Top Thai Policeman Urges Human Trafficking Prevention As A Priority

[webfact]

Taking Human Trafficking Head On

Several days ago Commander of the Central Investigation Division, Police Lieutenant General Pongpat Chaiyapun briefed the Police Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) on its goals and objectives. Underlining the fact that Thailand is considered a front runner in the human trafficking trade, Pongpat pressed that prevention must be made a priority against the crime.

The high ranking officer proclaimed that chasing down human traffickers after the fact should no longer be considered an acceptable remedy, pointing out that the practice has neither deterred human trafficking or created any sense of fear for criminals.

Prevention is always key in police work. The success of preventive measures however lies in the vision of commanding officers. A deep understanding of the problem at hand and experience in tackling criminals head on are key.

The Thai police force must adapt to the changing nature of criminals such as human traffickers. Ranks must be repopulated with modern thinkers, ready to work at an international standard on the local level.

Thai police have always been lacking in proper training, hindering them from achieving the standards of practice needed in the globalized world. With officers drafted into the police force mostly unequipped, few have the specialized skill sets needed to champion any single facet of police work.

During the leadership of former Central Investigation chief Police Lieutenant General Sopon Warajnon, a mentor project was initiated amongst police. Sopon reasoned that specialized investigators were becoming a dying breed and incoming officers were repeatedly being assigned to work they were not prepared for. Today, the phenomenon has begun again, with police drawn into work on the political front and their sparse numbers further diluted amongst a mess of crimes.

It is now time once again to re-equip Thai police with new skills. If Police Lieutenant General Pongpat wishes to prevent further human trafficking, he must make sure officers have the skills needed to instill the public with an awareness of the crime and its punishments. The AHTD must become specialized in cracking down human trafficking on all of its fronts, beginning with within the hearts and minds of the public itself and then perhaps Thailand can erase its name from the list of top ranking of human trafficking nations.

Kom Chad Luek, December 21 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 2010-12-22

[alstaxi]

Fascinating story, only thing missing is a guy with a cape.

[Bagwan]

Quite an admission. The BIB are NBG. A new light dawning?

They might start with the human trafficking along the Burmese border. Maybe they don't get their hands dirty but they know the score there and the brothel buildings are usually owned by cops - who charge exorbitant rents.

[junglist]

Quite an admission. The BIB are NBG. A new light dawning?

They might start with the human trafficking along the Burmese border. Maybe they don't get their hands dirty but they know the score there and the brothel buildings are usually owned by cops - who charge exorbitant rents.

We have wisdom, well said.

[livingthedream]

Crackdown on driving, crackdown on firearms and drugs, crackdown on human trafficking... the Bib are gonna be kept pretty busy !!

er ...but then I think not , just more empty platitudes

Actions speak louder than words

[asiawatcher]

You still have to side with the Police here. They recognise they are being ineffectual against this horror. They need retraining and there are a l ot of organisations with experience to call upon to get this cleared up but do they have the intelligence to seek assistance or will they continue to do what they have always done and expect changes?

[Briggsy]

What a bag of <deleted>! The backstreet brothels of every major centre in Thailand have underage girls, some from Thailand, some from neighbouring countries, virtually all for the local domestic market, and all with the express knowledge of the local police who both use the sexual services and financially profit from them. Empty words.