Bent Thai Cop Arrested On Kidnapping Charge.

[Lite Beer]

Bent cop nabbed

By The Nation.

A policeman was arrested early yesterday morning for allegedly kidnapping a Laotian businessman, his wife and four-year-old daughter for a Bt5-million ransom. Arrest warrants will soon be issued for five accomplices, who shot their way out to escape arrest.

Police Senior Sgt-Major Apinan Songbundit, from the Consumer Protection Command, was arrested in a car with fake licence plates, a .38 pistol and six bullets. He claimed he was assisting colleagues in a drug arrest and had no knowledge about the alleged kidnapping.

The victim's side insisted the family wasn't involved in drug dealing. In the police complaint, the family's relatives said the Laotians were taken by a group of men who claimed to be drug police at That Phanom municipal border pass. The relatives were contacted to pay Bt5-million in ransom or the whole family would be killed. After the gang got Bt100,000 cash, a Bt300,000 diamond ring and four gold ornaments from the victims, and another Bt300,000 cash from relatives in Ubon Ratchathani, the wife was released to gather more money from relatives in Laos.

-- The Nation 2011-02-20

[whybother]

I think the use of "Bent" is irrelevant. If they had just used "Thai Cop" most people would have assumed "Bent" anyway.

[EyesWideOpen]

Corrupt and crooked cops.....zzzzzz.... Please tell me I am not the only one to see the humor of calling this pack of thieves and scroundels " The Royal Thai Police"...... To me this is clearly a case of

ongoing Lesse Majeste......... Fire them all, start fresh, and turn Thailand into a wonderful place...

[asiawatcher]

Agree with rhlekel - remove anyone from Sergeant up and replace them with army for the time being. Get a retraining situation going and start to have a Police force the Thai's can be proud of. Yes there are some good ones there but usually that means they don't 'indulge' but are aware of the problems, and cannot do anything about it. And get rid of the 'brown' uniforms - so damned tacky... as someone said to me - brown because they are all full of ....

Whilst I may not agree - simply a uniform that can be respected would surpass the stench attached to this one and those wearing it.

Edited February 20, 2011 by asiawatcher

[Oberkommando]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Oberkommando

[prefabs]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

[Phatcharanan]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

And yet here you are....Obi-ka-nobi.

[transam]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

'' Bent '' has 3 meanings in UK, for us oldies anyway.

[sirchai]

I think the use of "Bent" is irrelevant. If they had just used "Thai Cop" most people would have assumed "Bent" anyway.

Arrest warrants will soon be issued for five accomplices, who shot their way out to escape arrest.

<deleted>? Arrest warrants will soon be issued? Doesn't that mean that they know who they are? These people who shot their way out. Great cops in a great country. :jap:

[MaiChai]

Its not good for your health stating the obvious about police here. Sufficient to say there is a point where police go beyond what is acceptable by the populous, and then it becomes a crime. A bit more bent than the average one?

Edited February 20, 2011 by MaiChai

[Nisa]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

Beyond the obvious I have known it as meaning to get intoxicated (I really got bent last night) and upset (bent out of shape) but I looked it up online in a slang dictionary and it says it could also mean corrupt though I have never heard it be used that way, at least not in the US.

[Steely Dan]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

On this issue I agree with you 100%. But what of the accomplices who apparently escaped after 'shooting their way out'? Do we take it that this was just yet another bungled police operation, or was the escape pre-arranged as with red shirt leaders escaping down ropes when the police came to arrest them?

[Oberkommando]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

And yet here you are....Obi-ka-nobi.

Yep, I am here, and I can always leave once those cultural and societal flaws outweigh the financial benefit of me being here.

[supaprik]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

100% correct, It's not the police or even the politions for that matter, it is most certainly cultural and to change this mind set is nearly impossible I would think, I do hope that when thailand gets a proper ELECTED government small steps will turn into giant leaps, until then we must all just try to do our best to uphold the law and practise what we preach

peace

[transam]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

Beyond the obvious I have known it as meaning to get intoxicated (I really got bent last night) and upset (bent out of shape) but I looked it up online in a slang dictionary and it says it could also mean corrupt though I have never heard it be used that way, at least not in the US.

The UK meaning relates to if someone is not corrupt in any way then they are '' straight '', so if the opposite, they are '' bent ''. As an aging Londoner you can take it as a true slang word.

[Oberkommando]

On this issue I agree with you 100%. But what of the accomplices who apparently escaped after 'shooting their way out'? Do we take it that this was just yet another bungled police operation, or was the escape pre-arranged as with red shirt leaders escaping down ropes when the police came to arrest them?

Could have been a bungle or a pre-arranged escape. We'll probably never know.

The Police help their fellow officers regardless of the crime; including murder and especially in the murder of foreigners as we have seen previously in the murder of the two British backpackers in Kanchanaburi by the off-duty Policeman Somchai Wisetsingh, he was aided in his escape over the border to Burma by fellow Police officers and then subsequently assisted in his alibi. In Pai, the local Police aided and covered up during the murder of Leo del Pinto by one of their own, and he went on to kill again, only this time it was a Thai and he's got to go down for that one. Still, can't help thinking it wouldn't have happened if he had been properly apprehended and punished in the first instance.

Nothing surprises me about them, and they always will protect their own; murders, violent criminals and psychopaths, they're still one of the boys

[powderpuff]

Welcome to the Third World.

[hgma]

with all respect to almost all "sarcastic" comments made.........

he WAS arrested wasnt he?

by THAI police.

[doggie888888]

with all respect to almost all "sarcastic" comments made.........

he WAS arrested wasnt he?

by THAI police.

Can your imagination conjure up 6 policemen drawing straws? Guess who is holding the short straw? Hint: he is not one of the 5 who got away. :jap:

[pisico]

On this issue I agree with you 100%. But what of the accomplices who apparently escaped after 'shooting their way out'? Do we take it that this was just yet another bungled police operation, or was the escape pre-arranged as with red shirt leaders escaping down ropes when the police came to arrest them?

Could have been a bungle or a pre-arranged escape. We'll probably never know.

The Police help their fellow officers regardless of the crime; including murder and especially in the murder of foreigners as we have seen previously in the murder of the two British backpackers in Kanchanaburi by the off-duty Policeman Somchai Wisetsingh, he was aided in his escape over the border to Burma by fellow Police officers and then subsequently assisted in his alibi. In Pai, the local Police aided and covered up during the murder of Leo del Pinto by one of their own, and he went on to kill again, only this time it was a Thai and he's got to go down for that one. Still, can't help thinking it wouldn't have happened if he had been properly apprehended and punished in the first instance.

Nothing surprises me about them, and they always will protect their own; murders, violent criminals and psychopaths, they're still one of the boys

Your previous posting I quote here "The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole."

You are right in your assessment.

That is the core of the problem. I know cases of officers in the army and police who cannot get a higher position because they do not have the money to pay to the higher-ups who would grant the promotions. Police is grossly untrained because most positions from lieutenant on down are routinely purchased or granted as political favors. It is graft not merit the backbone of the police department.

I am deeply saddened by the state of affairs but I understand that it is endemic to the region. This applies also to China where graft and corruption reach unreal levels.

[Nisa]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

Beyond the obvious I have known it as meaning to get intoxicated (I really got bent last night) and upset (bent out of shape) but I looked it up online in a slang dictionary and it says it could also mean corrupt though I have never heard it be used that way, at least not in the US.

The UK meaning relates to if someone is not corrupt in any way then they are '' straight '', so if the opposite, they are '' bent ''. As an aging Londoner you can take it as a true slang word.

That actually makes sense. The "straight" term is also common in the US but had just never heard anyone use bent to describe the opposite of straight in these terms..

[jimbeam1]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

Oberkommando. I have been trying to think of something else to say. But you seem to have summed it up in those few words. Really very sad.

jb1

[Steely Dan]

On this issue I agree with you 100%. But what of the accomplices who apparently escaped after 'shooting their way out'? Do we take it that this was just yet another bungled police operation, or was the escape pre-arranged as with red shirt leaders escaping down ropes when the police came to arrest them?

Could have been a bungle or a pre-arranged escape. We'll probably never know.

The Police help their fellow officers regardless of the crime; including murder and especially in the murder of foreigners as we have seen previously in the murder of the two British backpackers in Kanchanaburi by the off-duty Policeman Somchai Wisetsingh, he was aided in his escape over the border to Burma by fellow Police officers and then subsequently assisted in his alibi. In Pai, the local Police aided and covered up during the murder of Leo del Pinto by one of their own, and he went on to kill again, only this time it was a Thai and he's got to go down for that one. Still, can't help thinking it wouldn't have happened if he had been properly apprehended and punished in the first instance.

Nothing surprises me about them, and they always will protect their own; murders, violent criminals and psychopaths, they're still one of the boys

Your previous posting I quote here "The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole."

You are right in your assessment.

That is the core of the problem. I know cases of officers in the army and police who cannot get a higher position because they do not have the money to pay to the higher-ups who would grant the promotions. Police is grossly untrained because most positions from lieutenant on down are routinely purchased or granted as political favors. It is graft not merit the backbone of the police department.

I am deeply saddened by the state of affairs but I understand that it is endemic to the region. This applies also to China where graft and corruption reach unreal levels.

Copy on China, I know of a regional office of a multinational company who had a transport manageress arrested finger printed and told she was in big trouble because one of their vans had hit a wall causing minimal damage. As it turned out the incident could be overlooked providing four police officers were taken out on a jolly, I will add they were very specific about the callibre of restaurant and number of drinks which would have to be purchased.

To return to 'flawed cultural and societal system' may I suggest the difference is essentially between guilt cultures and shame cultures, with the former regulation of behavior relies on an internal morality guiding the individual as to what's right or wrong, whereas a shame culture is one where an individual suffers no self-regulatory guilt but is only controlled by those of a higher rank publicly shaming them.

Edited to suggest googling guilt society and shame society

Edited February 20, 2011 by Steely Dan

[featography]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

On this issue I agree with you 100%. But what of the accomplices who apparently escaped after 'shooting their way out'? Do we take it that this was just yet another bungled police operation, or was the escape pre-arranged as with red shirt leaders escaping down ropes when the police came to arrest them?

only took 12 posts to make reference to the Red Shirts.

[fullerphoto]

The Thai Police are merely a product of a flawed cultural and societal system.

They are representative of Thai society itself, and the country as a whole.

They can never be changed or improved until the cultural flaws are addressed.

Absolutely right.. Thai society has the government and policing they wholeheartedly deserve..

This is what happens when nobody gives a dam (mai bpen rai), but then hardly anyone pays any taxes so go figure..

[Nisa]

Welcome to the Third World.

Just above 3rd World... chances are we wouldn't have heard about it if this was the 3rd world.. so, things are continuing to improve here

Edited February 20, 2011 by Nisa

[richieudon]

Bent? Means something else in UK, thught it was a gay policeman

Beyond the obvious I have known it as meaning to get intoxicated (I really got bent last night) and upset (bent out of shape) but I looked it up online in a slang dictionary and it says it could also mean corrupt though I have never heard it be used that way, at least not in the US.

Bent as a nine bob note

[neverdie]

Welcome to the Third World.

Just above 3rd World... chances are we wouldn't have heard about it if this was the 3rd world.. so, things are continuing to improve here

The term '3rd world' was replaced some time back with the term 'developing nation'. It would seem it is appropriate, in some cases.

[doggie888888]

Welcome to the Third World.

Just above 3rd World... chances are we wouldn't have heard about it if this was the 3rd world.. so, things are continuing to improve here

The term '3rd world' was replaced some time back with the term 'developing nation'. It would seem it is appropriate, in some cases.

Yet in another sense, like the systemic corruption in many sectors, Thailand is more or less "developed"...in fact, they've developed corruption to high farce.

[ginjag]

I think the use of "Bent" is irrelevant. If they had just used "Thai Cop" most people would have assumed "Bent" anyway.

Ha Ha true......... :lol: