Can they issue parking tickets?

YES WE CAN!!!!

Is it all about the "under the table" advantages of knowing some "big police"?

I've spoken to some 'big police' and they said they can't stand the 'farang' volunteer police but they were told by the commisioner that they had to have some.

^interesting the ones I know quite like the farang volunteer police assistants.

All very interesting to hear people's views and all, but no one has actually answered the Ops question. Anyone have any idea what is needed - presumeably a long term Visa (Non-Imm) a WP (possibly - though these can be got for volunteering anyway) and conversational Thai perhaps????

We live in a country where people are closer to domestic animals than human being

I got a feeling this screen name won't be around long

If you have to ask, you're not qualified.

you beat me to it. well spoke.

The only people who have bad things to say about the tourist police are people who hang in dirty bars and cant stand seeing themselves reflected in the bad tourist police.

In phuket, a bunch of them help people at immigration and they are wonderfull.

Not pushy, gentle, extremely usefull even if you know your wait around visas.

Yes but those volunteers are NOT tourist police volunteers but are working for the immigration department.

Edited March 4, 201016 yr by merijn

I'm looking for an online tutor..any prospects here?

Could it be that they are given/helped with a work permit? I believe you must have one to do even volunteer work as I have known people who have given up their time to work free for a radio only to be told that they need a work permit!

Or is it another case of duel standards in LoS?

okay..you need to live there.. and it helps if you have friends that are ALREADY in the tourist police..in my case, i asked one in a position of "authority" if I could join when I move there in a few years..

..(after all.. one has to kill some time in between the morning workouts and the afternoon siesta and the late afternoon thai massage) ..the answer was YES..i was a peace officer for 7 years, but that is not necessarily necessary..

signed: sometimes it is who you know

Crave power,to back up reinvention of identity that some worked out before getting off the plane at Bangkok.

Such as Harrier jump jet pilot,Air Marshall,Millionaire with Helicopter,ex SAS,Bail Bounty Hunter.

Seriously ive met all of the above and more.

Guys apply to be a Micky Mouse cop with the Farang police, because the status acts as a substitute for their lack of ability to perform with the ladies.

I recently met a young Russian guy who joined the Police Volunteers in Pattaya when he was setting up his business in Pattaya a while ago. (Not sure if he was with Nil's or Howard's crew) He was happy to admit that he joined as it was quick way to get contacts with the police. He did it for a couple of months until he got to know the people he wanted to know then left.

I'll wager he isn't the only person to have done that.

Could it be that they are given/helped with a work permit? I believe you must have one to do even volunteer work as I have known people who have given up their time to work free for a radio only to be told that they need a work permit!

Or is it another case of duel standards in LoS?

It's the latter. Not that there has to be wrong with the arrangement per se. But a work permit is tied to a particular job and a particular location. Having a work permit to be a computer programmer in Laem Chabang doesn't mean you can then take any other job on the side, paid or not. anyway that's the law. (Pretty much worth the same as the pixels in this paragraph while on, but that's another topic)

I have personally done work for government agencies without a work permit as well. We can leave it that there's considerable leeway and flexibility in rules and regulations in this country, and to be honest that may be in part why we like it so much.

for f8ck sake, the OP asked a decent question and m0r0ns that have replied have not given a simple answer to his question, not on the first page at least.

Advice: Go to the normal police in your area and ask. The tourist police will have a separate location where they work from and take your application. In Chiangmai they have offices next to the ballet school in Far-harm area in a complex called Rimping Center (and it's not the Rimping Condo) They are a stones throw from the intersection of river and super highway, south of highway on eastern side.

As for other areas, ask the normal police, they'll guide you there if in fact they exist in your domain.

Good luck................. BTW I think they do an admirable job, at least better than Sifu... 5555

Mods, why not just delete post 46 and the user................

Edited March 5, 201016 yr by jayjayjayjay

2 english guys i know are in the royal thai police

one is ex-uk police the other is not

Can't think of why one would want to do it because its such a thankless job and pain in the arse.

'Cause if they weren't doing it they'd be organising little residents' commitees, and setting little laws in their moo bahns, and going around making sure everyone's lawn was cut to the regulation height, and their laundry couldn't be seen from the street, and their car was parked exactly 6" from the curb, and all the other sad little self appointed tasks of the common pedantic busy body. You're right about them being a pain in the arse though.

Or they would be Traffic Wardens.

I'm looking for an online tutor..any prospects here?

Everything in this world comes back to $$$ my friend. Show the colour of ur money and anything is possible.

Would spelling lessons or grammar help?... it seems a little lacking on this thread!

Can't think of why one would want to do it because its such a thankless job and pain in the arse.

'Cause if they weren't doing it they'd be organising little residents' commitees, and setting little laws in their moo bahns, and going around making sure everyone's lawn was cut to the regulation height, and their laundry couldn't be seen from the street, and their car was parked exactly 6" from the curb, and all the other sad little self appointed tasks of the common pedantic busy body. You're right about them being a pain in the arse though.

What's wrong with that? personally i think you have to have to much time on your hands to do this but im happy some do.

We live in a country where people are closer to domestic animals than human being because of the lack of teachings and structure. People making ridiculous laws in their moobaans are just trying to keep them clean like in the west.

Nobody does it in my moo baan and theres rabid dogs, litter on the street, people throw their dog poo in the middle of the street, theres speed racers theres car parked sideways in the middle of the intersections and theres trees that block the views completely so if you wish to turn a corner you cannot ever know if you're gonna get hit by one of the speed racer. Also my moobaan isnt low class, i dont even wanna think what a low class moobaan would look like and i dont want to know whats its gonna look like when it turns 5-10 years old.

Seriously, the only bad apple of the tourist police are the ones hanging in bars with their belly out, and if you see them, thats means your part of that group.

Can you explain your first paragraph (we live in a country where people .......) ..............?? I trust a MOD wrote to you and marked your card??

Edited March 5, 201016 yr by Maizefarmer

^what does hanging out in bars have to do with it?

obviously a post from a woman if you read it with that in mind

Be fatherless and have half a brain

really soo much???

Not quite. You have to have been a traffic warden in your own country, demonstrated a keen interest in wearing costumes and readily played with your "action man' toy until well into your late teens.

First rule of fight club.

Never talk about fight club

Oh <deleted>, the original question wasn't "What does the expat community think of the tourist police volunteers?" To the OP, just so you know, TPV's rate just above pedophiles in terms of the public scorn they generate amongst members of this board. You have posted your question in the hornets nest of anti-TPV sentiment. Thankfully nobody cares what expats think about TPV's, nor does it matter one iota what a "big policeman" thinks of them. The exact same thing said about my reserve police officer unit by the full time cops in the states. It's the same boring drivel by the same tough guys slagging off the TPV's whenever the topic comes up. The fact is the tourists like them, and it's good for tourism despite what motivations you people project on them. Just because the only reason YOU could ever imagine volunteering to do this job is to stroke your ego and get whatever kickback or advantage you can out of it doesn't mean everyone else does.

Yeah we get it, nobody like cops, particular ones that volunteer for perceived but unseen benefits. I have known a few of these guys in Phuket, and they are really helpful, selfless guys. I have seen them step and and break up fights that, if handled by the RTP, would have ended very badly and costly for the tourist. I have seen them try to pay for their Pepsi's at The Pizza Company on Bangla only to be refused by the manager. The TPV asked to pay twice. Hey at least he tried.

Three pages of whining and still no one answers the questions. You people are pathetic.

OP don't be swayed by these bitter burnout sexpat scofflaws. If you want to be a TPV, go for it. I think it would be fun, and the tourists will appreciate it. Be aware that there is two separate foreign volunteer programs, the Tourist Police Volunteers that patrol and assist the RTP, and the Immigration Volunteers, whose mandate revolves more around assisting tourists and expats with immigration issues, but they still get out in the field at times.

Not sure where you are located, but here is some info I found with a quick Google search.

http://phuket-tourist-police-volunteers.com/contact.html

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12927013/PHUKE...PPLICATION-FORM

http://eng.pattayatouristpolice.com/back.php

Edited March 5, 201016 yr by ScubaBuddha

I think it would be fun,

Just like playing Cops and Robbers when you were a kid!

Would spelling lessons or grammar help?... it seems a little lacking on this thread!

don't you mean "they seem to be a little lacking?"

I think it would be fun,

Just like playing Cops and Robbers when you were a kid!

Yeah, your right, that was fun too. So which one are you? Oh wait...I know already.

Edited March 5, 201016 yr by ScubaBuddha

Would spelling lessons or grammar help?... it seems a little lacking on this thread!

don't you mean "they seem to be a little lacking?"

All volunteer police activities have been suspended throughout Thailand until next week when there are meetingd arranged, not too sure why, something about the Pattaya mob.

As a tourist volunteer, it seems like a good idea to me to spend a couple of days a week trying to help others rather than sitting in a bar moaning about everyone and everything.

FYI I have no interest in 'arresting' anyone, telling anyone off, Just there to help tourists with their problems.

There is not always an ulterior motive. Some people like to help others with no thought of 'what's in it for me' that is a selfish attitude which I am sure fills you with a warm glow every morning knowing you will do nothing unless there is something in it for you.