I've been told that the local police will only actually act upon an Arrest Warrant if they're paid to do so.

If this is true, what's the going rate, say from rape to robbery to fraud et al ... ?

And yes, I DO understand that a Warrant issued by the local Court must be issued first.

^actually its more like paid to be not arrested.

off topic..

at a check point in Karon the other day I did see the police ask the tuk tuks for their license as opposed to waving them through... was surprised.

Yes (in Patong anyway) the police seemed to flat out refuse to investigate crime without being paid to do so.. And I dont mean farang walks in hungover and says he lost his bike, fair enough for the to want a reward to find it, but even when local Thai woman from a Phuket family who had a crime against her and they told her after a couple of visits that unless she could pay to speed it up they wouldnt help.

Connected Thais just need to show up of course. When my friends 15 year old niece was killed the family of the Thai involved pulled in Chirat, who as he knew me kept assuring me he wasnt there to influence anything just make sure it was all fair !!!, and the police were wai'ing him, and ultimately did everything to balls the case up, be uncommunicative, etc.