Farang Polices At Highway Patrol

[Bengt]

I was stopped by the highway patrol in pattaya and the policeofficer was a farang whit exellent english and it was a lot of other farang polices too....a mark at their skirt show like Highwaypatrol volonteer poice officer or something like that.

Is there anyone know more about this...pls let me and other tourists know.

BTW...the volonteer poice officer was very nice and polite....and I got every papers in order...driving license and tax sticker and so on..

Bengt!

[RakJungTorlae]

I don’t get it? what did you do wrong for them to stop you? Volunteer to break the law?

[Gaccha]

If you search the forums you'll find lots of topics on farang police, supporting them, castigating them and anything in-between.

They are located in Pattaya and Chiang Mai (as a sub-division) of the tourism unit. And I think there might be some in Phuket.

Interesting they stopped you. That suggests innate legal powers that I didn't think they possess. i thought they were effectively guides with handcuffs and radios. As a volunteer police officer back in the UK, where the volunteers have identical powers to regulars, I find this interesting. I am just waiting for them to be introduced in Bangkok. I know there are volunteer guide/translator farang located at police stations in Bangkok.

And if you want the uniform then have a look at the topic by me a few months back...

[sylviex]

a mark at their skirt

This was a troupe of foreign female volunteer police or ... ?

[terrier123]

a mark at their skirt

This was a troupe of foreign female volunteer police or ... ?

Obvious question, but I will still post it. Does this mean that the BIB will stop stealing our money every time we're stopped?? Interesting!!!

[GuestHouse]

I don't regard this as a welcome development.

Given the number of cranks and crackpots Thailand attracts, putting them in a uniform and giving them legal powers to do anything beyond that of a car park attendant is asking for problems.

[pampal]

Good point GH,

What kind of vetting process are they put thru, before they become volunteer police?

[PoorSucker]

You can find info here.

thaitouristpolice

[kmart]

At least with the BiB you know what to expect... What is the criteria for these guys to join the volunteer police anyway? I wouldn't imagine some local Thai driver to be very happy about being stopped, for example...

[Chopper]

I don't regard this as a welcome development.

Given the number of cranks and crackpots Thailand attracts, putting them in a uniform and giving them legal powers to do anything beyond that of a car park attendant is asking for problems.

Spot on! It is an open invitation for every Walter Mitty that has reinvented himself over here. It is akin to opening the gates of the mental asylum!

[TexasRanger]

I would no more stop for them than I would one of those fancy dress farangs on walking street.

[simon43]

Bengt doesn't say whether the farang officer was alone, or acting under the command of a Thai police officer. I would be extremely surprised, (and would not agree with the policy), if this volunteer was stopping cars without under the direct supervision of a Thai officer at that location.

We need some more details Bengt

Simon

[GuestHouse]

if this volunteer was stopping cars without under the direct supervision of a Thai officer at that location.

I'd go further.

Nobody should be able to detain anyone going about their lawful business except a police officer acting under the law.

The idea of some foreigner who is almost certainly not playing with a full deck of cards stopping anyone on the highway is simply riduculous.

Just look at what happens with Thai arrests - If a Thai feels that he has been wrongly or unjustly arrested he might file a case against the arresting officer. I cannot believe that Thai law allows foreigners to act in this way and I'm sure that foreigners stopping vehicles and requesting to inspect documents would be open to a legal challenge.

Uniformed car park attendents is itself too much power.... bell hop would be more fitting.

Edited November 5, 2008 by GuestHouse

[Chopper]

I would be amazed if they were acting with autonomy. That said if the gates of the asylum have been opened perhaps he was acting under his own direction so to speak...

[simon43]

Guesthouse, I agree with you. His role should simply be to assist with any language issues, explain the relevant law etc etc. I cannot believe that he was actually 'flagging down' cars because he would not know if the driver was Thai or farang until they were close to him.

Simon

[Soutpeel]

Uniformed car park attendents is itself too much power.... bell hop would be more fitting.

Do they get issued whistles as well ?....

Edited November 5, 2008 by Soutpeel

[Gaccha]

Nobody should be able to detain anyone going about their lawful business except a police officer acting under the law.

Well, the law in England and many Common Law based systems says anyone can detain anyone who breaks serious laws ("Citizens' arrest"). [Currently the UK law is a mess on this as the government too hurriedly scrapped the laws on what defines a 'serious crime' so nobody knows what is and is not allowed.]

So what is the Thai position? Don't know. But much Thai criminal law is German/US/Japan based, and they all have, unsurprisingly, similar legal authority placed on all their citizens/visitors as the UK position. This is common sense. If you see a robber and you can get him it would be absurd if you could be arrested for holding onto him until the police arrive...

As for what checks/vetting procedure is made: I read some information on Chiang Mai volunteers-- it seems it they can afford a rather fetching uniform then that is enough to entrust them with keeping the peace.

[keestha]

Bengt doesn't say whether the farang officer was alone, or acting under the command of a Thai police officer. I would be extremely surprised, (and would not agree with the policy), if this volunteer was stopping cars without under the direct supervision of a Thai officer at that location.

We need some more details Bengt

Simon

Spot on, Simon. If just 2 or three uniformed farangs, without Thai supervisors, would try to make me stop at the highway, I would probably assume they were adult members of Scouting International trying to hitch a ride, and I would keep on moving.

[Underdog]

I don't regard this as a welcome development.

Given the number of cranks and crackpots Thailand attracts, putting them in a uniform and giving them legal powers to do anything beyond that of a car park attendant is asking for problems.

EXACTLY!, another half cocked, half baked Thai Idea at God knows what - who in their right mind would even think of volunteering to assist the Brownshirts? They must obviously be a bit disturbed in the first place, or on some kind of "power trip", it is beyond belief..each to their own I suppose. They will be looking for tea money soon too!

[Bengt]

Bengt doesn't say whether the farang officer was alone, or acting under the command of a Thai police officer. I would be extremely surprised, (and would not agree with the policy), if this volunteer was stopping cars without under the direct supervision of a Thai officer at that location.

We need some more details Bengt

Simon

The volonteer officer wasnt acting alone...it was a big roadblock whith a thai superintendent as leader...

[Heng]

They are an excellent balance to the variety of foreigner who simply think that speaking rapidly or loudly in their native language is justification for not wearing a motorcycle helmet, or talking on their cell phones without hands free or bluetooth devices, or breaking whatever law. It can be pretty amusing when you get one of these pretend police and some self righteous tourist get into it.

[Underdog]

if this volunteer was stopping cars without under the direct supervision of a Thai officer at that location.

I'd go further.

Nobody should be able to detain anyone going about their lawful business except a police officer acting under the law.

The idea of some foreigner who is almost certainly not playing with a full deck of cards stopping anyone on the highway is simply riduculous.

Just look at what happens with Thai arrests - If a Thai feels that he has been wrongly or unjustly arrested he might file a case against the arresting officer. I cannot believe that Thai law allows foreigners to act in this way and I'm sure that foreigners stopping vehicles and requesting to inspect documents would be open to a legal challenge.

Uniformed car park attendents is itself too much power.... bell hop would be more fitting.

Do you know if they are permitted to carry a Whistle? and have a license to blow it?

[elkangorito]

I think that the idea of foreigners becoming connected to the Thai police force (in some way) is absurd.

At the moment, the mental giants of the Thai Ministry of Education are implementing proceedings that will basically eliminate many foreigners from teaching unless they:

a] pass a test (cost of which I believe to be about 4000 Baht). Generally, foreigners have little hope of passing this test unless they do it twice...a nice little money spinner.

b] have "appropriate" qualifications (degree in education, I believe but I'm not sure).

Actually, the above idea is not all that bad...it just hasn't been thought through at all (typical).

If Thailand is so concerned about foreign teachers who don't generally carry weapons & whose worst offense could be that of "morality", why not demand the same of foreigners who wish to involve themselves with the paramilitary here & ensure that these "quasi-police" are appropriately qualified?

As I see it, the only real "police" qualification would be if someone was a former police officer somewhere. Also, I would hope that these prospective "police officers" undergo a complete psychological examination & not have any prior criminal record in any country.

But then again, Thai electricity does not apparently obey the Laws of Physics, so TIT.

[JetsetBkk]

The volonteer officer wasnt acting alone...it was a big roadblock whith a thai superintendent as leader...

So that explains it, then. The farang volunteer was there to help deal with farangs.

And we can now ignore all the stupid posts that jumped to unfounded conclusions.

[MasterOfDisaster]

I said that in a similar post that I just love all the farang that jump to conclusions. Really I just clap my hands with a dull look on my face.

[GuestHouse]

I was stopped by the highway patrol in pattaya and the policeofficer was a farang

The OP is stating that the person who stopped him was a Farang.

The conclusion being jumped to here is that the presence of a Thai Police Officer somehow provides a legitimacy to a Farang stopping and questioning motorists.

Clap away.

[dotcom]

The volonteer officer wasnt acting alone...it was a big roadblock whith a thai superintendent as leader...

So that explains it, then. The farang volunteer was there to help deal with farangs.

And we can now ignore all the stupid posts that jumped to unfounded conclusions.

Yeah it looks like the Thai cops can't handle their business.

Volunteer cops are slime.

Edited November 5, 2008 by dotcom

[simon43]

Volunteer cops are slime.

[\quote]

Hmm - As a volunteer police officer in Phuket, I shall remember each morning when I get up to look in the mirror and say 'I am slime, I am slime, I am slime...'

Simon

[HDRIDER]

Hi

In Karon,Kata there is a volunteer Farang going around in his uniform and trying to get free drinks all the time, i have seen him so piss.d you won’t believe it, being in my friends bar trying to get free drinks just because of his uniform, that’s really disgusting

[simon43]

Hi Hdrider, that's a very serious situation if it's true. I don't know of any police volunteers who live in Karon. Maybe we should take this offline and get more details via PM. Are you sure he is a police volunteer? (There are also Immigration Police volunteers who also should not act in such a manner, but I don't know individuals in their group). Does this guy wear a white polo shirt with 'Tourist Police Volunteer' on the back? I need more details to investigate.

Simon