Farang Police Volunteer with a very bad attitude.

[NamKangMan]

They should be called "Tourist Assistants" - the word "Police" should not be associated with them, anywhere, anytime.

The Thai Police should be doing the vehicle stops, and the "Tourist Assistant" requested to help with translation, explaing police procedures etc etc if needed.

When these "Tourist Assistants" are walking around in the tourist areas, they should assist tourists with directions and general information, but only act as observers for the Thai Police, and call them in if they see an incident or receive a report of crime by a tourist.

[bubblegum]

Never had a problem and all the Thai police I've met speak darn good English. Some better than Englishmen from up North.

[sabian]

I'm a Highway Police volunteer, Lopburi region, only did it to actually stop being hassled by the real cops when driving my big bike, however as a qualified EMT I have done 3 road traffic accidents and really only use it just incase I see a foreigner in trouble on the road. But the guy you mentioned sounds a right tool, probably another wannabee.

[penwithcris]

I have been watching a BBC production called 'Bangkok Brits' which looks at the lives of Britons who have relocated from England

One of this motley crew is retired Londoner Dave who has been accepted as a police volunteer in Pattaya

His attitude made me cringe. Screaming and shouting at, mainly, working girls and katoeys in a Thai that none of them understood

For the cameras he suggested to one particularly attractive ladyboy that he epose his penis. How clever is that Dave?

I am good friends with a PV in Pattaya and he tries to carry out his duties with consideration, not overlooking the fact that he finds his uniform very useful in pulling the local talent

I know that some working girls and boys can be a bit of a pain. My relatives through marriage attest to that. But many are quite well educated and all should be treated with the same respect as any other individual

So I can understand why the original poster experienced problems. Unfortunately there are 'Dave's' everywhere ready to abuse what little authority they are given

As for the Thai police I've always found them very approachable, and am normally able to reduce my fine to 100 baht per policeman when I get stopped for driving the wrong colour car!

[HeavyDrinker]

I have been watching a BBC production called 'Bangkok Brits' which looks at the lives of Britons who have relocated from England

One of this motley crew is retired Londoner Dave who has been accepted as a police volunteer in Pattaya

His attitude made me cringe. Screaming and shouting at, mainly, working girls and katoeys in a Thai that none of them understood

For the cameras he suggested to one particularly attractive ladyboy that he epose his penis. How clever is that Dave?

I am good friends with a PV in Pattaya and he tries to carry out his duties with consideration, not overlooking the fact that he finds his uniform very useful in pulling the local talent

I know that some working girls and boys can be a bit of a pain. My relatives through marriage attest to that. But many are quite well educated and all should be treated with the same respect as any other individual

So I can understand why the original poster experienced problems. Unfortunately there are 'Dave's' everywhere ready to abuse what little authority they are given

As for the Thai police I've always found them very approachable, and am normally able to reduce my fine to 100 baht per policeman when I get stopped for driving the wrong colour car!

I think the Walking Street troupe have pretty much been confirmed as pointless clowns all round.

I'd dread to be around there were there ever (God Forbid) a truly serious incident.

I could imagine them running around in their shades, blowing their whistles, looking for the nearest camera. flashing their torches at random objects adding to the chaos instead of having a clue of how to actually deal with a serious situation.

[bearpolar]

People complain that the police doesnt do anything and when a farang help comes in and helps the police to be more efficiant by shouting orders at people not listening, we get a thread with people crying that its horrible and against our human rights in thailand..

next time just hoopack , stop your bike on the first ask and show him your papers and you'll be on your way in 5 effin seconds with no animosity between the 2 of you.

its not like he was asking for a stripsearch he was just looking at licenses.

Edited June 15, 2014 by bearpolar

[finnomick]

Quote: ' this guy is a liability '......very reserved of you Chainsaw. I can think of several more fitting forms of address

[losworld]

A few Thais have told me the Thai authorities laugh at and have no respect for what they call Thai police wannabees.

[Bpuumike]

I still don't understand why the OP waved his wallet at the VTP, inviting attention.

Stop, put it in your pocket and ride on regardless.

[saakura]

His attitude can be fixed for a few hundred baht..think about that next time.

Has anyone here heard if TPV's taking bribes? 100-200 Baht by the roadsine i mean...

[Chainsaw]

I still don't understand why the OP waved his wallet at the VTP, inviting attention.

Stop, put it in your pocket and ride on regardless.

Because he was looking across the road at me, presumably wondering why I'd stopped after being waved through the checkpoint. I held up my wallet prior to putting it back in my pocket.

[Display]

Policemen and policewomen fill a vital role in any civilized society. It is an honorable profession, and it should always be filled by PROFESSIONALS, who should be well compensated so they won't be compromised. I do not trust anybody who volunteers to be a cop, here or anywhere else.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Display

[kurnell]

Surely it's better to sit in a bar and pretend you are ex-SAS than wave a fake card around pretending to be a pretend Thai cop.

Surely not! There must be 2,500 ex-SAS in Koh Samui alone these days, so pretending to be a cop is perhaps more rewarding for a Walter Mitty these days?

Must be a lot of Chris Ryan fans around

[paulbrun]

Brilliant..! Reminds me of a Monty Python sketch..!

[KarenBravo]

TPV are just like politicians.......anyone that wants to become one is absolutely the wrong person to be one.

[Thai at Heart]

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

How do you join this volunteer force? Do they have a lot of training and any power? They must have a working knowledge of Thai.

A lot of these guys are cop buffs who love the power the badge gives them even if it's not a real badge!

No, they don't try to entrap you. He is making a reference to a TPV who was caught dealing. And using that to try to further tarnish the image of police volunteers and Phuket in general.

Not true. Been plenty of stories of volunteers striking up conversation with bar owners or others and some kind of sting following after.

I can't stand them. If they stay out of the public eye and stay discrete that's as maybe. But the jumped up ones demanding this and that. Pfffft.

I am still bemused how their role is even legal.

[Baerboxer]

Personally, if you want to be a law enforcement volunteer to assist the police, you should have had a career in law enforcement, armed forces, corrections, customs to name a few. Some guy who worked at Walmart and decides to come over to be a FPV is doing the community and themselves a disservice.

Being a police officer is not being an enforcer. It is someone who has to have a VERY good knowledge of laws, the rights of citizens and the ever changing policies and procedures that arise. The agency I work for and have participated in the interview process of volunteers who become sworn peace officers that are allowed to enforce the national and provincial laws have to take extensive training (at least a year, two or three evenings a week) and commit to providing a minimum of 20 hours per month (most put in 40 ish, and some as high as 100). These people are well trained in use of force using pepper spray, a defensive baton, handcuffs, police driving, and the handling of firearms. They do not carry firearms, but are trained to use them in case of their partner becoming incapacitated and having to defend against deadly threats.

Those people who don a uniform to inflate their heads are an absolute joke. I have come across some of them in action and witnessed their skills, and they would be lucky to be hired as a security guard protecting a house being built from copper wire thieves. They do not have the skills that are designed to interact and react to the situation they are in. We use a model of interaction with subjects that is a dynamic wheel to determine the threat posed to us. It is ever changing and provides guidelines on what interaction and intervention is appropriate. Without extensive training in this model, you are more of a liability to the police, and become a laughing stock of the public.

Upon my retirement I will look into the system as I possess a "very special set of skills" to quote Nic Cage in Taken, which I would love to pass on to the Thai Police. I teach classes to junior police officers (and some senior ones) and enjoy it. As I stated before, possessing policing skills and providing these skills along side the local police can often be a great asset. I don't have any interest in being a "volunteer accountant / doctor / lifeguard" as I have no actually experience of skills in those careers.

All in all, better screening of applicants who bring some law enforcement experience to the table would be the right choice.

Nic Cage in Taken. Hmmmm. Do you teach observation skills?

[surangw]

sounds like a lot of them are going through male menopause and feel the need to prove themselves

[poweratradio]

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Oh Cont-rare he has no authority what so ever and what actually transpired in the OP's scenario is evidence of that fact. An auxiliary officer is considered untrained and therefore is more of back coverage of the official officer. Muscle if you will but in the above scenario the MOUTH went off.

[poweratradio]

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Your explanation of the distinctions amongst different enforcement agencies is enlightening.

Thanks.

WRONG no authority

[poweratradio]

Personally, if you want to be a law enforcement volunteer to assist the police, you should have had a career in law enforcement, armed forces, corrections, customs to name a few. Some guy who worked at Walmart and decides to come over to be a FPV is doing the community and themselves a disservice.

Being a police officer is not being an enforcer. It is someone who has to have a VERY good knowledge of laws, the rights of citizens and the ever changing policies and procedures that arise. The agency I work for and have participated in the interview process of volunteers who become sworn peace officers that are allowed to enforce the national and provincial laws have to take extensive training (at least a year, two or three evenings a week) and commit to providing a minimum of 20 hours per month (most put in 40 ish, and some as high as 100). These people are well trained in use of force using pepper spray, a defensive baton, handcuffs, police driving, and the handling of firearms. They do not carry firearms, but are trained to use them in case of their partner becoming incapacitated and having to defend against deadly threats.

Those people who don a uniform to inflate their heads are an absolute joke. I have come across some of them in action and witnessed their skills, and they would be lucky to be hired as a security guard protecting a house being built from copper wire thieves. They do not have the skills that are designed to interact and react to the situation they are in. We use a model of interaction with subjects that is a dynamic wheel to determine the threat posed to us. It is ever changing and provides guidelines on what interaction and intervention is appropriate. Without extensive training in this model, you are more of a liability to the police, and become a laughing stock of the public.

Upon my retirement I will look into the system as I possess a "very special set of skills" to quote Nic Cage in Taken, which I would love to pass on to the Thai Police. I teach classes to junior police officers (and some senior ones) and enjoy it. As I stated before, possessing policing skills and providing these skills along side the local police can often be a great asset. I don't have any interest in being a "volunteer accountant / doctor / lifeguard" as I have no actually experience of skills in those careers.

All in all, better screening of applicants who bring some law enforcement experience to the table would be the right choice.

Nic Cage in Taken. Hmmmm. Do you teach observation skills?

Wow What country is the above long winded writer referring too????? This thread is about Thai police auxiliary. OH I see on re-read the writer is beating his own drum or??????

[poweratradio]

Personally, if you want to be a law enforcement volunteer to assist the police, you should have had a career in law enforcement, armed forces, corrections, customs to name a few. Some guy who worked at Walmart and decides to come over to be a FPV is doing the community and themselves a disservice.

Being a police officer is not being an enforcer. It is someone who has to have a VERY good knowledge of laws, the rights of citizens and the ever changing policies and procedures that arise. The agency I work for and have participated in the interview process of volunteers who become sworn peace officers that are allowed to enforce the national and provincial laws have to take extensive training (at least a year, two or three evenings a week) and commit to providing a minimum of 20 hours per month (most put in 40 ish, and some as high as 100). These people are well trained in use of force using pepper spray, a defensive baton, handcuffs, police driving, and the handling of firearms. They do not carry firearms, but are trained to use them in case of their partner becoming incapacitated and having to defend against deadly threats.

Those people who don a uniform to inflate their heads are an absolute joke. I have come across some of them in action and witnessed their skills, and they would be lucky to be hired as a security guard protecting a house being built from copper wire thieves. They do not have the skills that are designed to interact and react to the situation they are in. We use a model of interaction with subjects that is a dynamic wheel to determine the threat posed to us. It is ever changing and provides guidelines on what interaction and intervention is appropriate. Without extensive training in this model, you are more of a liability to the police, and become a laughing stock of the public.

Upon my retirement I will look into the system as I possess a "very special set of skills" to quote Nic Cage in Taken, which I would love to pass on to the Thai Police. I teach classes to junior police officers (and some senior ones) and enjoy it. As I stated before, possessing policing skills and providing these skills along side the local police can often be a great asset. I don't have any interest in being a "volunteer accountant / doctor / lifeguard" as I have no actually experience of skills in those careers.

All in all, better screening of applicants who bring some law enforcement experience to the table would be the right choice.

Nic Cage in Taken. Hmmmm. Do you teach observation skills?

Wow What country is the above long winded writer referring too????? This thread is about Thai police auxiliary. OH I see on re-read the writer is beating his own drum or??????

The comment below shows how out of touch the writer really is. First of all security is an illusion and secondly of all a security guard has to do is call 911 Security guards are trained not to engage perpetrators of crime. The bottom line is the guard has to note the criminal description, time, location and the direction the criminal took. Mostly security guard are known as the after the fact crime scene respondents. Wonder what the writer would do as a retired aged security guard for minimum wage Rambo?."Those people who don a uniform to inflate their heads are an absolute joke. I have come across some of them in action and witnessed their skills, and they would be lucky to be hired as a security guard protecting a house being built from copper wire thieves. They do not have the skills that are designed to interact and react to the situation they are in. We use a model of interaction with subjects that is a dynamic wheel to determine the threat posed to us. It is ever changing and provides guidelines on what interaction and intervention is appropriate. Without extensive training in this model, you are more of a liability to the police, and become a laughing stock of the public."

[Paulzed]

He may have watched one too many Steven Segal Movies.

[mogo51]

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

Yes a Wannabee or paper board cut out. Ones that have really been one, never want to try and be another one! Suffering from delusions of grandeur.

[simon43]

So, under Thai labour law, should he have a work permit, or not?

As I have stated on many previous threads, yes he should have a WP. No exception to this requirement exists in Thai Labour legislation.

The reason why he does not have a WP is because the Thai police believe themselves to be above the law. Many years ago (I have been a police volunteer since about 2006), I tried to persuade my Thai superiors to apply for WPs for the TPV team. It was like speaking to a brick wall.

A general comment:

Time and time again we read about crimes committed by police volunteers (Gary Halpin drugs, Dork ? body in the bin murder etc). Time and time again we read about totally unprofessional behavior of some of these foreign volunteers.

The bottom line is that something is clearly very amiss in the assessment and training program for these foreign volunteers for such crimes and behavior to occur.

Is a comprehensive background check being made for new volunteers? (I know that the true answer is no)

Do new applicants undergo psychological tests to ascertain their potential behavior 'in the field'? The answer is no

Are all volunteers monitored and assessed on a regular basis by a competent superior? The answer is no

Do all volunteers speak Thai language to a level sufficient to converse with any Thai police officer or member of the public at an incident? The answer is no

I could go on and on with my constructive criticism of the volunteer programs, but it is simply wasting my energy because no advice or constructive criticism from a foreigner would be taken on board. It's very frustrating!

I still work as a volunteer police officer, but restrict my activities to helping tourists at the airport - I see my work really as a 'PR' role for the Tourist Police for arriving tourists.

Simon

[cgphuket]

Had the same type of situation with a "dirty Harry" wannabe cop volunteer in Phuket, Little Kiwi twit tried to run me off the road and he was the one who scurried off in the end. Felt sorry for him as he wasnt even important enought to have a radio to call for help. Slimy little toads in my opinion, but maybe some good ones, just never met one.

[katana]

I saw the following post on another message board where they were discussing the phenomenon of farang police volunteers. It was posted by a farang journalist (Andrew Drummond, I seem to recall) based in Thailand:

"I sent a Thai reporter to interview some Pattaya tourist police once, just as an exercise mind you.
She got some interesting stuff - varied from Walter Mitty's (one Brit had a card saying he did diplomatic security which clearly did not check out) to others who all had an angle.
One had convictions abroad for kidnap and pimping (beat up one of his girls).
Another had a complaint against him at the British Embassy for using as stun gun against a farang during a police interview.
Another ran a business advising arrested foreigners on how much they needed to pay to have charges dropped (of which he took a cut).
And of course there are the local paper boys whom I presume are in it because they can be there when the news happened, Pattaya Mail, Pattaya City News, Pattaya People, all have members in the volunteer police..."

[eezergood]

I would have just drove off!

I certainly would be looking to speak to him out of uniform.........

[socksy01]

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I agree this guy is a bellend but why was your tax under the seat?

[LivinginKata]

Defamatory posts being removed.