Insulting A Policeman

[petercool]

To the overweight Englishman who mouthed "wanke_r" at the volunteer police officers at a late night road check even though he was driving his car through unstopped, I refer him to the following section of the Thai Penal Code ...

"Section 136 Whoever, insulting the official doing the act according to the function or having done the act according to the function, shall be imprisoned not out of one year or fined not out of two thousand Baht, or both."(sic)

It is not an offence to think what you like about police, but it pays to be careful what you say. Or write for that matter.

[Briggsy]

This is going to go pear-shaped very quickly. Lucky it isn't General Topics. If it were, I would give it max 1 hour. There would be about 200 posts followed by a nuclear war.

[bangkokrick]

I would think that insulting a Thai Policeman would be a very stupid thing to do. There have been a few instances in the past where they have shot people in similar situations. Google it.

[stoneyboy]

I do it all the time,that said mine is a neighbour and a Man Utd fan so it's all in jest,he speaks great English so understands all the banter.

[dundee48]

Just out of curiosity how did you know he was English if he just `mouthed` the word?

[JSixpack]

Just out of curiosity how did you know he was English if he just `mouthed` the word?

It's so obvious, innit?

[petercool]

To answer two questions ...

1) no other European uses the word and it was very obvious what he said, who he said it to and that it wasn't a pleasantry

2) when on duty alongside Thai police officers following their orders, all volunteers (Thai and others) are considered as policemen and "officials"

[dundee48]

To answer two questions ...

1) no other European uses the word and it was very obvious what he said, who he said it to and that it wasn't a pleasantry

2) when on duty alongside Thai police officers following their orders, all volunteers (Thai and others) are considered as policemen and "officials"

A few examples of other nationalities who use the word,

Scottish

Irish,

Welsh,

Australian,

New Zealander,

American,

Canadian,

South African,

And i also have Dutch,Norwegian,French,Polish and German friends who use it regularly as well.

[OccamsRazor]

A few examples of other nationalities who use the word,

American,

News to me and I'm an American. The only reason I'm aware of it and used it is the Brits in Thailand taught it to me. But never vocally, just on TV.

[terryq]

To answer two questions ...

1) no other European uses the word and it was very obvious what he said, who he said it to and that it wasn't a pleasantry

2) when on duty alongside Thai police officers following their orders, all volunteers (Thai and others) are considered as policemen and "officials"

Ref 2) They might be considered "officials" in that scenario. They are not considered the same as real policemen. Policemen have full individual power of arrest and carry firearms. Which volunteers do not.

I will say that volunteer / assistant police, when on duty, should be given the same respect as you would give real RTP officers.

[harrry]

To answer two questions ...

1) no other European uses the word and it was very obvious what he said, who he said it to and that it wasn't a pleasantry

2) when on duty alongside Thai police officers following their orders, all volunteers (Thai and others) are considered as policemen and "officials"

Ref 2) They might be considered "officials" in that scenario. They are not considered the same as real policemen. Policemen have full individual power of arrest and carry firearms. Which volunteers do not.

I will say that volunteer / assistant police, when on duty, should be given the same respect as you would give real RTP officers.

But real respect is earned not a right;

[Briggsy]

Need more info here

Where was the road block?

When date did the incident take place?

Did you make any "busts" at the checkpoint?

What was the purpose of the checkpoint?

Were motorists unduly inconvenienced?

[onionluke]

How do you know he wasn't saying , " Katanga " .

[petercool]

Need more info here

Where was the road block?

When date did the incident take place?

Did you make any "busts" at the checkpoint?

What was the purpose of the checkpoint?

Were motorists unduly inconvenienced?

The road block was between 2am and 4am Sunday morning at the top of Pattaya Klang.

The purpose is primarily to search for drugs and/or weapons rather than a licence or other check.

Motorists might get delayed by minutes only if not stopped for searching.

Even searching is over in minutes if nothing is found.

While nothing was found this time, many guns or very large machetes are often found and many drug users are often caught.

PS. it was posted to remind folks that offensive behaviour towards police has its dangers

[stailmanki]

Wang Ka = Thai lady saying she has free time.

[Rimmer]

Profane and off topic posts removed. The OP has made a reasonable point which we can discuss with out the necessity for repeating it over and over again.

[Soutpeel]

PS. it was posted to remind folks that offensive behaviour towards police has its dangers

But your not a real policeman are you ?....therefore in terms of section 136....you are not an offiical ...therefore you cannot invoke this section, obviously the term w*nker was mouthed to you at the road block and not a Thai member of the BiB, as I dont think they would even understand the term mouthed or not, further we do not understand the context the word w*nker was used, yes it can be used as an insult, but can also be used as a term of endearment, you do not know what the intent was..

Further Thailand has strict defamation laws, so I would suspect the "overweight" Englishman could sue you for suggesting he is overweight, what proof to you have that he is overweight ?...did you stop the vehicle and conduct an improptu BMI assesment ?

I am all for Farangs helping out the Police in pattaya....but why does this group seem to attract so many wannabees ?...I have yet to meet one who didnt have some chip on their shoulder issues.

[madjbs]

Or write for that matter.

So is that a threat to stop people posting replies you don't like?

[madjbs]

Please explain why anyone should show you the slightest bit of respect? You are after all colluding with an extremely corrupt police force who run a large amount of the criminal activities and enterprise in this country themselves. Some would go as far to say they are the largest criminal organization in Thailand. In addition to that they never even follow the law regarding them actually carrying out their police duties, eg. searching people without reason etc...That kind of behaviour does not promote respect does it?

[Soutpeel]

Or write for that matter.

So is that a threat to stop people posting replies you don't like?

Exactly...

In terms of what was "mouthed' may I refer you to the old saying....sticks and stones may break my bones..but names will never hurt me...

[petercool]

Whether or not you want to believe that all Thai police are corrupt is entirely your choice.

Whatever your views are on foreign volunteers who work with Thai police is also entirely your choice.

Whether or not you want to hear what libel and other laws are in Thailand, they do exist.

Whether you read it as such, no threats were intended at all.

And when working with and under Thai officers, I am considered a "real" policeman by them.

That all of us are perfect in doing this job has never been implied.

But many are ex-police and many bring real benefits to the community.

I will now resist replying any more.

[timekeeper]

Whether or not you want to believe that all Thai police are corrupt is entirely your choice.

Whatever your views are on foreign volunteers who work with Thai police is also entirely your choice.

Whether or not you want to hear what libel and other laws are in Thailand, they do exist.

Whether you read it as such, no threats were intended at all.

And when working with and under Thai officers, I am considered a "real" policeman by them.

That all of us are perfect in doing this job has never been implied.

But many are ex-police and many bring real benefits to the community.

I will now resist replying any more.

thank you.........

[Soutpeel]

Whether or not you want to believe that all Thai police are corrupt is entirely your choice.

Whatever your views are on foreign volunteers who work with Thai police is also entirely your choice.

Whether or not you want to hear what libel and other laws are in Thailand, they do exist.

Whether you read it as such, no threats were intended at all.

And when working with and under Thai officers, I am considered a "real" policeman by them.

That all of us are perfect in doing this job has never been implied.

But many are ex-police and many bring real benefits to the community.

I will now resist replying any more.

thank you.........

BTW...wonder if he has a WP ?.....

[Soutpeel]

Whether you read it as such, no threats were intended at all.

Calling someone a w*anker is a threat now ?...your OP said it was an insult....make your mind up

[lonewolf99]

if the OP thinks the Thai police are not "corrupt" in fact one of the most corrupt organisations in S.E. Asia then.........what can I say on this thread about his opinion that he would not consider libelous ?

I will try one word ... Delusional.

In the U.K. police volunteers have extensive background checks carried out before they are considered for service.

I do not have a problem with right minded citizens helping a local police force. But I do not see the need for them to go on "patrol" dressed like the SS. Surely a Hi Vis vest with Tourist Police Helper would be enough.

But I forgot,this is the age of "look at me look me I crave my 15 minutes of fame" hence the success of certain television shows with the word Idol in the title and posting your every waking movement and thought on the internet.

[madjbs]

The title of this thread is wrong, as police volunteers are not "policeman".

[rijb]

Cops, wanabe cops, teachers, or anyone over 9 years old that can't deal with name calling might be a tad insecure...

[dundee48]

A few examples of other nationalities who use the word,

American,

News to me and I'm an American. The only reason I'm aware of it and used it is the Brits in Thailand taught it to me. But never vocally, just on TV.

I have 2 American friends in Pattaya who regularly call me one.

[TheWalkingMan]

I actually thought this was going to be a joke topic with the OP saying that he saw someone offer a policeman 50 baht as the fee for riding a motorbike without a helmet.

[timekeeper]

strikes me that if petercool is so incensed at being called a wanke_r by some anonymous driver,that he feels that he the need to explore his anguish in an open forum, then he is clearly not suited for the job as a police assistant