Thai Police Back New Crowd Control Bill

[webfact]

Police back new crowd control bill

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police are seeking Cabinet approval of a new version of a bill governing crowd control operations to be used in the event of political rallies or protests.

Deputy National Police chief Adul Saengsingkaew said the new law would focus on four points: adopting lessons learned in previous clashes; reviewing the rules of engagement in standard procedures codenamed "Korrakot 52"; reviewing relevant laws; and reviewing contingent situation management.

National Police chief Priewpan Damapong, speaking at a ceremony in Nakhon Pathom yesterday to launch a largescale crowdcontrol drill, said the bill focused on "protecting those who assemble peacefully and their rights", while keeping safe "those who assemble, regardless of their political colours". One of the prime objectives of the bill is to prevent mobs from blocking roads or seizing government offices and public infrastructure, he said.

Adul said antiriot units would be upgraded to a new status and attached to all police units. The drill was expected to better their internal communications and ensure rapid deployment at short notice.

Police are preparing for anticipated protests between government supporters and opponents during the next parliamentary session, which begins in August. A previous round of protest rallies ended last month when the Pheu Thaidominated House withdrew a controversial bill that would have pardoned former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of all crimes he had committed or been convicted of, and returned Bt46 billion seized from him.

A senior commander, Pol General Worraphong Chewpreecha, said police preferred a previous bill, which was rejected by a House vote. He did not give details on why police were happy with the previous version.

-- The Nation 2012-06-29

[theblether]

It would be easy to make a glib comment about the BiB, however this is a serious issue. Something has to be done to protect the protester's from the radical elements intent on violence. Too many protests throughout the world are being hijacked by anarchists.

Anarchists only bring a vicious circle of violence with them, then they cry foul at the first sign of police reaction.

Peaceful protest is at the heart of every democracy...........I hope Thailand can find a way. We can but live in hope we don't ever see the horrific scenes of Bangkok 2010 again.

[LuckyLew]

I would like them to introduce a law that gets police to investigate crimes

and gets them to stop putting money in their own pockets

[Curt1591]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

[Reasonableman]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

These are the currently employed methods of crowd control? Do you have any evidence for that?

[Pib]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

Or better yet, they need "guts" (fortitude) to enforce the law.

Edited June 29, 2012 by Pib

[soundman]

Off topic post removed.

[jaltsc]

I would like them to introduce a law that gets police to investigate crimes

and gets them to stop putting money in their own pockets

Hey Lew. Put down the crack pipe and start thinking realistically.

[h90]

not to forget that the Police boss is Thaksins brother in law.....

[Bill662]

not to forget that the Police boss is Thaksins brother in law.....

are you sure

[Bill662]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

These are the currently employed methods of crowd control? Do you have any evidence for that?

see the crackdown on protesters in 2010 Tavor 21 were used

[WhizBang]

One of the prime objectives of the bill is to prevent mobs from blocking roads or seizing government offices and public infrastructure, he said.

Well, one of the first things you can do is NOT wait 2 months before 'asking' the protesters to unblock the road.

What should happen is that if a road is blocked by protesters, police move in immediately, and tell (not ask) the protesters to unblock the road. The conversation should go something like this...

'You can unblock the road now, or we will unblock it for you. But if we do it, your leaders and anyone who interfers will get a little R&R in the Bangkok Hilton'.

[Reasonableman]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

These are the currently employed methods of crowd control? Do you have any evidence for that?

see the crackdown on protesters in 2010 Tavor 21 were used

I didn't realize the police had those. We are talking about the police here, aren't we, not the army, who you'd expect to have heavier arms than the police. Is that normal practice?

What about the "M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck"? Do you know anything about those?

[h90]

not to forget that the Police boss is Thaksins brother in law.....

are you sure

yes he is the brother of his (ex) wife. Divorced only so they can't take her money.

[thequietman]

if memory serves me right, the police were no where to be seen during the riots, is that right ?

hence the army had to be moved in to assist. orders were given to the police force and they took the option of doing sweet FA. so why are the police asking for this new bill ? not like they're gonna do anything in the event of trouble anyway.

[OzMick]

It would be easy to make a glib comment about the BiB, however this is a serious issue. Something has to be done to protect the protester's from the radical elements intent on violence. Too many protests throughout the world are being hijacked by anarchists.

Anarchists only bring a vicious circle of violence with them, then they cry foul at the first sign of police reaction.

Peaceful protest is at the heart of every democracy...........I hope Thailand can find a way. We can but live in hope we don't ever see the horrific scenes of Bangkok 2010 again.

The horrific scenes from 2010 had nothing to do with peaceful protest.

[Curt1591]

What they need are tools to "enforce" any such laws, like crowd control training and water canons, not M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck.

These are the currently employed methods of crowd control? Do you have any evidence for that?

see the crackdown on protesters in 2010 Tavor 21 were used

I didn't realize the police had those. We are talking about the police here, aren't we, not the army, who you'd expect to have heavier arms than the police. Is that normal practice?

What about the "M16s and shotguns loaded with 00 buck"? Do you know anything about those?

These were the methods a couple years back!

When the military is brought in to enforce domestic civil matters, some may consider them "police". I saw pictures of many with M16s and saw one photo of a participant wearing a bandoleer stocked with 00 buckshot. Firing 00 buck is like firing more than a half dozen 30 calibre slugs at your target, in a semi-random pattern; a bit indiscriminate, don't you think?

[mrtoad]

It would be easy to make a glib comment about the BiB, however this is a serious issue. Something has to be done to protect the protester's from the radical elements intent on violence. Too many protests throughout the world are being hijacked by anarchists.

Anarchists only bring a vicious circle of violence with them, then they cry foul at the first sign of police reaction.

Peaceful protest is at the heart of every democracy...........I hope Thailand can find a way. We can but live in hope we don't ever see the horrific scenes of Bangkok 2010 again.

Agreed, but they were not peaceful protests, and followed on from their violence the previous year. Red Shirts are a paid for rent a mob instigated by DL who has promised them democracy. the fact is that DL has absolutely no desire for democracy, as he would be totally out of the picture

[necronx99]

I saw pictures of many with M16s and saw one photo of a participant wearing a bandoleer stocked with 00 buckshot. Firing 00 buck is like firing more than a half dozen 30 calibre slugs at your target, in a semi-random pattern; a bit indiscriminate, don't you think?

I don't want to be argumentative but but how can you identify a shot shell load from a photo of someone wearing a bandolier?

[Reasonableman]

#17 Here we are talking about police, not the army, and how the police are to be equipped and trained so that they can perform their crowd-control functions more effectively in the future. If you want to discuss how the army should be equipped and trained, perhaps that's a different thread.

[h90]

if memory serves me right, the police were no where to be seen during the riots, is that right ?

hence the army had to be moved in to assist. orders were given to the police force and they took the option of doing sweet FA. so why are the police asking for this new bill ? not like they're gonna do anything in the event of trouble anyway.

It isn't to fight reds who burn down Bangkok.

It is to fight elderly women when they want to change the constitution. Priewpan Damapong won't let his brother in law down.

[rakman]

When the military is brought in to enforce domestic civil matters, some may consider them "police". I saw pictures of many with M16s and saw one photo of a participant wearing a bandoleer stocked with 00 buckshot. Firing 00 buck is like firing more than a half dozen 30 calibre slugs at your target, in a semi-random pattern; a bit indiscriminate, don't you think?

How do you know the bandoleer had 00 buckshot? A shotgun shell contents are hard to tell in a photo. Could have been bean bag or rubber rounds, too.

Looked like there were a bunch of M-16/AR-15 type weapons on both sides as well as other weapons.

[waza]

Theres no money in crowd control so the BIB will always be half hearted and quick to retreat, Days of standing around in the heat with heavy equipment, wheres the fun in that.

[MaiChai]

Police were nowhere to be seen when the red shirts were protesting so the army was brought in. Same story with the floods.

The Thais have an usual way of policing and investigating crimes. Thailand has remained a third world country, despite its progress, simply because in alot of ways it cannot bring itself up to first world standards. The different in my country is that politicians who break the law do get prosecuted and do spent time in jail. An example of how the law is applied fairly to all.

[Pib]

Theres no money in crowd control so the BIB will always be half hearted and quick to retreat, Days of standing around in the heat with heavy equipment, wheres the fun in that.

Much easier (and profitable) to stand under the shade of a roadside tree and collect money for traffic tickets almost issued.