Police hours used by "VIP" escorts/ roadblocks

[maanoi]

So as i was stopped by police at an intersection waiting for a probably not so important "VIP" and entourage to pass by it got me wondering on the total number of police hours in Thailand that are wasted....errr i mean used by these types of escorts and roadblocks.

It seems a lot more than just royalty are able to use them yes?

Anyone want to put a number out there.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Langsuan Man]

incalculable

[h90]

royals: if I recall right:

The king told when he was in better health to go at 3 AM to make the smallest possible problem to the traffic.

A couple of years ago he gave the order to block the street just a very short time in ahead, absolute minimum possible.

My guess is that 99 % of the problems are caused by some Minister or Vice Minister or Police boss etc etc.

[kevvy]

and buses get police escort , i have seen 8 buses in the right hand land speeding along with a police escort anyone know why?

[Salapoo]

Been blocking up around Don Muang airport for the last 3 or 4 evenings.

I don't really mind, as when it goes I'm straight to front on my motorbike and then get to open up to 160kph on an empty 4 lane road.

[Songhua]

and buses get police escort , i have seen 8 buses in the right hand land speeding along with a police escort anyone know why?

High-end tourists?

[MB1]

So as i was stopped by police at an intersection waiting for a probably not so important "VIP" and entourage to pass by it got me wondering on the total number of police hours in Thailand that are wasted....errr i mean used by these types of escorts and roadblocks.

It seems a lot more than just royalty are able to use them yes?

Anyone want to put a number out there.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It happens all over the world so get over it and just go with the flow, when the traffic is moving of course...

[lemoncake]

Sorry OP but did you think police here was to serve the protect the people?

[impulse]

If you don't like it, become a VIP.

It's that simple.

[CarlBkk]

Unfortunately it's linked to Thailand's admiration and bias towards the wealthy, who become powerful. When you get police motorcades stopping cars for some old guy/woman who even no Thais recognise (and then proceeding to go way over the speed limit), questions have to be asked. There are just way too many of them and way too many arse-kissers willing to provide unreasonable benefits (at the expense of the general public) in hopeful return of a future favour or promotion.

It's basically an indication of the unfairness in position/wealth that Thailand continues to purport. If you look at other countries, more civil countries with fairer legal systems, how many police motorcades do you see per month? Royal family, yes, maybe one range rover and 2 police bikes only. Prime Minister yes, dangerous criminals being escorted to prison, yes. And that's it.

Less developed countries in South America, Africa, Asia see loads more. Having said that, I can't think of one Asian country that I've been to that have as many police in a motorcade as often as Thailand...and that includes the Philippines which is less developed. Apart from showing off, the only other reason I can think of for it is there are maybe more assassination attempts in Thailand (and why is that?).

A multitude of bozo VIPs and excessive motorcades are draconian and should be confined to dictatorship countries. Equality it ain't supporting.

[impulse]

Thailand is in the little league compared to China.

I remember when I first got there, around 2000. They had mobilized thousands of "workers" along a route in the city where the VIPs from Beijing would be driving through. It was laughable, because they were all dressed in proper (clean, brand new) uniforms with hard hats. And I had never seen a new uniform, nor a hard hat on a worker before. And they sat at the side of the road for hours with the bushes they were "planting" They had 2-4 white gloved cops at every intersection. Doing the math, they must have had thousands of cops along the route.

Then, on cue, all the workers sprung into action, the cops completely blocked off the road and eventually, the VIP buses came through.

10 minutes later, trucks were loading up the plants and the workers and tens of thousands of man hours resulted in no change whatsoever.

That scenario was repeated dozens of times during my tenure in China. I often asked the locals I was with if the workers even broke out into a good Communist work song for the VIPs, but they never answered.

Edited August 3, 2013 by impulse

[theblether]

Look at the bright side, if the police are wrapped up in providing an escort, then they can't be out collecting Tea Money from innocents at the same time.

I say more VIP escorts please.

[guru]

Schools can hire them as well when going on trips to ensure mr bus driver behaves himself and keeps to a suitable speed.

[899cc]

and buses get police escort , i have seen 8 buses in the right hand land speeding along with a police escort anyone know why?

Full of hooker's going to the annual police ball

[Neeranam]

Many years ago, I taught the kids of a big policeman(head traffic cop) in Bangkok - one day when I was late I told him there was bad traffic. He asked which way I come -I told him along Rama 9 and Ramkhamhaeng from my house. The future times I went there was very little traffic. So if they can hold up half of Bkk for a nobody like me, it's hardly surprising the chaos sometimes. Once we got drunk - at 3am I said I'd better not drive home he said just to go ahead and gave me a police escort all the way!

[Neeranam]

I also lived in Dusit, near the palace - the hold ups there were unbelievable sometimes.

Another time I lived opposite the Prince's palace in Nontaburi - again we'd be held up almost every day.

[cooked]

I regularly saw important politicians on the tram in Switzerland. I met three cabinet members, a few diplomats and one guy who was president of the federation before taking office. (Ogi). He remembered me 25 years later and I was only the gardener.

[David48]

Walking on Sukhumvit Rd from the Hotel on Soi 33 yesterday.

Police blocked the road side egresses.

Maybe 10 minutes later, the entourage arrived and flashed passed ... actually, at a leisurely pace.

Two cops cars, 3 bikes, the ubiquitously painted VW transporter and another similarly painted car.

On his/her/their way to an important event?

Maybe.

As we scaled the stairs at Phrom Phong BTS Station, outside the Emporium Shopping Center ... there they all were .

Calls for speculation ended there.

.

[Chonburiram]

I like to hang myself at convoys; we once got a great lift from Chonburi to Kongaen it was just a little over 4 h

( Dont try this in a Toyota ).

[rene123]

Just be glad the Thai police are spending their time with road blocks and not out trying to catch farangs who constantly break the traffic laws. Occasionally we get caught and pay a small fine, but that is about all. If I were to ride in Canada the way I do in Thailand the Canadian police would lock me up and throw away the key.