Thai Policemen Use Curfew To Extort Money

[webfact]

Police use curfew hours to make cash

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

Somroutai Sapsomboon

Some policemen took advantage of the curfew last week to extort money from people, a deliveryman said.

The man, who asked not to be named, said a soldier saved him from a threatening group of police officers early last Monday.

Police officers said the man was subject to severe penalties because he was violating the curfew, even though he tried explaining he had to deliver fresh food to restaurants before dawn every morning. Yet, the police officers surrounded his van, pointing their guns at his car, he said.

After a period of negotiation, a soldier at the same checkpoint came over and asked what was going on. "The soldier then checked my identification card and said, 'this man is not a terrorist, let him go' and I was released," the man said.

However, he said on the following day at around 3am, two of his colleagues became victims to extortion at a checkpoint between Ram-Indra and Bang Khen.

The policemen threatened the duo would be fined Bt40,000 each and given a two-year jail term, though the two managed to get away by handing over Bt4,000 each.

Upon learning of this case, Metropolitan police spokesman Police Maj-General Piya Uthayo said: "It could be true. But I need more information for investigation to be fair to the officers."

Piya also asked if military officers were at the Din Daeng checkpoint, because only police officers were meant to be in charge of that area.

He said complaints can be filed at the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Operation Centre by calling (02) 280 3196, and the cases would be duly investigated.

So far, the operation centre has said there have been no such cases filed.

Spokesman for the Army and Centre of the Resolution of the Emergency Situation, Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the government did not want the curfew to affect too many people's lives and the police also had problems putting it into practice.

"Everybody is important. If police are lenient with everyone, then the streets would be full of cars as if there was no curfew and the next day they would complain about the law not being implemented," Sansern said.

He added that he had received some calls reporting such extortion cases and had even heard some reports from the media. "But Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd cannot do everything," he said adding that it was the police force's responsibility.

-- The Nation 2010-06-02

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[PhilHarries]

That is all the Thai police force is good for, extorting money, and as such it is hardly a news item.

[ukrules]

They truly are the scum of the earth, I fully expected incidents like this.

[Thailand]

No doubt under orders from his company but he was violating the curfew.

That said, no excuse for the BIB doing what they do best- this just enhances their reputation.

[jybkk]

They share a VERY big responsability for all the tragic events that happened recently.

For example, their inaction both for yellow and red shirts demonstrations let the whole thing get out of hand.

I think we should hire the street vendors. Whenever one of the mob started to setup a stage, the street vendors were there looong before the police.

[NBD]

How surprised can anyone really be about this??

[richard10365]

I'm sure it happens but you can't say all police are like this. That's like saying all foreign men in Thailand are sexpats.

[Ulysses G.]

How surprised can anyone really be about this??

Exactly.

[lazygourmet]

Tomato Police... Sure!

555

[invex]

But I need more information for investigation to be fair to the officers."

hahahaha, as in all (most) cases, nothing will be done here. The worst penalty for a cop, even for killing, is an "inactive post" or a transfer to a "poor" part of the country. One will never hear of this anymore.

The Government should tackle this coz it is the worst thing to deal with in Thailand. Unfortunately, nothing will be done for this as well. All people, including PM, are scared of the BIB. And one better should; morality is far below zero with those guy’s. After 1 -2 years on duty they are all the same. Don't do the job, just look for occasions to enrich themselves with no matter what, no matter how.

Nobody is strong enough to find a remedy for this society-cancer. Compared to them, the most extreme “Red Shirts” will look like 10 years old lady-boys.

[selftaopath]

That is all the Thai police force is good for, extorting money, and as such it is hardly a news item.

Yes, most - if not all are Bloody Incompetent Buffoon (BIB)

[SomTumTiger]

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) we have the military to protect us from the terrorists - since the Police are probably a big part of their organization. Time for Abhisit to institute complete Police Reform. All "Police Generals" should immediately be RIF'ed, and an independent investigative body with powers to detain, question, and arrest, should be created. Put a beat down on the money grubbers.

That being said - I would also increase the wage scale for policemen, and fund more for standard equipment, so police can afford to live a decent live, using good equipment that they don't have to purchase themselves.

Perhaps my common sense is just pissing in the wind, but that is what I'd do lol.

[laurentbkk]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

[Colabamumbai]

That could never happen in Thailand.

[givenall]

That is all the Thai police force is good for, extorting money, and as such it is hardly a news item.

Wonderful having police investigate themselves.

[animatic]

Tomato Police... Sure!

555

Big surprise...

Tomato, no not tomato,

that implies they have some nutritional value,

seem more liklely to have no value except as compost.

The social value of an inflamed hangnail.

[Insight]

Numerous accounts also surfacing now about how the "police" fled the scene as the arsonists took over on the 19th.

Abhisit, you next mission is.... (and it's clearly going to take a bit more than replacing a few people at the top)

[ariesram74]

4000b is better than 40000b - at the end of the day we all benefit from corruption. corruption is what makes the developing world "fun".

As far as the deliveryman, I sympathize with a guy just trying to make a living, but generally when he went out, he knew the chances - did he expect to drive around w/o the police stopping him? There are probably thousands more to have an excuse for being out early in the morning.

As far as the police... well what do you expect from underpaid, under trained and overworked peasants with badges and guns? Get real. At least Thailand is a country where you can still buy the police and avoid the bureaucracy.

[Arjay]

What's new "brown shirts" "red shirts" they are one and the same!

[khaowong1]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

small salary is not an excuse.. if the moneys not good enough, find a better job. a policemans duty to to protect and serve and uphold the law.. period...

[BKjohn]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

small salary is not an excuse.. if the moneys not good enough, find a better job. a policemans duty to to protect and serve and uphold the law.. period...

In Thailand ????? at least here the Mafia can easily be spotted, they wear very tied brown uniforms

By the way, they get about 10 k (lowest level) plus 45% officially of the fines they bring in - do the math - plus what they take on the side plus free medical plus housing support

Edited June 2, 2010 by BKjohn

[Insight]

A bit old now and sure their skills have improved over time, but...

[jonclark]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

small salary is not an excuse.. if the moneys not good enough, find a better job. a policemans duty to to protect and serve and uphold the law.. period...

Exacty - otherwise as an underpaid teacher, for example, i would be fully justified in demanding money from students in order for me to allow them to pass their exams.... .

I do however think that the state should purchase basic police equipment - like the gun, so that as a state purchase, the gun is and (should) remains the property of the state, long after the person has finished being a copper. It would i imagine make ballistics tracing a bit easier if the state had a records of the guns in its arse(nel), rather than coppers with random purchased guns wandering the streets.

But back to the OP - what can you say except that if Thai folks tolerate being treated like this, then i have little sympathy for them. If they want it to change, they (as a population) need to get off their backsides and demand change and realize that they have the power to expediate that change, however many can't be arsed.

[BKjohn]

Even if you would double their wages nothing would change, they'd just want more - the police here (the ones in brown) are a society in itself, everybody else hates them and sees them as for what they are.

However, if you find yourself upcountry in a pub and there are two drunken cops at a table playing with their guns, its time to leave. A lot of people get shot here every month in such situations, especially if the cop fancies one of the ladies who happens to be the girlfriend of another guest ....... or if she is his ex and has a new boyfriend .... or .......

To start with, the government should raise the level of acceptance of new cops as far as their education and IQ is concerned. Just raising their wages will do no good.

Edited June 2, 2010 by BKjohn

[ozsamurai]

No rumor, they also collected 500++ from all bars for a 'look the other way fee' for those who wished to trade after the curfew, if you refused to pay they shut you down at 11pm (1hr before curfew). Bet they were annoyed at the reduction in the curfew from 31st to 28th.....Som Nam Na!

Oz

[Lopburi99]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

Being poor is no excuse to steal. There are tens of millions of poor Thais who are honest and live respectable, law abiding lives. Police using the authority of their position to extort are scum of the earth. Please make no excuses for them.

[sjjmmi]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

Being poor is no excuse to steal. There are tens of millions of poor Thais who are honest and live respectable, law abiding lives. Police using the authority of their position to extort are scum of the earth. Please make no excuses for them.

Agree

[Donnyboy]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

Being poor is no excuse to steal. There are tens of millions of poor Thais who are honest and live respectable, law abiding lives. Police using the authority of their position to extort are scum of the earth. Please make no excuses for them.

Agree

thirded

i know of one honest BIB up in CM working around the markets, alot of thais even mention his honesty

Edited June 2, 2010 by Donnyboy

[bendejo]

I'm sure it happens but you can't say all police are like this. That's like saying all foreign men in Thailand are sexpats.

No it's not. The police have their own way of doing things, and this is just one of them. The notion of what police are about that you may have formulated in an industrialized country does not apply here. In most of the developing world the police are something to be avoided.

The police in Thailand are especially useless, even when compared to their brother pocket-stuffers in Latin America.

I've been hearing stories about tourists getting robbed (purse snatchings etc) and when they go to file a police report they have to pay for that fine service, and of course nothing is done about the theft. Well, if it is, I'd think it would be for the officer to go get a piece of the take. The Royal Thai Police Force is a disgrace to the first three words of their name. Force is only applied if you don't have sufficient funds. Now can you understand why there is no respect for the law here?

[lensta]

For sure not all police are like that but I never met one . With their little salary no wonder they need to have extra cash .

Being poor is no excuse to steal. There are tens of millions of poor Thais who are honest and live respectable, law abiding lives. Police using the authority of their position to extort are scum of the earth. Please make no excuses for them.

Agree

thirded

i know of one honest BIB up in CM working around the markets, alot of thais even mention his honesty

Actually all the people that pay the "tea money" including myself are just as bad as the bib because if we all said no then they would have to come up with another way to make some extra money, but it is better to pay 200 Baht instead of 500 Baht, simple ecconomics I guess. One one occassion I did call there bluff and insissted that they take me to the police station and I would pay the fine, they just gave my license back and told me to go.