Interview With The Gatekeeper Of Bangkok's Khaosarn Road

[webfact]

Interview With the Gatekeeper of Khaosarn Road

file photo

BANGKOK: -- Guarding the western entrance to Khaosarn Road - the famous backpacker street of Bangkok - is Chanasongkram Police Station. Although its jurisdiction extends well beyond Khaosarn Road, the iconic street is inevitably main focus of the police force.

Seated in his office next to small statue of Guan Yu,the Chinese god of honesty and loyalty, Pol. Col. Jakkapop Sukontaraj,Superintendant of Chanasongkram Police Station, talked to Khaosod Englishcorrespondent about his role in maintaining safety and order in the one of themost vibrant foreign tourist destinations in Bangkok.

Note: The interview was conducted in Thai language.

Khaosod English: How long have you been stationed here?

Jakkapop: I’ve been moved here in 2010 – slightly afterthe confrontation between the Redshirts protesters and the military that tookplace right next to Khaosarn Road that April. But I’ve had my share of political violence; I was stationed at Dusit Police Station before that, whichmeans I witnessed the Yellowshirts protest in front of the Parliament in 2008and the Redshirts protest in 2009.

Khaosod English: Please tell us what sort of crimes that your force has to deal with in Khaosarn Road.

Jakkapop: General crimes, really. Some involved narcotics crime, but mostly it’s individual consumption of illegal drugs, very few selling or dealing.

There are also cases of theft and physical assaults.Sometimes foreign tourists fight each other. It’s fueled by alcohol andmisunderstanding, you see.

These crimes are generally not serious so most of the time we have the grievant parties sort it out together at the police station.

Khaosod English: Is it difficult to oversee this area,where there are many tourists and nightclubs?

Jakkapop: Not really. I’d say that compared with other nightlife areas of Bangkok - like Ekkamai and Ratchadapisek - Khaosarn is much better off. Khaosarn is destination to many foreign tourists. They are like guests. These people want to travel and have fun, not intent on making troubles or committing crimes.

Khaosod English: What’s the most serious crime you have handled so far in Khaosarn area?

Jakkapop: Murder following heated argument and knife-fights. It involved Thai persons, though. As I said, very, very few chanceforeign tourists are victims of serious crimes. Mostly we have fistfights between drunken foreigners.

Khaosod English: Is sexual harassment endemic here?

Jakkapop: We have had reports and complaints about sexual harassment before, but I’d say it doesn’t happen a lot. Maybe it is because many tourists in Khaosarn are Westerners, and they have their own culture and respect.

Khaosod English: What about the infamous gangs that trick or cheat tourists?

Jakkapop: We don’t have much of that around here, because Khaosarn Road is residential area where tourists stayed over, not the commercial area where tourists shop.

We do have such problems around Sanam Luang(Royal Field), though. There are many tourists over there each day. In that case we coordinate closely with Tourist Police and Grand Palace Police Station to solve the problems.

Khaosod English: How do these scammers operate?

Jakkapop: They would approach unsuspecting tourists out of nowhere, acting very friendly. Then they would convince the tourists to sightsee some temples, but eventually they would trick the tourists into buying stuff at places like jewelry shops where they get commissions for the purchases.

Some tuk-tuk drivers or taxi drivers also belong to the scammer network. They know each other and have financial interest with each other.

That’s why foreign tourists should be cautious of people who try to befriend them in suspicious manner. They should not easily be persuaded to go somewhere because strangers suggest so. If the tourists want to go somewhere on that day, they should plan it before they leave their hotels and stick to it.

Full interview: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNMk9EVXlPVGd6TkE9PQ==&subcatid=

-- KHAOSOD 2013-05-15

[mrtoad]

Sand, Head, Buried

[EvilDrSomkid]

Sand, Head, Buried

You know better? DO tell.

[Fgis]

Narcotics ? Usually they are involved to take it back and also a part of the bounty !

[BeforeTigers]

Sounds about right, by my experience around there.
When did someone get knifed? I didn't hear about that one.

I especially liked the bit about westerners having a different culture about sexual harassment.
Gave me the warm and fuzzies.

[DP25]

Good advice from him further down the article, would solve the majority of problems for people. Don't be so gullible.

Im merely saying you can talk with people you met on your trip in Khaosarn, but you shouldnt automatically take everything they said for granted.

If they say something youre intrigued in, its advisable you check about it at your hotel, using the internet or asking the reception desk, to find out whether the strangers claim. Dont be gullible.

[thaicbr]

personally i thought that was a good interview with some positive comments from the police guy.. It seems that he has at least SOME respect for foreign tourists.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Jakkapop: General crimes, really. Some involved narcotics crime, but mostly it’s individual consumption of illegal drugs, very few selling or dealing.

Meaning we ignore the dealers and extort the guy with a joint.

[Kevorkien]

I witnessed a farang beaten to death in the street two years ago, the morning after Xmas. He was drunk and kicked a Thai guys car that honked at him as he wobbled across the street into another bar at about 4 a.m. 15 minutes later a mob of pipe wielding street punks came and dragged him out of the bar into the street, and things got really, really ugly. it took police more than 20 minutes to get there. We bailed to our hotel when the mob moved down the street towards us. This never made the papers or news.

Also, farangs are always getting their money removed when they wake up back in their rooms, discovering their princess has fled with her golden slippers, and your wallet. Nobody reports this...

[Katipo]

Sand, Head, Buried

You know better? DO tell.

Yeah, this is one police officer who seems to have a fair idea what is going on. He seemed fairly candid. Of course the subject of protection/tea money to the police wasn't raised, and that's no surprise. Still, I'm mildly impressed by the lack of bullshit.

[HarryMilton]

I witnessed a farang beaten to death in the street two years ago, the morning after Xmas. He was drunk and kicked a Thai guys car that honked at him as he wobbled across the street into another bar at about 4 a.m. 15 minutes later a mob of pipe wielding street punks came and dragged him out of the bar into the street, and things got really, really ugly. it took police more than 20 minutes to get there. We bailed to our hotel when the mob moved down the street towards us. This never made the papers or news.

Also, farangs are always getting their money removed when they wake up back in their rooms, discovering their princess has fled with her golden slippers, and your wallet. Nobody reports this...

And no-one recorded it on a phone or camera of which there must have been many, this being a tourist place? Maybe this was before Facebook, Twitter, etc existed?

Seems like a very odd story to me.

[exalll]

I witnessed a farang beaten to death in the street two years ago, the morning after Xmas. He was drunk and kicked a Thai guys car that honked at him as he wobbled across the street into another bar at about 4 a.m. 15 minutes later a mob of pipe wielding street punks came and dragged him out of the bar into the street, and things got really, really ugly. it took police more than 20 minutes to get there. We bailed to our hotel when the mob moved down the street towards us. This never made the papers or news.

Also, farangs are always getting their money removed when they wake up back in their rooms, discovering their princess has fled with her golden slippers, and your wallet. Nobody reports this...

And no-one recorded it on a phone or camera of which there must have been many, this being a tourist place? Maybe this was before Facebook, Twitter, etc existed?

Seems like a very odd story to me.

Also, if the fleeced tourists do not report the crime, the police can hardly be blamed for not knowing about it!

[Honkytowner]

No dealers? My backside! At the far end of the road from the police station is a guesthouse that's well-known among backpackers for retailing dope. It even has a smoking lounge! There's something funny going on if tourists can find it but the cops can't.

[Eesat]

"Seated in his office next to small statue of Guan Yu,the Chinese god of honesty"

I hope he's turned him around to face the wall,so no-one can see his scowl!

[belg]

if the head of the english speaking police overthere, must conduct the interview in thai, that says enough about his capabilities of helping farang

[doctorproc156]

Khao san road really isn't that bad, a lot of happy tourists and locals, the hard drugs tend to stay away from here from what i've gathered and seen over the last few years. No where near as bad as ratchadapisek and nana areas for drug related crime.

[khaowong1]

I witnessed a farang beaten to death in the street two years ago, the morning after Xmas. He was drunk and kicked a Thai guys car that honked at him as he wobbled across the street into another bar at about 4 a.m. 15 minutes later a mob of pipe wielding street punks came and dragged him out of the bar into the street, and things got really, really ugly. it took police more than 20 minutes to get there. We bailed to our hotel when the mob moved down the street towards us. This never made the papers or news.

Also, farangs are always getting their money removed when they wake up back in their rooms, discovering their princess has fled with her golden slippers, and your wallet. Nobody reports this...

And no-one recorded it on a phone or camera of which there must have been many, this being a tourist place? Maybe this was before Facebook, Twitter, etc existed?

Seems like a very odd story to me.

Also, if the fleeced tourists do not report the crime, the police can hardly be blamed for not knowing about it!

Pretty hard not reporting a crime where a bunch of thugs are beating a guy to death in the street don't you think?

[bangkokburning]

Not exactly a revealing interview.

Anyone learn anything?

More tripe to fill a blog.

[Razzler1973]

I witnessed a farang beaten to death in the street two years ago, the morning after Xmas. He was drunk and kicked a Thai guys car that honked at him as he wobbled across the street into another bar at about 4 a.m. 15 minutes later a mob of pipe wielding street punks came and dragged him out of the bar into the street, and things got really, really ugly. it took police more than 20 minutes to get there. We bailed to our hotel when the mob moved down the street towards us. This never made the papers or news.

Also, farangs are always getting their money removed when they wake up back in their rooms, discovering their princess has fled with her golden slippers, and your wallet. Nobody reports this...

And no-one recorded it on a phone or camera of which there must have been many, this being a tourist place? Maybe this was before Facebook, Twitter, etc existed?

Seems like a very odd story to me.

Hell of an introduction for a first post too

[Razzler1973]

Not sure what people expect him to say 'yeah, loads of westerners around there so obviously people are trying to skank them as much as possible'

I like the side step on the scammers and none of that around here, not including the taxi and tuk-tuk 'mafia' then, they're some of the worst around there

Aside from that it's what I would expect someone in his position to say tbh