted her, through a special immigration channel, out of the airport to a waiting car, which was then escorted by a traffic police officer on his motorcycle to her hotel in Bangkok.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/chinese-national-tour-operator-to-be-questioned-in-police-escort-scandal/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1284321-chinese-national-tour-operator-to-be-questioned-in-police-escort-scandal/

[dallen52]

All part of the new service. 

Wonder if other nationalities will get the same treatment?

[HappyExpat57]

1 minute ago, dallen52 said:

All part of the new service. 

Wonder if other nationalities will get the same treatment?

I believe all nationalities are treated equally, as long as they can afford it.

[hioctane]

In the US, off duty police do private security all the time but not in uniform.

[sungod]

56 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

All part of the new service. 

Wonder if other nationalities will get the same treatment?

Its been going on for years.

[Dogmatix]

This type of escort service had been available for a long time. I remember being given a quote that was something like 10k a day for a police car and 5k for a motorbike plus tips to escort VIP visitors around Bangkok. We used the service for a visiting director from our parent company. They did a great job in traffic turning on sirens to get cars out of the way - well worth it. The director believed it was because the cops considered him genuinely important.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that the tourist police officer, Pol Captain Somphol Pinyosamosorn, picked up the Chinese tourist at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok and escorted her, through a special immigration channel, out of the airport to a waiting car, which was then escorted by a traffic police officer on his motorcycle to her hotel in Bangkok.

That personal touch to ensure good service to the now incoming Chinese has reached new levels.

Police forever the entrepreneurs.

[theoldgit]

What’s the difference between the officers selling their services to escort tourists and the uniformed and armed officers who sit inside gold shops throughout the country?

[nigelforbes]

Is this what they call an escort service?

[realfunster]

8 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

What’s the difference between the officers selling their services to escort tourists and the uniformed and armed officers who sit inside gold shops throughout the country?

Yes, after thinking about this for a few days, I did consider that I see police (in uniform) regularly stationed at office buildings, schools, gold shops etc.

No doubt this comes with some monetary compensation.

 

So, it is in fact quite common here. What the actual rules are, who knows. In this case perhaps the apparent use of publicly paid for vehicles is what has contributed to the ire (along with the smug and irritating tourist), hence the deflection on the vehicle ownership in the OP

 

In the UK, for example, uniformed police are available for hire - just look at the footy !

[fdimike]

Not sure just where you're referring to regarding armed uniformed police inside gold shops.  I live in Udon Thani and have never seen an armed uniformed cop inside a gold shop here in Udon or anywhere in Thailand.  However, I have seen unarmed private security personnel from time to time in the gold shops in the city as well as the Lotus Extra which has a couple of gold shops.

[Asquith Production]

19 minutes ago, fdimike said:

Not sure just where you're referring to regarding armed uniformed police inside gold shops.  I live in Udon Thani and have never seen an armed uniformed cop inside a gold shop here in Udon or anywhere in Thailand.  However, I have seen unarmed private security personnel from time to time in the gold shops in the city as well as the Lotus Extra which has a couple of gold shops.

Here in Mahasarakham they nearly all have a uniformed armed Police Officer

 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

All part of the new service. 

Wonder if other nationalities will get the same treatment?

Most folks of my nationality get police escorts to the airport and onto the plane!

[Andycoops]

31 minutes ago, fdimike said:

Not sure just where you're referring to regarding armed uniformed police inside gold shops.  I live in Udon Thani and have never seen an armed uniformed cop inside a gold shop here in Udon or anywhere in Thailand.  However, I have seen unarmed private security personnel from time to time in the gold shops in the city as well as the Lotus Extra which has a couple of gold shops.

The gold shop in my BigC has a armed uniformed policeman on duty every day, here in Roi Et.

 

So you know where to see one if you so desire.

It's the same in most places near where I live, Yasothon etc

[theoldgit]

31 minutes ago, fdimike said:

Not sure just where you're referring to regarding armed uniformed police inside gold shops.  I live in Udon Thani and have never seen an armed uniformed cop inside a gold shop here in Udon or anywhere in Thailand. 

 

I can't speak for Udon and I don't where else you've been in Thailand, but I've seen numerous armed and uniformed police officers when I lived in Bangkok and they also have them here in Hua Hin.

[Andycoops]

How bad is that for the Thai authorities, she said 'everything is for sale in Thailand' 

 

Defamation case surely.

 

Something those of us who live here have known for along time.

 

 

 

[cheapcanuck]

I see nothing wrong if the police are off duty and not using police resources, like a  motor bike.

 

[ChrisY1]

So they're going to grill the tourist....how about the cops...they took the dosh and they broke the rules!

[nikmar]

2 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

I believe all nationalities are treated equally, as long as they can afford it.

maybe some nationalities are more equal than others  ????

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

So they're going to grill the tourist....how about the cops...they took the dosh and they broke the rules!

They didn't even bother to turn up!

[ignore it]

58 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

How bad is that for the Thai authorities, she said 'everything is for sale in Thailand' 

Defamation case surely.

 

 

 

Defamation is defined as the action of damaging the good reputation of someone; slander or libel.

So given the reputation of the RTP there are no grounds for anything other than a nuisance suit.

A legal action would just be more free advertising for the new "Cops with free time and fake vehicles" service

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by ignore it

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, fdimike said:

Not sure just where you're referring to regarding armed uniformed police inside gold shops.  I live in Udon Thani and have never seen an armed uniformed cop inside a gold shop here in Udon or anywhere in Thailand.  However, I have seen unarmed private security personnel from time to time in the gold shops in the city as well as the Lotus Extra which has a couple of gold shops.

It is common to see armed police men sitting on the obligatory red plastic stool in the gold shops clustered around the municipal market in Chiang Rai.

[bobonzo]

• I SO want to use this service.  Lights and sirens all the way to Patts. Escorts all the way to the Beer Bar at Walking street.

[Plus Esse Quam Simultatur]

Most condominiums have a police officer on the playlist . Our condominium pays 2000 Baht per month. The Idea was that in case something happens in the condominium he should be available but as everything thing here that service is always not present when needed.

 

As for uniformed police in gold shops it's very common in Pattaya. They proudly takes selfies outside the shop to proff for the owner's that they have been there.

[thailand49]

2 hours ago, hioctane said:

In the US, off duty police do private security all the time but not in uniform.

Not sure about that home outside a Big Apple Store,  two private security inside two regular SFPD,  outside in uniform police car parked in front too. 

[thailand49]

looks like the Chinese Triads care for their mistresses?

[MRToMRT]

They were off duty ........ so could they be prosecuted for impersonating a police officer?

[Freddy42OZ]

1 hour ago, cheapcanuck said:

I see nothing wrong if the police are off duty and not using police resources, like a  motor bike.

 

The motorbikes belong to the individuals, not to the police force. 

[recom273]

2 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

This type of escort service had been available for a long time. I remember being given a quote that was something like 10k a day for a police car and 5k for a motorbike plus tips to escort VIP visitors around Bangkok. We used the service for a visiting director from our parent company. They did a great job in traffic turning on sirens to get cars out of the way - well worth it. The director believed it was because the cops considered him genuinely important.

We had a police escort for a school summer camp to Khao Yai one year, the coaches didnt stop at all from the time we left Ratotaksin Island. We were told the kids were from important families, so we had a police riders all the way, closing off the traffic lights. This must be a right earner for the RTP.