Six Thai police officers indicted for extorting money from Taiwanese actress

[jacko45k]

11 minutes ago, Ginner said:

This is only because she has pull .

She will be needing some push soon!

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Of course, even if these guys are convicted as were the other half dozen just in the past day or so involved in the police housing project skimming, that doesn't necessarily mean the accused/convicted will really end up doing the prison time they're supposedly sentenced to.

"...doesn't necessarily mean the accused/convicted will really end up doing the prison time..."

Why?  What rationale do you base that (false) assertion on?

[Liverpool Lou]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Still waiting for the Red Bull heir to be arrested....

How can anyone outside the jurisdiction of the RTP be arrested by them?

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

What a stupid charge in the first place. 

What flea brain dreamt up this law? 

Being charged with extortion is "stupid"?  You think that they should be rewarded?

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, Jack West Jr said:

Don't incarcerate them , throw them off the force instead .

They are ex-police officers already.  You don't think that they should be locked up?

[Chongalulu]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

The whole force is a ponzi scheme, pure and simple.

I think you need to look up what constitutes a Ponzi scheme. Your understanding is on a par ,or even below, that of 'supply and demand'…

[Mr Meeseeks]

12 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Just lately it looks like they are getting real with bad Policemen.   Long may it last !

Election coming up. After that it will get back to normal. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, BestB said:

So to clarify , the correct course of action was to charge her? Take her to court?

Yes...obviously.

 

2 hours ago, BestB said:

this would of been less damaging ?

Yes...obviously.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, baipaibkk said:

They will be transferred until the next incident. This is the Thai system. No problem for a Thai Police Officer

Keep up, they're all now former police officers as has been reported.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

1 hour ago, NORDO said:

Agreed.   If they were paid a livable wage with good bennies, then the corruption would decrease.   It would never completely stop, but fewer bobbies would be on the take.

Expand  

Who would pay for this?  

The same people who pay their wages now.

[Liverpool Lou]

50 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The death penalty for being involved with bribery. Really?

An option, not mandatory.

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

1 hour ago, NORDO said:

Agreed.   If they were paid a livable wage with good bennies, then the corruption would decrease.   It would never completely stop, but fewer bobbies would be on the take.

Who would pay for this?  

The overall costs to the country of corruption far exceeds that of paying a realistic wage. 

[Liverpool Lou]

54 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

...head of the Thailand Anti-Corruption Office charged with corruption?

Where and when has that been reported?

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Wasn't the head of the Thailand Anti-Corruption Office charged with corruption? There really is no hope.

'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ' ('Who watches the watchmen? 

[VinnieK]

Slap on the wrist, 10 baht fine, transfer to an inactive post for 10 minutes..

Sorted.

[spidermike007]

The RTP never could have anticipated social media, and the effect it would have on their income collection methods and enrichment plans. Nor the devastation of the pyramid scheme. Why do you think big joke is so upset? He likely will retire with several billion less than anticipated. Getting caught is the worse crime. It outs their methods. 

[Dr B]

1 hour ago, Frankie baby said:

When they originally extorted the money how did they come up with the sum of 27000 Baht. You would have thought they would have made it a round 30000. Or was this the total amount that could be had at that particular time.  

I believe that, if you go right back to the original press articles, they searched her bag where they found the e-cigarette, and also the cash. I am not sure where the idea that her boyfriend paid came from. I believe she had Bt 27,000 in cash, hence the amount requested. That is from memory, but I think you will find it is correct.

[CanadaSam]

IF the Government finds it difficult to increase police wages to a liveable amount, then, IMHO the immediate and easy solution is to keep realistic on-the-spot fines to a level where you can check these corrupt police to only line their pockets with sums which are not hard on the average pocket and easy to pay and finish the matter immediately.

 

i.e. an official fine of 1000 baht for things like no helmet, e-cigs, no seat belt, and other such minor offences would probably result in an un-official payment of around 500 baht to the cop, enabling him to reasonably supplement his income, and also not be too stressful on the violator.

 

IMO, the e-cig extortion mentioned in this post only took place because of the ludicrous penalty imposed by the Government which is a maximum of 500,000 baht and 5 years in prison, for an e-cig possession!!!!

[Henryford]

And if you aren't a rich famous Taiwanese actress on facebook - forget it.

[BestB]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes...obviously.

 

Yes...obviously.

if only i was a smart as you who could see what is so obvious in the future

[FarangFB]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

 

Yes...obviously.

Not that obvious, I'd easily rather drop 27k than having to deal with a court prosecution.

[Salerno]

37 minutes ago, Dr B said:

I am not sure where the idea that her boyfriend paid came from. I believe she had Bt 27,000 in cash, hence the amount requested. That is from memory, but I think you will find it is correct.

Because her boyfriend (actual boyfriend or a friend that happens to be a boy?) from Singapore is the one alleged to have paid the bribe; he's the one that got the invite to come back and speak to Chuwit. She is just the one with the cajones to post about it and become the figurehead.

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Where and when has that been reported?

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019492

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Ginner said:

I think most police officers will be voting for Thaksin's daughter in May. At least then they can go back to the same old routine. Ha! This is only because she has pull .

 

This is one time I would support the police, getting Thaksin's daughter elected as PM would be the best way of keeping the soldiers away from any elected government.

Also you would get a pretty face to look at regularly instead of Cha Cha or his ex sleeping partner.

[BestB]

36 minutes ago, FarangFB said:

Not that obvious, I'd easily rather drop 27k than having to deal with a court prosecution.

court fine is only around 600-700 baht ???? and no need for a lawyer, just admit you had it and all over with 

[sambum]

4 hours ago, Elkski said:

Who would pay for this?  

The same as any other country - taxation.

 

It is a ridiculous situation when a poorly paid cop has to buy his own uniform and  motor bike! No wonder they resort to accepting bribes etc. And guns should be provided only after having had an assessment on their mental ability to use one properly - in the appropriate situation! (????)   

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, soalbundy said:

The average policeman can't live from his wage alone and so has to make a few thousand on the side

You're not mentioning the other endemic corruption feature here that contributes to that situation AND the lousy quality of police -- the fact that instead of hiring and promoting officers based on qualifications and talent in a normal civil service system, they hire and promote based on payments (bribes) by the applicants in order to win those positions.

 

From what I've read, a lot of the police job applicants end up taking out loans to gather the cash in order to make those job winning payments... And then, they're stuck with debts that need to be repaid, and probably cannot be repaid solely via the normal police salary, which creates yet another incentive to participate in money producing police corruption.

 

[khunjeff]

30 minutes ago, sambum said:

It is a ridiculous situation when a poorly paid cop has to buy his own uniform and  motor bike! No wonder they resort to accepting bribes

True, but Chuwit also said (after this extortion incident) that this was part of a systemic moneymaking scheme, complete with quotas, set up and supervised by a very senior policeman. Even though he actually identified that senior policeman by name and position, the accusation was immediately "forgotten" and does not appear to have ever been followed up on. 

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

So, get another job which pays better. They don't, because being in a tight brown uniform entitles them to 'bonus payments'.

Which shows that the whole system is rotten. There aren't many jobs that pay well at an entrance level even with a university degree. People aren't inherently bad if given a chance to do a worthwhile job at reasonable pay but even the most naive, enthusiastic person can be turned corrupt by bad pay, including farang. I met a female captain in the tourist police who had a university degree and started as a lieutenant, she was honest and enthusiastic until the day she passed all her exams to become a captain and still had to pay 100k under the table to get the position, all naivety about serving the community and pride at being a police offer flew out the window, she became a cynic trying to pay off her 100k debt. The average cop here doesn't have a good education, the alternatives aren't attractive, as a cop from a lowly background he has increased his status and with a bit of corruption money he can pay off his debt for gun, uniform and motorbike (which over time becomes just part of his wages). I in no way condone corruption but I can see where it is coming from.

[Bangkok Barry]

5 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Which shows that the whole system is rotten. There aren't many jobs that pay well at an entrance level even with a university degree. People aren't inherently bad if given a chance to do a worthwhile job at reasonable pay but even the most naive, enthusiastic person can be turned corrupt by bad pay, including farang. I met a female captain in the tourist police who had a university degree and started as a lieutenant, she was honest and enthusiastic until the day she passed all her exams to become a captain and still had to pay 100k under the table to get the position, all naivety about serving the community and pride at being a police offer flew out the window, she became a cynic trying to pay off her 100k debt. The average cop here doesn't have a good education, the alternatives aren't attractive, as a cop from a lowly background he has increased his status and with a bit of corruption money he can pay off his debt for gun, uniform and motorbike (which over time becomes just part of his wages). I in no way condone corruption but I can see where it is coming from.

All part of the culture Thais are so proud of in their self-proclaimed greatest country on Earth.