Farang Polices At Highway Patrol

[simon43]

Thaiwanderer, that's a pathetic comment. The hotel is 100% owned by my ex-wife. By 'helping', I refer to looking after our website etc, not running the hotel. (Yes, you strictly need a WP to look after a website - I know that..., but I don't know of anyone who has applied for a WP for using their laptop, or indeed been granted a WP to do this)`

I'm not really sure what value your comments add to this discussion

Maybe one of the problems is that many foreigners living in Thailand mix with, (or have only met), the worst sort of farang who should never be allowed to work as a police volunteer. There are many decent and honest foreigners living here who enjoy helping their fellow man or woman.

Simon

[thaiwanderer]

Thaiwanderer, that's a pathetic comment. The hotel is 100% owned by my ex-wife. By 'helping', I refer to looking after our website etc, not running the hotel. (Yes, you strictly need a WP to look after a website - I know that..., but I don't know of anyone who has applied for a WP for using their laptop, or indeed been granted a WP to do this)`

I'm not really sure what value your comments add to this discussion

Maybe one of the problems is that many foreigners living in Thailand mix with, (or have only met), the worst sort of farang who should never be allowed to work as a police volunteer. There are many decent and honest foreigners living here who enjoy helping their fellow man or woman.

Simon

It is a perfectly pertinent comment for an upstanding member of the police force.

So you admit you do not have a work permit for your activites in the police, rescue or hotel? (saying a WP is not obtainable for what you do does not justify doing it without one).

I live in Phuket, am decent and honest, and help others without feeling the need to dress up to do it.

[simon43]

Good for you Thaiwanderer. You can continue to be decent and honest and so will I. I 'feel no need' to dress up. That's simply a requirement of what I do when I'm helping others.

End of story

Simon

[JetsetBkk]

The volunteer police are working illegally in Thailand,

Apparently not if you have a work permit, according to Sriracha John - or am I being obtuse again?

they work with the most corrupt workforce,

Can't argue with that.

and so what will be the outcome?

Hopefully goodness and light everywhere.

We are not wanted in their education system and we should not be helping out in the law enforcement.

Ah, ha! English teacher, are you? Tit-for-tat spitefulness is what you advocate?

The VP’s have nothing good to give to this system, we should stay away from it all.

Nonsense. Some people have a very "giving" nature and want to help people.

Keep up the good work, TPVs!

[JetsetBkk]

There should be a clear, nationwide written policy which precisely defines responsibilities, roles, limits etc.

No there shouldn't, because there should not be any Farang in a mickey mouse police uniforms on the side of the road at roadblocks.

A more logical use is to open a volunteer program for foreigners to teach the police language skills, and keep out of the public eye, leave the policing to the actual Police. If the role is to simply act as translation or liason between the tourists and police.. why is there a need for a uniform, simple, because it makes them look self important

What bothers me is who in their right mind would want to move to Thailand, most probably for a better more relaxed life, and then get mixed up in Police activities. The last thing that is needed is a bunch of farang nobodies strutting around acting important, and unfortunately this will and does happen.

Totster

What a miserable post - a new side to you I've never read before. Pity.

[JetsetBkk]

...I live in Phuket, am decent and honest, and help others without feeling the need to dress up to do it.

"Mickey mouse", "dressing up"... what is the matter with you people? It's a uniform. Get over it.

[OlRedEyes]

The Thai police force is notorious as one of the most corrupt in the world. Any foreigner associating himself with them will be suspect as to his motives, and rightly so. He knows he is not going to change or improve anything, absolutely no chance, so what is he doing there?

I'd certainly be extremely suspicious of any foreign police volunteer approaching me to 'assist'.

And he certainly would not command any respect at all.

Edited November 11, 2008 by OlRedEyes

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Been talking to my friend, that guy there use to come to get free beer has not been there for a while, my friend got rid of him, he told him to <deleted> off, he is not sure but think the guy was from Hawaii

[simon43]

...He knows he is not going to change or improve anything, absolutely no chance.

[\quote]

As far as the Thai police officers are concerned, you are absolutely correct! Every proposal that I make to improve the service towards foreign tourists is politely ignored by my Thai senior officers. But if I engineer it so that this proposal is seen to come from a Thai officer, then it is often accepted! So I've learnt how to use the system to make improvements.

I can try to influence/improve the attitudes of the foreign police volunteers, try to improve the training, think of ideas that help tourists.

One recent example is the huge map of the Bangla Road and bar area that is now present in Bangla Road, Patong. That is very welcomed by inebriated tourists seeking their next bar!

Another example (to appear in a few days) are notices warning tourists of the various and popular scams in Patong, (eg jetski scams, bar touts etc). These signs will be placed up and down Bangla Road - although I'm not sure how long they will stay before the scammers remove them!!

Simon

[Totster]

Simon,

Could you tell me what the requirements are for someone to be able to join the TPV

For instance, what qualifications are needed ? What security checks are carried out, what is the selection/interview process, are background checks carried out in the persons home country and how far back are the checks made for ? Do volunteers need professional and personal references ? How many volunteers would leave service if there was no uniform available ?

Totster

[simon43]

As a 'PC Plod', I am not aware of the level of background checks etc that are performed. You should ask my supervisor for these details, (since he is the person who recruited me). I can PM you his email if you wish.

To answer your last snippet, I'm sure a number of these volunteers would leave if there were no uniform available. That is why there is a probationary period and ongoing monitoring - to weed out those volunteers whose performance is not up to standard. (Eg - that could be something as simple as not being able to speak Thai well enough).

Simon

[Totster]

To answer your last snippet,

I apologize for that, it wasn't needed.. I couldn't help myself

Also, well done for answering the questions and criticisms with such composure, can't be easy I'm sure

Totster

[simon43]

We might be poles apart about this issue - but we can still be mates

[OlRedEyes]

...He knows he is not going to change or improve anything, absolutely no chance.

As far as the Thai police officers are concerned, you are absolutely correct! Every proposal that I make to improve the service towards foreign tourists is politely ignored by my Thai senior officers. But if I engineer it so that this proposal is seen to come from a Thai officer, then it is often accepted! So I've learnt how to use the system to make improvements.

I can try to influence/improve the attitudes of the foreign police volunteers, try to improve the training, think of ideas that help tourists.

One recent example is the huge map of the Bangla Road and bar area that is now present in Bangla Road, Patong. That is very welcomed by inebriated tourists seeking their next bar!

Another example (to appear in a few days) are notices warning tourists of the various and popular scams in Patong, (eg jetski scams, bar touts etc). These signs will be placed up and down Bangla Road - although I'm not sure how long they will stay before the scammers remove them!!

Simon

Simon, I have no beef with you personally. From what little I've picked up here on TV you seem like a decent guy.

There are many points to be argued, and I can really not be arsed to go into them. The big picture however, is that you are maybe one good apple in a basket of rotten apples, and it will be more likely that the good one will go rotten than all the rotten ones get good.

One of the dangers to tourists and expats alike is if they (very unlikely ) start believing that the collective wolf in sheep's clothing is real, they get off-guard and are more open to becoming targets. Which will more than offset the advantages of signs warning them about scams etc. (which is more likely to be taken down by the council than the scammers - if these are two seperate groups ).

As an aside, maybe those signs should warn about police scams as well?

I suppose my distaste of the local philosophy of trying to dress up any bad product as a good product without actually trying to improve the product, shows. They are trying to improve their face without improving their actual corruption, attitude and service, and you are playing into their hands.

Even the Thai themselves have no respect for the police.

[sriracha john]

The volunteer police are working illegally in Thailand,

Apparently not if you have a work permit, according to Sriracha John - or am I being obtuse again?

Problem is, none of them have work permits to work as police volunteers and thus Master Chief is correct in saying that they are working illegally in Thailand.

[simon43]

Olredeyes, it is indeed a frustrating task! There are good and bad Thai police, and good and bad foreign police volunteers. In both groups i'm sure there are corrupt and/or lazy individuals. In an ideal world the rotten apples will be kicked out, since it's unlikely that they will ever become good apples.

I cannot do anything about the rotten Thai apples. I can try to do something about the rotten farang apples. The complacency, incompetence or downright dishonesty of one rotten apple will always be remembered by a tourist, rather than a small, helpful deed performed by a good apple. That's why it's very important to weed out the rotten apples, to avoid the good uns being tarred with the same brush.

In Patong, the 'trust' and confidence of the Thai businesses in the foreign police volunteers varies according to which individual volunteer is patrolling on a given night. These bar owners are aware of which volunteers will come to help them or their customers if there is an incident.

I'm trying (from my humble position), to weed out the rotten apples and to make sure that all the volunteers in my region are all 'singing from the same hymnsheet'.

But sitting at home with a cold beer or three would be much more relaxing

Simon

[Master Chief]

Thaiwanderer, that's a pathetic comment. The hotel is 100% owned by my ex-wife. By 'helping', I refer to looking after our website etc, not running the hotel. (Yes, you strictly need a WP to look after a website - I know that..., but I don't know of anyone who has applied for a WP for using their laptop, or indeed been granted a WP to do this)`

I'm not really sure what value your comments add to this discussion

Maybe one of the problems is that many foreigners living in Thailand mix with, (or have only met), the worst sort of farang who should never be allowed to work as a police volunteer. There are many decent and honest foreigners living here who enjoy helping their fellow man or woman.

Simon

I had applied for a workpermit many years ago, not yet received, one day the labor department officials made a visit to my house where I had registred my company, I was sitting in my chair and answering some emails at the time.

They asked me to join them to the police station, I got arrested and deported.

No work permit no work and out you go, was their comment!

MC

[MikeSR]

please i would like to be farang police and give out tickets to other farang can anyone help direct me to how i would do this?

[Master Chief]

Olredeyes, it is indeed a frustrating task! There are good and bad Thai police, and good and bad foreign police volunteers. In both groups i'm sure there are corrupt and/or lazy individuals. In an ideal world the rotten apples will be kicked out, since it's unlikely that they will ever become good apples.

I cannot do anything about the rotten Thai apples. I can try to do something about the rotten farang apples. The complacency, incompetence or downright dishonesty of one rotten apple will always be remembered by a tourist, rather than a small, helpful deed performed by a good apple. That's why it's very important to weed out the rotten apples, to avoid the good uns being tarred with the same brush.

In Patong, the 'trust' and confidence of the Thai businesses in the foreign police volunteers varies according to which individual volunteer is patrolling on a given night. These bar owners are aware of which volunteers will come to help them or their customers if there is an incident.

I'm trying (from my humble position), to weed out the rotten apples and to make sure that all the volunteers in my region are all 'singing from the same hymnsheet'.

But sitting at home with a cold beer or three would be much more relaxing

Simon

Hi Simon

What I can read from your comments here, I think you really want to do the right thing.

But, as you have stated you also admit to our fear, that there are "rotten apples" among the farang TPV.

We say, that this should not have started at all, this TPV, but now damage has been done already.

Falangs should not be in this position, that we (falangs) have to weed rotten apples in a Thai law enforcement, which is already corrupt and full of rotten apples

The rotten apples and the healty farang apples should have stayed away from it and minded their own business.

MC

[thaiwanderer]

Good for you Thaiwanderer. You can continue to be decent and honest and so will I. I 'feel no need' to dress up. That's simply a requirement of what I do when I'm helping others.

End of story

Simon

Simon,

If you feel there is nothing wrong with someone's visa status not trully reflecting their presence in a country or working illegally (regardless of pretending to be TJ Hooker at the same time) then we will have to agree to disagree.

I have no problem with a tourist police force.

However there is no need for it to have non-Thais in its ranks also.

[bkkjames]

I honestly believe this has been done for pure language purposes.

No language barrier = higher fees (on the spot payments) because the violation was not lost in translation.

[JetsetBkk]

I honestly believe this has been done for pure language purposes.

No language barrier = higher fees (on the spot payments) because the violation was not lost in translation.

Of course it's to help with the language barrier.

As for your second point, I can assure you that all Thai police know how to scribble "2,000" on a piece of paper and then say "Baht" whilst holding out their hand.

[bkkjames]

I honestly believe this has been done for pure language purposes.

No language barrier = higher fees (on the spot payments) because the violation was not lost in translation.

Of course it's to help with the language barrier.

As for your second point, I can assure you that all Thai police know how to scribble "2,000" on a piece of paper and then say "Baht" whilst holding out their hand.

No all mate, I have seen first hand about 6 times they get fed up and walk away.

[klikster]

Problem is, none of them have work permits to work as police volunteers and thus Master Chief is correct in saying that they are working illegally in Thailand.

You beat this "working as a volunteer is illegal" drum a lot, sj. Do you have a work permit? Are you sure that the many hours that you have spent posting (20,000+ posts) news articles (legally? >> copyright) to TV don't make you just as much a working volunteer as the folks you continually nag? Or does TV pay you for your work?

20,000+ posts!

[bkkjames]

Problem is, none of them have work permits to work as police volunteers and thus Master Chief is correct in saying that they are working illegally in Thailand.

You beat this "working as a volunteer is illegal" drum a lot, sj. Do you have a work permit? Are you sure that the many hours that you have spent posting (20,000+ posts) news articles (legally? >> copyright) to TV don't make you just as much a working volunteer as the folks you continually nag? Or does TV pay you for your work?

20,000+ posts!

Don't threaten him mate, pity him

[sriracha john]

Problem is, none of them have work permits to work as police volunteers and thus Master Chief is correct in saying that they are working illegally in Thailand.

You beat this "working as a volunteer is illegal" drum a lot, sj. Do you have a work permit? Are you sure that the many hours that you have spent posting (20,000+ posts) news articles (legally? >> copyright) to TV don't make you just as much a working volunteer as the folks you continually nag? Or does TV pay you for your work?

20,000+ posts!

I'm not a tourist police volunteer.

Posting on forum doesn't require one, but trolling might. You should get legal advice on that.

[LivinLOS]

Good for you Thaiwanderer. You can continue to be decent and honest and so will I. I 'feel no need' to dress up. That's simply a requirement of what I do when I'm helping others.

End of story

Simon

I really tried to avoid this comment.. I even managed to bite my tongue the first time I read it.. But.. cant.. help.. myself..

If you feel no need to dress up, and only do so as part of the enforced uniform ?? Then why have you stuck huge faux police like insignia stickers all over your pickup ?? Why the 'police' (missing volunteer there) written on the sun visor you flick down each night when you park it in Patong ??

Sorry Simon.. But from my side of the fence you couldnt paint a funnier picture.

[simon43]

Er..., I think you are talking about someone else's vehicle! I don't have any 'police' written on the sun visor! (That's where I carry my car insurance documents). The police volunteer stickers on the side of my pickup were placed there by my Thai supervisor, not by me. Why? Because that pick-up is used solely by me when I am on duty and the Phuket police wanted to reinforce the presence of the tourist police, especially in the north of Phuket where I live. All volunteers who had dedicated vehicles, including motorbikes, were encouraged to place tourist police volunteer stickers on their vehicles.

See? there is a reasonable explanation for everything

Simon

[dumball]

Now there is a thread header i thought would have been quickly attacked by the English police , add an 'I' and it changes the context , remove the 'S' and we have the correct plural of 'Police' , which is POLICE .

Edited November 11, 2008 by dumball

[patricktan]

Hi, I just happen to see this on Yourtube and might be interesting for those who want to know more on regards of Farang Police. :