Beware Of Police Impostors – Police Chief

[george]

Beware of police impostors – Police Chief

PHUKET CITY: -- Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth yesterday warned people to be on the lookout for gangsters impersonating police officers.

“Many rubber plantation owners have complained that thieves are disguising themselves as police, and even carrying pistols, in order to demand money from their Burmese laborers,” Gen Decha said.

“Most cases reported have been from labor camps in Thalang. The thieves wait until the owner pays the workers, and then turn up and demand money from them. They threaten to arrest the workers if they don’t pay.”

Gen Decha said that two men – Jirasak Ponthong, 27, and Chakapong Krilad, 26, both from Phang Nga Province – were arrested at Panlan Restaurant on Srisoonthorn Rd on April 16 after they claimed to be police officers.

After eating and drinking plenty at the restaurant, the two men refused to pay the bill and to ld the restaurant owner that they were police officers. However, the owner of the restaurant did not believe them, and called the police.

The men, who were actually Community Police volunteers and dressed in their uniforms, were charged with possessing unlicensed firearms, carrying firearms in a public place and possessing unregistered walkie-talkies, Gen Decha explained.

Both men were also charged with impersonating police officers, and were taken to Phuket Provincial Prison to await their appearance in court.

Gen Decha added, “I suggest that the Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) change the color or style of the Community Police uniform because it is too similar to the uniform worn by Royal Thai Police officers.”

--Phuket Gazette 2006-05-02

[astral]

After eating and drinking plenty at the restaurant, the two men refused to pay the bill and to ld the restaurant owner that they were police officers. However, the owner of the restaurant did not believe them, and called the police.

[PREM-R]

Beware of police impostors – Police Chief

They threaten to arrest the workers if they don’t pay.”

After eating and drinking plenty at the restaurant, the two men refused to pay the bill and to ld the restaurant owner that they were police officers.

So how are we supposed to know if they are real or imposters???

[terdsak_12]

If they try to screw some cash out of you, opps no that one wouldn't work.

[stumonster]

it seems if they have a vehicle with fuel in it - they are imposters

[sriracha john]

Beware of police impostors – Police Chief

They threaten to arrest the workers if they don’t pay.”

After eating and drinking plenty at the restaurant, the two men refused to pay the bill and told the restaurant owner that they were police officers.

So how are we supposed to know if they are real or imposters???

The restaurant owner stated that both offenders were wearing these:

[lingyai]

Beware of police impostors – Police Chief

The men, who were actually Community Police volunteers and dressed in their uniforms, were charged with possessing unlicensed firearms, carrying firearms in a public place and possessing unregistered walkie-talkies, Gen Decha explained.

--Phuket Gazette 2006-05-02

You have to register walkie talkies in thailand?

[ColPyat]

So how are we supposed to know if they are real or imposters???

Nearly impossible.

You have so many different police departments, and additionally police volonteer organisations that it is almost impossible to see the difference.

Most Thais do know the relevant officers of their police districts, and when someone unknown to them tries to play them they will call officers they know. If you live here it is not a disadvantage to know some officers from your district.

In the case here it appears that the imposters were police volonteers in uniform. Police volonteers will be very convincing as officers as they do know the routines very well.

[penzman]

But you can still walk into most markets and buy clothing with the word POLICE on it... what a joke.

[ColPyat]

You have to register walkie talkies in thailand?

There are two main different ones. The red one does not need to be registered, but the black one needs a license. Practically, within the districts nobody will ever ask for a license as the people who are allowed to use the black one are known, and nobody cares if a rescue volonteer or journalist has a license or not (most don't have one).

[ColPyat]

But you can still walk into most markets and buy clothing with the word POLICE on it... what a joke.

But if you notice - the official Thai sign will not be printed on those jackets.

It's the same with the 'fake' press cards on Khaosarn Road - they have no relevance whatsoever in Thailand. What you cannot buy on Khaosarn is copies of the official Thai press cards. That would be a long prison sentence (two years) and immediately shut down.

[Maejo Man]

There are two main different ones. The red one does not need to be registered, but the black one needs a license. Practically, within the districts nobody will ever ask for a license as the people who are allowed to use the black one are known, and nobody cares if a rescue volonteer or journalist has a license or not (most don't have one).

FYI ColPyat there are blue ones, green ones, and even striped ones! "The red ones" as you so nicely put it, are classed as "walkie-talkies" and if the output is 100mw or under, they can be used by children as toys without a licence. If however, their rated otput exceeds this (as so many do, and often used by "DVD touts") then a licence is required. Not that I see any arrests pending

They also operate around 120.00Mhz to 13.00Mhz and can often interfer with broadcast bands.

The "black ones" are normally commercially produced "radio transceivers" and range in output from 2.5W to 5W (the maximum) These are not cheap to buy, and consequently keeps the idiots off important channels.

Police, rescue, and emergency services utilise frequencies between 150.00-170.00Mhz and if you have a transceiver that is capable of using these frequencies, I would suggest a licence for it.

[ColPyat]

FYI ColPyat there are blue ones, green ones, and even striped ones!

Well, in Thai you say "Wor Daeng" for the free red colored ones. Ruam Chuai Duay Gan, Param Gao or Challee use those to send out news.

The "Wor Dam" (the black ones) are used by Por Teck Tueng, Ruamkantanyu, and the police forces and theoretically need a license. Second hand they are very cheap, they go for around 2000 Baht. I have carried one for many years, never was asked for a license, even when i openly carried it in police stations. But then, i carried it only in the districts where i worked and was known. Very few of the rescue workers i know have a license, and nobody ever got into trouble because of it.

If one though is not part of this circle - carrying a black radio without license will be trouble.

Edited May 3, 2006 by ColPyat

[Maejo Man]

If one though is not part of this circle - carrying a black radio without license will be trouble.

I'm glad you agree. if you are employed by any of these services you are not required to obtain an individual licence providing that you pass a basic operators course. I personally use the ICOM IC-F14 which is excellent.

[ColPyat]

I'm glad you agree. if you are employed by any of these services you are not required to obtain an individual licence providing that you pass a basic operators course. I personally use the ICOM IC-F14 which is excellent.

Many of the kids never bothered with the course, i didn't either. I have mine given away a while ago to a friend who uses it more, it was a smaller one, i think ICOM as well.

The funny part is, like all things in Thailand, that as soon as you are known, you won't need to fulfill any formal requirements anymore.

[jdinasia]

[astral]

You have to register walkie talkies in thailand?

Very definitely.

The Post Telegraph and Telephones dept in Bangkok has to check and then mark each

unit before it can be used.

Beaurocracy gone mad, as usual in LOS........

At one time the police even had to buy their own radios, not sure if that is still true.

[Maejo Man]

At one time the police even had to buy their own radios, not sure if that is still true.

Nothing has changed Astral same, same...no difference

[ColPyat]

At one time the police even had to buy their own radios, not sure if that is still true.

Still true.

And they have to buy their own guns and uniforms, pay their superiors for postings that generate higher income, etc.

[Etherus]

I think what is more interesting is the possibility that they were actually police officers and had refused to pay the bill. Would the police chief had acted in the same manner or is considered acceptable for "real" police to get away with this sort of behaviour. Thailand has a long way to go to get out of its third world status I am afraid.

[ColPyat]

I think what is more interesting is the possibility that they were actually police officers and had refused to pay the bill. Would the police chief had acted in the same manner or is considered acceptable for "real" police to get away with this sort of behaviour. Thailand has a long way to go to get out of its third world status I am afraid.

It depends on many factors.

If the police officers were from the same police district most likely the operator would have known them and not made a fuss about it.

But yes, Thailand has a very long way to go. Behind the veneer of mobile phones and skyscrapers is an archaic semi feudal society based on a vast network of patron/client relationships and clanpolitics.