Former Minister Reveals Alleged Phuket Police Extortion Racket

[Jonathan Swift]

Off the top of my head, meaning that I may have no idea what I'm talking about, there must be enough Thai people who need jobs who could be hired to replace the worst offenders. Would new ones also become corrupt? Anyone's guess.

[watchcat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:47 AM, AustinRacing said:

Government workers including police are lowly paid.

Expand  

 And they have paid rather big money to get their emploiment and this is a big part of the corruption.

[Robert_Smith]

Been going on for years down there.

 

These brown piglets need locking up, they have be chugging at the trough for far too long...

 

regards,

bob.

[black tabby12345]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:59 AM, renaissanc said:

You have to pay a lot of money to be transferred to a government department in Phuket, especially to the Police. You pay a lot, but you'll make a big profit through corruption. This is common knowledge.

Expand  

 

Just like buying an "entitlement" to be bribed greater amount.

In other words, corruption is so institutionalized/structural; being a part of the built-in system.

Rather than the act of "some bad cops".

[Gknrd]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:59 AM, renaissanc said:

You have to pay a lot of money to be transferred to a government department in Phuket, especially to the Police. You pay a lot, but you'll make a big profit through corruption. This is common knowledge.

Expand  

Bingo, it is part of the process. Just to get a job as a policeman costs hundreds of thousands of Baht. I knew of family that took up collections from relatives to get their relatives into the position. Corruption is part of it from day one.

[Ombra]

  On 3/17/2025 at 5:27 AM, marin said:

What the heck are you talking about. 1987 landed here the first time and picked up my luggage in Don Muang Airport and the adventure began.  Seriously???

Expand  

Half a container's worth, not a dozen pairs of jockey shorts.

[Jiggo]

  On 3/16/2025 at 11:02 PM, ikke1959 said:

The RTP is the most incompetent institution in Thailand....Too lazy to do anything, corrupt, and no clue what the real laws are. They all should be investigated person by person, checked their tax form and assets and fired if the administration is not correct. The RTP have an attitude that they are untouchable and behave like that, with their Christmas decorated uniforms...Reform to a working policeforce should be much much better for Thailand

Expand  

I agree, vote Reform 

[smew]

From the highest to the lowest placed offials/police/land administrator/ corruption is pervasive throughout Thailand.

Everyone demands a tip... and a tip is a form of a bribe for good/better service. 

NO questions and no qualms !!, inbedded into Thai culture, and as common as brushing your teeth in he morning.  

[BarraMarra]

  On 3/16/2025 at 11:02 PM, ikke1959 said:

The RTP is the most incompetent institution in Thailand....Too lazy to do anything, corrupt, and no clue what the real laws are. They all should be investigated person by person, checked their tax form and assets and fired if the administration is not correct. The RTP have an attitude that they are untouchable and behave like that, with their Christmas decorated uniforms...Reform to a working policeforce should be much much better for Thailand

Expand  

Several years ago a RTP chief was brought to Phuket to clean up there act. He lasted a month before he was removed from Phuket and transfered.

[Albaby]

  On 3/16/2025 at 11:02 PM, ikke1959 said:

The RTP is the most incompetent institution in Thailand....Too lazy to do anything, corrupt, and no clue what the real laws are. They all should be investigated person by person, checked their tax form and assets and fired if the administration is not correct. The RTP have an attitude that they are untouchable and behave like that, with their Christmas decorated uniforms...Reform to a working policeforce should be much much better for Thailand

Expand  

In Australia, a para has to do a minimum of 5 jumps to wear the silver wings, every cop here wears them?

[Watawattana]

I got a Filipino friend who shares very similar stories of police corruption in the Philippines.  When Duterte got in he doubled the salary for the police, and added lots of other benefits like medical.  Along with that he told the police to stop the corruption.  Or else.  It generally disappeared, but has returned since Marcos got in.

[rudi49jr]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:21 AM, Classic Ray said:

To tackle corruption, along with dismissing the guilty, there must be an increase in salaries for police officers to. remove the temptation and excuse for corruption. This was done in Singapore and Hong Kong, with the latter having the ICAC staffed by British officers to investigate corrupt staff.

 

RTP is massively over staffed they can afford to lose a few corrupt ones. Once the police force is reformed, they can tackle corruption in other bodies like the armed forces and Government , that must also have their salaries increased.

 

The extra money needed can come from less corrupt and more efficient tax collection, including a raised VAT rate as consumption taxes are most easily collected.

 

This demands a complete change in culture and mindset from the population that may take generations to happen, and a progressive Government who want to change the status quo. Unfortunately the Establishment are doing all they can to prevent this and retain the current position. 

Expand  

I agree with you, but I’m afraid the Thai people don’t. Polls that were held throughout decades show that a more or less constant percentage of about 70-75% of Thai say they don’t have any problem with corruption, as long as they benefit from it.

[Katatonica]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:56 AM, Ironmike said:

I love how they used the word Allegedly there ain't no Allegations of corruption it's a fact you go to Chalong circle any day of the week and the coppers are pulling over only Farangs not one single Thai gets stopped,,I got stopped and I was wearing my helmut they told me I was not allowed to wear sunglasses and wanted 2000 baht with this I immediately got off my bike walked into the street and started to stop Thai people not wearing helmut,, the police <deleted>themselves but they let me go. 

Corruption is everywhere here but it's still a better way of living then being stopped by US coppers and paying $20,000 loosing your license and having to go to all the stupid <deleted> classes. 

Expand  

You can buy a Grab outfit online.. just sayin

 

[Spock]

  On 3/17/2025 at 6:50 AM, Watawattana said:

I got a Filipino friend who shares very similar stories of police corruption in the Philippines.  When Duterte got in he doubled the salary for the police, and added lots of other benefits like medical.  Along with that he told the police to stop the corruption.  Or else.  It generally disappeared, but has returned since Marcos got in.

Expand  

It's funny how many  Filipinos really like a president who oversaw the sub judicial killing of 6000, perhaps 10000 people. They respect people who ignore the law to deal with difficult problems and short circuit a solution. The same people conveniently were duped into believing that the elder Marcos and Imelda were model citizens and now their son has turned the previous president over to the international courts. Filipinos have always shown a peculiar talent for throwing up the most unlikely of presidential talent and voting them into office. Awful people with no loyalty or respect for each other. No wonder the country despite all its promise has consistently been the basket case of SEA.

[gravity101]

  On 3/17/2025 at 2:22 AM, KireB said:

In live in Phuket and get stopped  daily. No problem as my car and bike are insured, I wear a helmet and have valid licenses. 

 

Why do tourists feel it's ok to break the rules. Everyday I witness idiots doing the most dangerous shenanigans on their rented bikes. Want a 300 cc Forza?  No problem. Patong Hill, big problem.

 

Fine their eyeballs out! Phuket must offer better public transportation, however.

 

 

Expand  

Daily? What do you look like? Are you wearing prison garb? 

[rough diamond]

  On 3/17/2025 at 6:29 AM, BarraMarra said:

Several years ago a RTP chief was brought to Phuket to clean up there act. He lasted a month before he was removed from Phuket and transfered.

Expand  

The transfer of Big Joke to be Head of CM Immigration and clean it up was the start of his downfall.

[Phuket Pete]

We know why you stitched up Big Joke ! 

[Aussie999]

  On 3/17/2025 at 5:32 AM, baansgr said:

Name me a police force that is not corrupt?

Expand  

I think you're taking it way out of context

[ChipButty]

  On 3/17/2025 at 3:30 AM, sambum said:

 

My wife's family had some land left to them,but had to pay to get a  guy from the local Land Department/Office to come and take measurements of the plots to make sure that everything was "legal and above board",(😀) and everybody that was a beneficiary was to get a certificate of ownership which could take a couple of months. After 6 months, no body got a certificate and apparently the paperwork had been "lost". So they had to get the guy from the Land Department/Office to come and do the job again, and guess what - they had to pay him again - although they had "lost" the paperwork!

Expand  

My wife had to do that some years ago, she had to go to the office and pick the guy up bring him to the land and take him back, 

[ChipButty]

A couple of years back a friend of mine got stopped one evening Chalong area, yep he'd been drinking, he was Thai by the way, the police wanted 40,000 baht, he told them to eff off, he will spend the night in jail and go to court in the morning, 5000 baht fine, 

[KireB]

  On 3/17/2025 at 7:26 AM, gravity101 said:

Daily? What do you look like? Are you wearing prison garb? 

Expand  

Have you ever been to Phuket? Police stops in Thalang, Chalong, Kamala, Patong. Only when it rains or around lunch time no problem.

[off road pat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:25 AM, frankie machine said:

very scary, an honest politician.   how long before he gets bumped off?

Expand  

Hm, As long as he don't poses a direct threat to someone, nobody will bump him off.

[henryford1958]

Just refer them to Thailand's Anti-Corruption Commission ha ha

[off road pat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 6:50 AM, Watawattana said:

I got a Filipino friend who shares very similar stories of police corruption in the Philippines.  When Duterte got in he doubled the salary for the police, and added lots of other benefits like medical.  Along with that he told the police to stop the corruption.  Or else.  It generally disappeared, but has returned since Marcos got in.

Expand  

Hm,... You are forgetting the thousands and thousands of innocent deaths killed by the police.

The police will say they were drug dealers !! but they fabricated all proof !!!

 In fact it's a blueprint of what happened here in Thailand with Thaksin's war on drugs !!

[off road pat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 2:33 AM, biggles45 said:

That would have no effect at all. Corruption is so entrenched in the police force (indeed in all of Thailand) that they will just continue to collect. It's what they join up for! 

Expand  

And that is where Thaksin Shinawatra started his career and made his first fortune. I suppose !?

[off road pat]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:57 AM, Toby1947 said:

Corruption control, needs to start with immigration and agents. Then from the top down. 

Expand  

 

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:58 AM, ronster said:

Probably been happening about the same length of time Sommai has been on this earth and will still be happening long after he has gone.

Expand  

Maybe, but some countries have no, or minimal corruption !!!

[YayaManos]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:52 AM, Tropicalevo said:

I believe that it is 1,000 baht these days, and that is with an official receipt.

It increased last year (?)

Expand  

This there is an official amount

 

[Jim Blue]

  On 3/17/2025 at 1:29 AM, Boedog said:

It a Thailand problem,  corruption is a way of life here at every level, recently a son of a friend is due to do the army thing were they choose a coloured ball to see if they have to join the army at a meeting it was suggested if they pay 50,000 baht it would go away.

Expand  

 

[Jim Blue]

  On 3/17/2025 at 12:47 PM, Jim Blue said:

 

Expand  

That 's a lot of baht for a ball !

[Watawattana]

  On 3/17/2025 at 9:32 AM, off road pat said:

Hm,... You are forgetting the thousands and thousands of innocent deaths killed by the police.

The police will say they were drug dealers !! but they fabricated all proof !!!

 In fact it's a blueprint of what happened here in Thailand with Thaksin's war on drugs !!

Expand  

Yeah, but I wasn't passing comment, just passing on the comment I got from a Filipino friend as I think is clear from my post, so nothing for me to forget.  I am fully aware that he condoned extra-judicial killings, and so is he apparently (according to my Filipino friend).  Also according to my Filipino friend most of those killed were a long way from being innocent, just that they were not yet convicted.

 

So, are you saying that Thaksin should be sat next to Duterte in Den Haag?  Maybe that'll happen when a different political party gets in?