Banged Up! "Extortion" case cops denied bail - but are they scapegoats for wider malaise in RTP?

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: Crestfallen in jail!

 

OPINION

 

Thai media of all descriptions had the case of six Huay Khwang police officers accused of corruption at the top of their news feeds.

 

These are the officers who allegedly extorted the Taiwanese actress Charlene An and her party outside the Chinese embassy in a late night shakedown on January 4th. 

 

They had to pay 27,000 baht for possessing vaping devices and not having their passports with them.

 

Videos showed the men being led from the Bangkok Remand Prison to a special, relatively new court that deals with corruption cases against bent officials. 

 

The captains, senior sergeants and sergeants were soon being led back to jail where they can be held for up to seven 12 day periods subject to the court's discretion, reported Daily News. 

 

Bail was denied to all six. Looking crestfallen and dejected and stripped of their uniforms in black with caps.

It was a somewhat pitiful sight. While some observers will be crowing that corrupt police are getting their just desserts, others will see scapegoats for a far bigger malaise in the RTP.

 

Chuwit Kamolwisit has spoken of an organized racket with targets of 300 million baht plus a month for officers in the met police to engage in extortion and contribute to a central fund.

 

Many Thai observers will see six officers who are set to carry the can for something engaged in not just by the majority of the rank and file of the police but officers all the way up the chain of command. 

 

 

Chuwit mentioned the chief of the met police by name and said that since casinos were shut down revenue streams dried up.

 

The court decided that these six represented a threat to the country as the case was so serious. And with their being police, witness tampering was feared. 

 

But if Chuwit's allegations are anywhere near the mark then police from every one of 88 stations are engaged in corrupt activities to routinely extort the public and tourists. 

 

In the provinces - especially in tourist areas like Pattaya nd Phuket - many report roadside rackets.

 

These six could be examples as hundreds - if not thousands - of others look on and wonder how they are free and these men are not.

 

Far from it. They face LIFE in prison and fines up to 400,000 baht. This will not be a transfer and a quiet slap on the wrist.

 

 

It's gone too far already.

 

The reaction to the "Taiwanese Actress" case is rather typical of Thailand. Go after subordinates to make it appear that action is being taken to solve corruption.

 

Without addressing the bigger issue of a force chock a block full of bad apples.

 

It is little more than a week since Charlene An went on Instagram to say she had been scared.

 

Since then the case has involved virtually every senior figure in the met police and wider RTP leadership as well as politicians up to PM Prayuth Chan-ocha himself. 

 

Witnesses have been in front of the cameras - that always seem to work better than the CCTV and body cam footage that leaves much to the imagination at the checkpoints. 

 

Thai people - familiar for decades with the "give and take" of their relationship with their police - look on at the show and wonder if there will be any real change.

 

For these six officers - some of whom have reportedly admitted guilt and others who have not - are languishing in jail wondering what hit them.

 

When they were doing what they were told to do in a system they have become familiar with.

 

The reaction to vaping devices is also typical. Have a crackdown on something illegal that has been operating in total plain sight for years. 

 

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[Dmaxdan]

By refusing bail and locking these guys up they have inadvertently set a precedence for similar  misdemeanors committed by the RTP. 

It remains to be seen if these harsher punishments will become the exception or the norm regarding future corruption offences committed by police officers.

[Pouatchee]

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!

Put the fear of God in the Frackers!

[2baht]

You can put lipstick on a pig but guess what, it's still a pig! Purely butt covering for a much wider issue!

[Bluespunk]

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

Bail was denied to all six. Looking crestfallen and dejected and stripped of their uniforms in black with caps.

It was a somewhat pitiful sight.

No pity being felt here. 
 

As ye sow, so shall ye reap. 

[Orinoco]

10 minutes ago, Pouatchee said:

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!

Put the fear of God in the Frackers!

+1  

[CRUNCHER]

The police are the more visible manifestation of corruption in Thailand, but the real problem is much deeper than that.

 

Whether it is a minor civil servant asking for a couple of hundred baht tea money to issue  license he is paid to issue or money being ripped out of major infrastructure projects corruption is rife in Thailand.

 

Too many Thais shrug their shoulders and say "that's the way it is". Many hate the corruption, but are powerless to do anything.

 

The police have to be dealt with, but this just treats the symptoms and does nothing to cure the illness.

Edited February 3, 2023 by CRUNCHER

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

a special, relatively new court that deals with corruption cases against bent officials

I did wonder what happened to the kangaroos after Dusit Zoo closed.

[Stevemercer]

As the original post implies, these are just foot soldiers obeying orders from higher up. There is no way street cops, like these, would get the keep the 27,000 Baht exhorted. They may get 500 Baht each, but most will go up the food chain right to the top of the metropolitan police.

 

The subordinates get all the blame (and the book will be thrown at them effectively ruining their lives and reputations), but the higher-ups shrug off any responsibility and do everything to keep out of the spotlight.

[jonclark]

In a country where greng jai is a taught characteristic, where positions of power are bought and traded, where nepotism is rife and police salaries are low  aIs it any wonder that corruption is rife and practised? 

 

Corruption is just an expression of these underpinning elements. All elements need addressing if you wish to tackle corruption.

[ThailandGuy]

Where is that picture with all the good cops behind a suspect like they do with Farangs all the time?

[shackleton]

It's a start with the 6 police guys getting arrested for corruption 

A severe sentence is needed hopefully sends out a message to others on the take ????

Will it stop doubt it but you have to  start somewhere ????

[steveyinasia]

Where is the photo op exposing their faces and all the pointing?

[Xonax]

Someone have to take the blame, so that the scam can continue. A fine wake-up call not to be caught red handed! In the future make sure that there are no witnesses.

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Xonax

[spidermike007]

This will have no bearing on the bent superior officers, all the way up the chain of command. It is a way of life, and it is the rule, NOT the exception. 

 

The only reason these officers are being disciplined at all, is because it is international news, and there is egg on the face of the RTP. They have to appear to be doing something. In reality, will anything change or improve? 

[BMW Overlander]

No bail means no possible contact with authority and fancy lawyers who can offer them a deal to catch a bigger fish. If this was in USA, the feds would make them cooperating witnesses before the day is over.

Edited February 3, 2023 by BMW Overlander

[ignore it]

Perp walk 10/10

Shelding faces 6/10

Finger pointing 0/10

Handcuffs 0/10

Leg Irons 0/10

Reenactment 0/10

Overall score 16/60

[4MyEgo]

Simple solution, stop ALL cops issuing tickets from collecting the money.

 

Do as the systems in most countries do, ticket issued, 21 days to pay to a government account, or fill in the back to take the matter to court.

 

End of story, then any cops wanting to take money are open targets, i.e. provided that people are prepared to record and put them in.

 

I doubt the above even has a chance because then you would need the cops to go around knocking on doors to issue summonses for those who didn't pay the fines.

 

If they did do the above, then they could get pay rises for doing their work and bringing in an income to the government.

 

Genius ????

Edited February 3, 2023 by 4MyEgo

[Snig27]

Of course they are scapegoats. The whole RTP is rotten to the core, as is the justice system, the military and the the corrupt, rotten government that oversees the lot. And nothing will change. 

[thailand49]

Yes they are scapegoats without a doubt,  you take Chuwit claim it is impossible for there not to be more. In this country these official behind borrow and steal so they can be assigned to areas that flow with these corruption scam. In Pattaya getting assigned to Soi 9 is on PAR with winning the lottery.

Now you got all this smoke and mirror special process court there isn't a court or prison to hold them all.  They will for show act like they are going to jail lay low then reassigned to another location. Two things if you are one of the six,  if they were serious six would be singing like they were the nations chorus. 

They all know just got their pants down.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

39 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The only reason these officers are being disciplined at all, is because it is international news, and there is egg on the face of the RTP. They have to appear to be doing something. In reality, will anything change or improve? 

Indeed, if it hadn't become an international news story courtesy of the visibility of Charlene An, none of this would be happening.

 

If it had been you or me, we'd simply be out 30,000 baht, and the officers involved would be looking for their next targets.

 

In the case at hand, these officers simply picked the wrong tourist to extort.

 

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[NemoH]

I now fear for the cops.. their criminal "friends".. which I believe are many... will be waiting for them in jail....

[wwest5829]

Before retiring to Thailand I did what I have been educated to do ... and so read Thai history, Thai sociology, Thai psychiatry, Thai culture books in addition to coming for two monthlong trips in 2009 and again in 2010. Oh, there have been cross cultural experiences for sure, but I cannot say there have been any real surprises. In this current issue? I think it is quite within the expectation of a country which is socially based on a structure giving status to both wealth and social standing. This reinforces the recognition of kreng jai with those with wealth/power giving and those lower, giving due diffidence. Thus, I am not at all confident to think that there could be substantial change without a deep social change expectation.

[soalbundy]

I did my 90 day report this morning and asked where all the male colleagues were, there were only 4 women officers working. I was told that they have all been dispersed throughout different parts of Thailand. I said nothing but my wife whispered,"corruption punishment"

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Chuwit Kamolwisit has spoken of an organized racket with targets of 300 million baht plus a month for officers in the met police to engage in extortion and contribute to a central fund.

Go for the big guns, not the cops doing what they were told to do from above.

Chuwit has spelt it out how the game works.

Over 300 million baht per month to share around... about as bent as it can get.

[wwest5829]

59 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

Of course they are scapegoats. The whole RTP is rotten to the core, as is the justice system, the military and the the corrupt, rotten government that oversees the lot. And nothing will change. 

Once upon a time I thought I could view this in other countries and critique but now ... yes, in large measure because of available technology, I am quieted as an American. Oh, certainly, I can recognize different nuances but ... US corruption? Sadly widespread.

[happydreamer]

When you sign up to join the police force here you know what you're getting yourself into.  It's not like they were bamboozled into something they were against.  They were just the ones that were made examples of. If your personal ethics didn't align with doing something this wrong in your life you wouldn't have signed up to be a cop.  You'd have chosen another career.  Most get into this because they know what the fringe benefits are.  And if you're a subordinate to a well-respected higher rank you're gonna print all day every day...

[JonnyF]

Every single officer leading them away will have done the same thing at one point or another.

 

Dog and Pony show.

[Boyn]

2 hours ago, steveyinasia said:

Where is the photo op exposing their faces and all the pointing?

I am starting to think that finger pointing skills are not what they used to be, its a dying art.

[digger70]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

These six could be examples as hundreds - if not thousands - of others look on and wonder how they are free and these men are not.

Hopefully this is a start to get Thousands more to be prosecuted and send to Jail. 

One can only wish.