Putting Thai Police Back In Line

[webfact]

Putting Police Back In Line

Typically, it is the police with the rights and duties to chase and apprehend societies wrong-doers, but with a change of leadership to Thailand's finest, this paradigm may be shifting. It seems Commander of the Central Investigative Police, Police Lieutenant General Pongpat Chaiyapun has decided to do some housekeeping in the hopes of cleaning up the tarnished image of his officers.

The Central Investigative Police office has received countless complaints and reports about the conduct of Thailand's civil protectors, with most concerning the ever-present highway patrol. Charges against the keepers of the nation's roadways range from extortion to outright intimidation and include such acts as the setup of unneeded road blocks. The betrayal of duty is not confined to highway police however, with officers in other divisions found to be using elaborate “nominee” systems in which local thugs are allowed to run free and protection becomes a paid service.

Reports have led to investigations by a government disciplinary commission jointly working with the police central command. Police Lieutenant General Pongpat has called for a no-mercy approach to the cleansing and has mandated that expulsion from the force not be considered too harsh a consequence. Those punished so far have been those that committed their offenses in the vicinity of surveillance cameras, with few as of yet faulted solely on public reports.

The central investigation commander's stand against corrupt police is a bold but much needed one. It is high time the problem of coercive police officers be brought into the light. Now is the opportunity for the public to fight back against literally generations of corruption and oppression and reclaim their right to just protection and moral service. Any and all questionable police activity should be reported and evidence should be collected and submitted whenever possible. Police Lieutenant General Pongpat must be pressed to uphold his new policy and see it through. May be someday, the sight of a Thai policemen will once again inspire a sense of security rather than disdain.

Kom Chad Luek News, October 18 2010

Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2010-10-19

[angiud]

May be someday, the sight of a Thai policemen will once again inspire a sense of security rather than disdain.

Not in our age.

[chainarong]

The correct word in the whole article in disdain, guess any attempt is better than none at all, this has certainly created a life time job, good luck.

[barrybankruad]

The correct word in the whole article in disdain, guess any attempt is better than none at all, this has certainly created a life time job, good luck.

What is needed is a wholly independent body to investigate the police and the rampant corruption. Point is who would want the job? To tackle a task such as this could signing your own death warrant, particularly if the investigation good to close to lucrative activities that all the Thai Police seem to be involved in. If those with their noses in the trough feel their incomes are being threatened then you can be sure that 'accidents' will happen. After all if a top Army general can be murdered in full view of the world's press because he sympathised with the so called opposition, and nothing was done to try and find the perpetrator iI wouldn't rate the chances of an investigator very highly.

[nikster]

May be someday, the sight of a Thai policemen will once again inspire a sense of security rather than disdain.

Not in our age.

The problem is you'd have to fire every last one of them. Not gonna happen.

[whybother]

The correct word in the whole article in disdain, guess any attempt is better than none at all, this has certainly created a life time job, good luck.

What is needed is a wholly independent body to investigate the police and the rampant corruption. Point is who would want the job? To tackle a task such as this could signing your own death warrant, particularly if the investigation good to close to lucrative activities that all the Thai Police seem to be involved in. If those with their noses in the trough feel their incomes are being threatened then you can be sure that 'accidents' will happen. After all if a top Army general can be murdered in full view of the world's press because he sympathised with the so called opposition, and nothing was done to try and find the perpetrator iI wouldn't rate the chances of an investigator very highly.

It's a bit hard for the police to investigate the death of Seh Daeng when they don't have access to the area that he was shot until 2 weeks after the incident.

[craigt3365]

The correct word in the whole article in disdain, guess any attempt is better than none at all, this has certainly created a life time job, good luck.

What is needed is a wholly independent body to investigate the police and the rampant corruption. Point is who would want the job? To tackle a task such as this could signing your own death warrant, particularly if the investigation good to close to lucrative activities that all the Thai Police seem to be involved in. If those with their noses in the trough feel their incomes are being threatened then you can be sure that 'accidents' will happen. After all if a top Army general can be murdered in full view of the world's press because he sympathised with the so called opposition, and nothing was done to try and find the perpetrator iI wouldn't rate the chances of an investigator very highly.

It's a bit hard for the police to investigate the death of Seh Daeng when they don't have access to the area that he was shot until 2 weeks after the incident.

Even if they did have access, would you believe the final report? They do a pretty poor job of crime scene investigations here....

[yellow1red1]

May be someday, the sight of a Thai policemen will once again inspire a sense of security rather than disdain.

Not in our age.

what yaer was that, please? or decade???

[chantorn]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

[DiamondKing]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

What planet are you from you cant blame everything on Thaksin

DK

[angiud]

I would like to give the fault of a corrupted police to Thaksin, but the problem goes back many years before.

And, IMHO, it is a major reason of the decay of the present Thailand.

[trainman34014]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

I would say corrupt Thai policemen were around long before Thaksin was even born!

Oh; corruption starts at the top....the very top.....so first you have to rid yourself of corrupt government..........the impossible dream?

Edited October 19, 2010 by trainman34014

[junglist]

Thailand has police? I was under the impression that they only had a Mafia dressed up as police. Even the UN has referred to them as this. Until some big pigs get fried nothing will change.

[IAMSOBAD]

Hey General,

You want to catch corrrrrrrrrrrupt police?

I have a solution for you.

Use farang as bait. Stop looking for the corrupt police and let them come to you. Like a drunk finds a drink Thai police have a special knack of finding farang. 99 percent of those farang are innocent people just minding their own business. When all of a sudden...Bam Boom the farang needs to pay your corrrrrrrrrupt police tea money.

Use us...we find corrupt police every 10 seconds.

I hereby volunteer to show you any time and any place!

Edited October 19, 2010 by IAMSOBAD

[hanuman1]

May be someday, the sight of a Thai policemen will once again inspire a sense of security rather than disdain.

Not in our age.

what yaer was that, please? or decade???

I'd like the answer to that too. My association with this country only goes back to the early nineties when if anything, the level of esteem conferred on the police by the Thai people I knew then was certainly no higher than it is today.

[scorecard]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

What planet are you from you cant blame everything on Thaksin

DK

Agree, you can't blame everyting on thaksin, but he is responsible for taking corruption, cronyism, nepotism, control of the police and numerous other ministries (for the gain of a few), intimidation of the judiciary, the election commission, total lack of morals and ethics etc., to a whole new level. Just look at the number of his close relatives who were promoted by numerous levels, one family member jumped seven ranks in the military in one promotion.

One quick example: The BTS line to Bang Na was completed months ago and it's ready to start tomorrow. Why has it not opened? Easy answer, thaksin has not yet been paid his share of the spoils and he still has enough power (intimidation strength) to ensure he gets paid before it will be allowed to open.

Ask around amomgst some Thais who will discuss these things with you, people who will give you deep articulate insights and give you balanced views, you'll find plenty of agreement to my first paragraph, in fact the words I wrote come mostly from my Thai colleagues who have no love for reds or yellows or any other such group, these are people who see thaksin for the evil person that he is.

Edited October 19, 2010 by scorecard

[rreddin]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

I would say corrupt Thai policemen were around long before Thaksin was even born!

Oh; corruption starts at the top....the very top.....so first you have to rid yourself of corrupt government..........the impossible dream?

"Corruption is endemic in Thailand", so said the retiring British Ambassador 40 years ago! When the Mexican police chief was asked how long it would take to eradicate corruption in his force, he talked in terms of generations of policemen not years. I think a similar timescale will apply in Thailand. At least this new chap is making a start. Good luck to him.

[fullerphoto]

Can start with declarations of all income, receipts for everything owned, correct paperwork for all purchases including land as well as transparent bank accounts. Start there, it's not like Thais try to hide wealth.

[Pib]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

I would say corrupt Thai policemen were around long before Thaksin was even born!

Oh; corruption starts at the top....the very top.....so first you have to rid yourself of corrupt government..........the impossible dream?

Big 10-4 regarding corrupt police were around long before Thaksin; no shortage of corrupt police in the early '70s when I first strated coming to Thailand.

But I will have to say it sure seems that the traffic police here in Bangkok have turned the issuing of tickets (written and unwritten) into a "for profit" business. Wouldn't surprise me if there isn't competition for who can issue the most written tickets and who can collect the most from the most unwritten tickets. Just way too many traffic police; they need to be out on a beat looking for bad guys versus being the bad guy at the traffic checkpoint.

[selftaopath]

Land of Scams (LOS) also known as Thailand is infamous for talk, talk,talk, talk, talk, but little if any action. Many people world wide are listening less and less to the on going rhetoric that has little credence/Truth. How long do these "story tellers" expect individuals to believe them?

[craigt3365]

As was mentioned, until there is change at the top, nothing will change. Impossible to get a grassroots change going.

I read about a town somewhere in Russia or one of the old USSR states. Police corruption was so bad they fired them all.

And didn't somebody say something about Hong Kong? How they made some changes 10 or 15 years ago and now things are much better? I don't think it will take generations. If the PM and chief of police are on board, it can happen fairly quickly. Put a few in jail, fire some, and the rest will get the message real fast. But you will also have to increase their salaries....

[inmysights]

Land of Scams (LOS) also known as Thailand is infamous for talk, talk,talk, talk, talk, but little if any action. Many people world wide are listening less and less to the on going rhetoric that has little credence/Truth. How long do these "story tellers" expect individuals to believe them?

I very much doubt that anyone 'world wide' has ever listened to the crap talked up here. And never will. What, for instance, has the present incumbent done about the rampant corruption here? If anything? I loathe Taksin, but he did thoroughly clamp down on any tea money at the local Ministry of Transport here on Phuket. Also threatened to sack the entire police force and start from scratch, but never actually did. What's Abhissit done? Sweet Sod All.

[craigt3365]

Land of Scams (LOS) also known as Thailand is infamous for talk, talk,talk, talk, talk, but little if any action. Many people world wide are listening less and less to the on going rhetoric that has little credence/Truth. How long do these "story tellers" expect individuals to believe them?

I very much doubt that anyone 'world wide' has ever listened to the crap talked up here. And never will. What, for instance, has the present incumbent done about the rampant corruption here? If anything? I loathe Taksin, but he did thoroughly clamp down on any tea money at the local Ministry of Transport here on Phuket. Also threatened to sack the entire police force and start from scratch, but never actually did. What's Abhissit done? Sweet Sod All.

Problem with the current PM is his lack of power. He has a coalition government, filled with corrupt politicians (and one run by a banned MP), the police are against him, the reds are trying to kill him...tough situation...and hard to get anything done. Even in my country where Obama has control of both houses, he has problems getting bills passed. I agree with the above post that people all over the world are getting tired of their public officials saying lots, but doing nothing...except putting their snouts in the public feeding trough...

I was in Phuket when Thaksin was PM and paid tea money to the police several times.

[whybother]

Land of Scams (LOS) also known as Thailand is infamous for talk, talk,talk, talk, talk, but little if any action. Many people world wide are listening less and less to the on going rhetoric that has little credence/Truth. How long do these "story tellers" expect individuals to believe them?

I very much doubt that anyone 'world wide' has ever listened to the crap talked up here. And never will. What, for instance, has the present incumbent done about the rampant corruption here? If anything? I loathe Taksin, but he did thoroughly clamp down on any tea money at the local Ministry of Transport here on Phuket. Also threatened to sack the entire police force and start from scratch, but never actually did. What's Abhissit done? Sweet Sod All.

I imagine that the clampdown and threats from Thaksin were because he wasn't getting his cut.

[junglist]

If you fired all the police Thailand would be in a terrible state. They would all have to go back to their original jobs. Being criminals, extorting money and moving drugs. 55555 hahahah

[GarryP]

If you fired all the police Thailand would be in a terrible state. They would all have to go back to their original jobs. Being criminals, extorting money and moving drugs. 55555 hahahah

So no change really.

[somo]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

What planet are you from you cant blame everything on Thaksin

DK

That,s whats so scary. Such ignorance from Thais that some really believe Thaksin invented corruption.

I guess it shows how gullible they are when exposed to Goverment propaganda and censorship of any criticism.

It seems they cannot think for themselves which is a shame and doesn't bode well for the future

[asiawatcher]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

I agree partly with this - it was endemic prior to Thaksin and he just became a catalyst in the process, but it is now very much out of control and other than putting a broom through the lot and introducing really (exceptionally) tough penalties for corruption, and paying a decent salary to police, I can't see any way it will improve. But of course the corruption is not just with police - it is rife throughout many businesses and politicians in Thailand. Short answer - I certainly don't have one but great to see this article air the issue as mostly this is suppressed by the media PR system.

[landofthefree]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

This is now Abhisit's problem and we haven't seen it improve under his leadership, I wonder why?

[way2muchcoffee]

Thai police have been heavily corrupted by Thaksin, and Thasksin alone. It is like a kind of illness.

It will take a while after Thaksin death for the corrupted police to recover.

This is now Abhisit's problem and we haven't seen it improve under his leadership, I wonder why?

Because the majority of police are red supporters, have no interest in following or enforcing the law, and reject any institutional measures or honest police chiefs/leaders appointed by the government that would help them clean up their act and improve their image?

Edited October 19, 2010 by way2muchcoffee