Pattaya Police

[toenail]

I have lived in Pattaya for a few years, so I do have a "heads up" about how things are managed here...but why aren't there traffic police or police on walking patrols? Daily busses, trucks, cars... are going beyond the speed limit on Beach Rd on 2nd Rd which have many pedistrians crossing it. No police around to ever give out tickets to the "crazy" drivers; yet, one can find clusters of policemen giving out fines to the poor motor bike folks. Then there are the night time crimes along Beach Rd at night which could be prevented if there were policemen walking the area. Seems like there is no pro-action, just chasing after the crime after it happens. I also have sensed that the police department is a separate organization than from city hall. Isn't there embarrassment with these folks?

[MB1]

There's never embarrassment, they never lose face... Mai pen rai..

[guzzi850m2]

I agree with you OP, I would also like to see foot patrols on Beach Road and other places.

I think in South East Asia it is only poor people that are walking and the crazy Farangs, no way the police would "sink so low" and no Thais would stop for them if no vehicle handy.

2-4 years ago they had Navy MP's going with them on patrols on bikes, police man driving, MP riding shotgun. Hard looking men armed with a Colt 45, I wouldn't mind they came back.

[blackman]

on beach road yesterday i was waiting in standing traffic at around 3-15pm

i saw a policeman riding against the traffic on the parking side

he stopped near to my car, got off his bike then in no uncertain terms he told some buses to get the hell out of there as they were blocking traffic

he ''encouraged'' other cars to stop and let others through to relieve the cut in blockage and within minutes we were on the move

well done that guy

[Rimmer]

One post removed, the OP has raised some good questions, please stick to the topic.

[Mighty Mouse]

How about the motor bike riders who zip along the new beach front foot path. The police take no notice of them.

It seems that for pedestrian safety, it is wise to walk on the extremities of the paved areas, so that the motor bikes can ride at speed whilst texting, along the centre.

[petercool]

City Hall have a bigger budget than Pattaya police who seem to be mainly self funded. City Hall is supposed to be in control of the beach front and their have their own police and are indeed separate from the main police force which is woefully small in Pattaya once broken down into its many divisions and, when shifts are taken into account, probably no more than 100 police look after the whole of Pattaya at any given time.

As for Beach Patrols, these were instituted in Feb this year then interrupted by the repairs. Tourist Police, Thai police volunteers and Foreign Police Volunteers re-start these next month - weather permitting. Tourist police do foot patrols in Walking Street nightly. Bikes are used by Traffic police and others as being far more practical than foot patrols in other areas.

The shortage of police is why they have the occasional "blitzes" at selected sites when they group together - probably on overtime.

[DD13]

Maybe there lies the problem.......

There can only be ONE Police Force, not separate factions (i.e. City Hall and others) having their own,set ups....nobody knows where they are..

In our own countries the Police are the Police answerable to the Government

Of course in time it will probably happen here....but Thailand is reluctant to learn anything from others....they think that it is "losing face" ....unbelievable

[petercool]

In theory, all police are part of the Royal Thai Police which does report to government whether they are Immigration police, Highway police or whatever. Most countries have various branches of police and I would think your own country is the same ? A few things are better not learned from some countries and Thailand has probably learned and adopted too much already .... but to each his own. I like it here and it's the differences that contribute to that.

[Redhead27]

The one thing I have always wondered about is why you rarely see the police pulling over vehicles, they always have check stops with lots of bikes pulled over. There is a large opportunity for them to make some serious money by ticketing vehicles but it never seems to happen. Any one who has driven around Pattaya has seen vehicles that are not fit to be on the road, drivers who dissregard the law and lack of basic driving skils. Do the police realize the cash they are missing out on?

[lemel]

Makes me laugh when the police are driving a motorbike with no licence plate(can not see on this photo) and no helmet!! classic

Edited August 22, 2013 by lemel

[vtjforyou]

Undercover police is everywhere...

[mataleo]

Undercover police is everywhere...

U reckon?

Edited August 22, 2013 by mataleo

[mataleo]

My gf got currency exchange businesses

2 days ago we go her box 9pm

Had cop in cyvil clothes

All he had was belt with torch and may b gas

Never show id

He said if he can put check box on our space and we pay him 3000 per month. And ooliceman come sign there every day.

My gf talk him politely. Said she got high rent and she take it for 1000. He said ok.

Next day he call her and say boss say 3000, so my gf said find other place, and he not get anything at the end.

Thats paid protection

Corruption

Bad

What can be done?

Edited August 22, 2013 by mataleo

[JSixpack]

Just one of those Mysteries Of The Orient.

It's always been this way, far as I know. Guess it always will be.

[Rimmer]

Profane post removed

[impulse]

Maybe there lies the problem.......

There can only be ONE Police Force, not separate factions (i.e. City Hall and others) having their own,set ups....nobody knows where they are..

In our own countries the Police are the Police answerable to the Government

Of course in time it will probably happen here....but Thailand is reluctant to learn anything from others....they think that it is "losing face" ....unbelievable

Not so true.

We have County Sheriffs, City Police, State Police and the FBI.

Good idea because you can call in the state police if the local police are corrupt, and you can call in the FBI if any of them are corrupt.

You're pretty much hosed when the FBI is corrupt...

[simple1]

Undercover police is everywhere...

U reckon?

Yes.

[brummiebob]

I agree with you OP, I would also like to see foot patrols on Beach Road and other places.

I think in South East Asia it is only poor people that are walking and the crazy Farangs, no way the police would "sink so low" and no Thais would stop for them if no vehicle handy.

2-4 years ago they had Navy MP's going with them on patrols on bikes, police man driving, MP riding shotgun. Hard looking men armed with a Colt 45, I wouldn't mind they came back.

I think that was when the 'trouble' in Bangkok happened, to be fair, some of them looks like a something out of boyztown, with so much uniform rubbing against each other.

[brummiebob]

If they camp out in front of the Zebra crossing around town and arresting cars and bikes that didn't stop for pedestrian they'll be making a killing, the fine on the book is 500 Baht per offence.

[angrybird]

I pick up an infant on my push bike, and can travel about 25 metres among stationary cars waiting to pick up their children, in a tiny soi. I am not actually pedalling but scooting along on the space between the cars and a fence. I was waved at and directed to go in the opposite direction. I did notice a Right Turn Only sign at the exit from the school. and as I do need the exercise did not make an issue out of it.

Incidentally the officer and his mount were straight out of CHIPS.

[wwex]

historically police is a relitively recent name given to tax collectors for propaganda purposes

[DD13]

Maybe there lies the problem.......

There can only be ONE Police Force, not separate factions (i.e. City Hall and others) having their own,set ups....nobody knows where they are..

In our own countries the Police are the Police answerable to the Government

Of course in time it will probably happen here....but Thailand is reluctant to learn anything from others....they think that it is "losing face" ....unbelievable

Not so true.

We have County Sheriffs, City Police, State Police and the FBI.

Good idea because you can call in the state police if the local police are corrupt, and you can call in the FBI if any of them are corrupt.

You're pretty much hosed when the FBI is corrupt...

In Britain there is a "Police complaints commission"

Edited August 24, 2013 by Phil Conners
Botched quote

[stoli]

As mentioned in a couple of the posts above, there are many undercover police officers in Pattaya. If you are anywhere near a crime taking place, they come out of nowhere and handle the situation quickly. I am always amazed when I see this. Even at a car accident, you will quickly see many "civilians" pulling out police radios alerting the station of what has happened. Look at the posted pictures of so many of the crooks that do get captured, and you will see undercover officers, not uniformed. As far as traffic police, they are certainly out there, and I see them all over town, but I personally would not want to see chase scenes to catch speeders on Beach Road or Soi Bukhow with all of the pedestrians around. It is already hard to walk safely without a chase going on. That would be a disaster in the making. I feel safer knowing that where ever I am in Pattaya, there is probably an undercover officer nearby. I know this will bring out the anti-cop guys, but I have been here over one year now, and have not had one bad experience with the police. It is their job to give out tickets for people without helmets. I agree with that law, and you should not call them crooks for enforcing it. Sadly, they are blamed for this daily. They do the same thing in the states, and no one call them crooks.

[wwex]

they were patrolling the beach footpath quite a lot until it was pulled it up. I dont think they realize that its mostly back again, or maybe its too far for them to be bothered walking, the pickpockets have made quite a comeback in the meantime

[JaiLai]

As mentioned in a couple of the posts above, there are many undercover police officers in Pattaya. If you are anywhere near a crime taking place, they come out of nowhere and handle the situation quickly. I am always amazed when I see this. Even at a car accident, you will quickly see many "civilians" pulling out police radios alerting the station of what has happened. Look at the posted pictures of so many of the crooks that do get captured, and you will see undercover officers, not uniformed. As far as traffic police, they are certainly out there, and I see them all over town, but I personally would not want to see chase scenes to catch speeders on Beach Road or Soi Bukhow with all of the pedestrians around. It is already hard to walk safely without a chase going on. That would be a disaster in the making. I feel safer knowing that where ever I am in Pattaya, there is probably an undercover officer nearby. I know this will bring out the anti-cop guys, but I have been here over one year now, and have not had one bad experience with the police. It is their job to give out tickets for people without helmets. I agree with that law, and you should not call them crooks for enforcing it. Sadly, they are blamed for this daily. They do the same thing in the states, and no one call them crooks.

Not sure if they are actually undercover cops or just 'do-gooders' trying to score brownie points with the BIB?? Probably the latter.

A lot of the motorbike taxi guys in the busy locations are wannabe 'under cover cops' / grass's / do-gooders ( or whatever you chose to call them ) but i'd be pretty certain that they get favours in return such as not stopped for traffic violations / preference in who is in the wrong if they're involved in a RTA / disputes over payments that end up in fisty cuffs etc etc.

As with so many other things in this wonderful country give someone a radio or a whistle and they think that they have immense authority...

[petercool]

They may not all be undercover cops per se but rather Thai volunteer police of which there are indeed many that augment the full time police. They do have authority but "immense" is an over statement and I have never seen them over-react at all. The radios they carry are particularly useful and since it is illegal to have one unless police permits are given, I doubt many "do-gooders" have a radio. That some motorbike taxis join in community policing is not a bad idea and what benefits they derive from that can't be all that meaningful beyond allowed to operate.

[Ling Kae]

Makes me laugh when the police are driving a motorbike with no licence plate(can not see on this photo) and no helmet!! classic

How can anyone have any respect for these clowns when they seem to break the laws themselves? No helmet cops busting others without helmets then settling the fine there and then with no paperwork. Corruption has to be stamped out first, then they need to follow the rules to set an example.

[Bcgardener]

As mentioned in a couple of the posts above, there are many undercover police officers in Pattaya. If you are anywhere near a crime taking place, they come out of nowhere and handle the situation quickly. I am always amazed when I see this. Even at a car accident, you will quickly see many "civilians" pulling out police radios alerting the station of what has happened. Look at the posted pictures of so many of the crooks that do get captured, and you will see undercover officers, not uniformed. As far as traffic police, they are certainly out there, and I see them all over town, but I personally would not want to see chase scenes to catch speeders on Beach Road or Soi Bukhow with all of the pedestrians around. It is already hard to walk safely without a chase going on. That would be a disaster in the making. I feel safer knowing that where ever I am in Pattaya, there is probably an undercover officer nearby. I know this will bring out the anti-cop guys, but I have been here over one year now, and have not had one bad experience with the police. It is their job to give out tickets for people without helmets. I agree with that law, and you should not call them crooks for enforcing it. Sadly, they are blamed for this daily. They do the same thing in the states, and no one call them crooks.

Not sure if they are actually undercover cops or just 'do-gooders' trying to score brownie points with the BIB?? Probably the latter.

 

A lot of the motorbike taxi guys in the busy locations are wannabe 'under cover cops' / grass's / do-gooders ( or whatever you chose to call them ) but i'd be pretty certain that they get favours in return such as not stopped for traffic violations / preference in who is in the wrong if they're involved in a RTA / disputes over payments that end up in fisty cuffs etc etc.

 

As with so many other things in this wonderful country give someone a radio or a whistle and they think that they have immense authority...

Ah .... but there is a heirachy with whistles. The man with the chrome metal one is obviously of higher status than the man with the plastic one.

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[Bcgardener]

Does anyone know what the BIB "donation" is for a posting to Pattaya ? Does it vary with rank? Just curious to know.

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