Tourist Police face harsh words in Phuket

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Tourist Police face harsh words in Phuket
Phuket Gazette


Gen Wuthi Liptapallop demanded that Tourist Police increase the frequency of patrols in tourist areas. Photo:Saran Mitrarat

PHUKET: -- Tourist Police in Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi and Surat Thani have received a public tongue-lashing over a lack of patrols in tourist areas.

“I never see Tourist Police out on patrol when I visit – they are only working in their small police boxes,” said Gen Wuthi Liptapallop, a top-flight Adviser to the Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Adul Saengsingkaew.

“How are tourists supposed to feel safe if police are just in their booths?”

Speaking at a meeting of police commanders on Tuesday, Gen Wuthi demanded that Tourist Police increase the frequency of patrols in tourist areas.

“I would like to see officers patrolling at night until about 2am. If not, I will take action,” he warned.

The gravity of Gen Wuthi’s disappointment was lessened by general praise for the positive work of the Royal Thai Police since August 2012.

“Phuket has only 1,500 police officers to handle criminal activity throughout the island. It’s just not enough. This shortage is a problem in every province,” Gen Wuthi said. “Despite this, officers are doing a great job protecting tourists.”

With the country’s goal of generating more than 2 trillion baht from tourism this year, Gen Wuthi made it clear that more boots on the ground in tourist areas is a priority with introduction of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) just around the corner.

“I was assigned by Commissioner-General Adul to ensure tourist safety, which will support the government in achieving its tourism goals,” Gen Wuthi said.

Gen Wuthi also impressed upon the Royal Thai Police officers that being able to communicate clearly in English is becoming a fundamental requirement to working as an Immigration or Tourist Police officer.

“They will have to pass a language test. If they can’t pass it, they will be moved to a different position,” he said.

After the meeting at Phuket Provincial Police Station, Gen Wuthi met with Immigration and Tourist Police officers separately. The media were not allowed to attend.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Tourist-Police-face-harsh-words-in-Phuket-24533.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-02-07

[harrycallahan]

But then, people do expect to find police at a designated station (or booth). "We went to the police booth and it was unstaffed". Suppose ideally both options are followed at once.

[eezergood]

This guy should be playing poker, even managing to keep a straight face!

[scorecard]

The bottom line is that if the police had criminal activity, scams on tourists etc., under control then there would be no need to see police every 5 minutes.

[Bung]

Why no mention of tackling the real problem with Thai police nationwide?

Corruption. Or is he in on it also and just justifying his position of talking a lot of hot air?

[zoza]

this is just another version of "its all the foreigners fault" if they made it into a song it would stay at no.1

with all the scams/crime/corruption we read about in phuket, its mainly the tourist police who are not doing

their jobs. more amazing by the day.

[MMarlow]

But then, people do expect to find police at a designated station (or booth). "We went to the police booth and it was unstaffed". Suppose ideally both options are followed at once.

"We went to the police booth and it was unstaffed".

That statement doesn't appear in the report. Where did you see that?

[harrycallahan]

I mean, if they were unstaffed then we'd be hearing that as the complaint. Not on the beat/Not at the booth, can't please all of the people all of the time.

[stevenl]

I mean, if they were unstaffed then we'd be hearing that as the complaint. Not on the beat/Not at the booth, can't please all of the people all of the time.

No, can't please them all, especially those who already complain before it even occurred.

[Benmart]

This is just the tip of a very big iceberg. From my vantage point and having had dealings with the RTP as a complainant, there seems to be a lack of urgency, training, English language skills, equipment and overall professionalism.

The pay for the common police officer is dismal and encourages corruption which in turns damages public trust.

There seems to a lack of accountability to the local citizens and visitors since it is a national police force, answerable only to Bangkok. I may be wrong, but how much influence does, say a city Mayor, have with how the police operate in his/her jurisdiction?

The motto, "To Protect and to Serve" seems absent from what I have observed. It seems to have been replaced with "To Extort and to Retire".

Edited February 7, 2014 by Benmart

[Somtamnication]

If they would just stop doing VIP escorts, they may find the time to do their real job.

[harrycallahan]

Thaivisa, where a speculation is a complaint.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

“How are tourists supposed to feel safe if police are just in their booths?”

How are tourists supposed to feel safe, if the police are out roaming the streets?

[fresnoboy]

I always thought that, "To Protect and To Serve" meant 'To Protect Each Other and To Serve Ourselves' .

[bangon04]

this is just another version of "its all the foreigners fault" if they made it into a song it would stay at no.1

with all the scams/crime/corruption we read about in phuket, its mainly the tourist police who are not doing

their jobs. more amazing by the day.

The tourist police are not really able to stand up to the regular police, so naturally the majority of scams and organised crime go unchallenged....

[peperobi]

Here on Samui is the tourist police "INVISIBLE", is more and important that the police show often up, many of my guests ask me always where the police is here.

The criminality grown up more and more, the traffic getting more dangerous because the tourist doing here all the things that in their country is forbidden.

WHERE IS "THE FIRST FRIENDS" (slogan of the tourist police)?

[peperobi]

But then, people do expect to find police at a designated station (or booth). "We went to the police booth and it was unstaffed". Suppose ideally both options are followed at once.

I got on Samui the same experience at the main police station, now the question: the guys are not at the station and not around, where do their are???