Thai editorial: Rogue Army sergeant just tip of the iceberg

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Rogue Army sergeant just tip of the iceberg
The Nation

Kudos to PM for stepping in to punish soldier caught on camera; govt should make sure law is the same for bigger fish too

BANGKOK: -- There was uproar on the social media recently after an Army sergeant in Surin was stopped by a traffic policeman for riding a motorcycle without a helmet and for refusing to produce a driver's licence. The sergeant simply drove off, as if to mock the authority of the police - and the law. Fortunately the incident was caught on video for all to share online.

The resulting outcry drew the attention of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who duly ordered the Army to punish the non-commissioned officer for presuming to be above the law of the land. He also instructed military commanders to be strict with their subordinates about following the regulations.

On Monday the sergeant - accompanied by his commanding officer - faced the police and was fined Bt400 for not wearing a helmet and driving without a licence. Taking the premier's words to heed, the Surin Military District then ordered the sergeant detained for 15 days for violating Army discipline.

As well as being another good example of the power of social networks, the case highlights the fact that so many citizens of this country, in and out of uniform, routinely expect to be exempted from the law if they cite their status or mention influential people they know.

And here we have a prime reason why law enforcement is so lax. There is good cause to believe you can get away with breaking the law if you happen to be a powerful person or know someone who is. Thanks to traditional Thai rules of hierarchy, those further up the social scale know they can get out of legal trouble and help others to do so.

Encountering difficulties with the law, wealthy citizens regularly flaunt their assets, or at least maintain close ties with politicians and other people in positions of authority. The aim is to ensure they can count on favourable treatment if called to task when they break the law, such as building homes and commercial enterprises on public land.

Due to the inequitable enforcement of the law, selfish businesspeople who are "well connected" manage to benefit from their crimes almost invariably.

There is always, of course, the danger of losing their protective shield when the politicians with whom they are allied must cede power. At that point, the authorities can finally move in to enforce the law, as they are themselves required to do by law. Since the last change of government, an operation to "reclaim the national forests" has seen more than 100,000 rai of encroached state land seized, mainly in the Northeast.

The government must always ensure that the law is strictly enforced, without exception. It's heartening to see the prime minister step in and have the wayward sergeant punished in the recent case, but surely it is his administration's sworn duty to make sure the same rules apply to all lawbreakers and not just junior officers and other small-time law violators.

Swift action must also be taken against even the highest-ranking military officers and any person of wealth and influence accused of wrongdoing.

Ultimately, it must be stressed once again, it is not just the government and other authorities who should be taking action. It is the responsibility of all citizens to help stem abuse of the law by condemning such practices and, when the times comes, voting with their conscience.

We should all strive to make fair enforcement of the law common practice. It can only be for the betterment of all.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Rogue-Army-sergeant-just-tip-of-the-iceberg-30258517.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-23

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Swift action must also be taken against even the highest-ranking military officers and any person of wealth and influence accused of wrongdoing. Yeah sure.

[alant]

An analysis of some Thai laws may lead to the question of their purpose if they are not to be applied universally. Could it be they can therefore be used to extort money from people?

Take for example the case of a bar fined for serving beer between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. Against the law it seems but a few 100 metres away another establishment has no action taken. Should not the law be applied equally?

Or the traffic cop in uniform sat at the table outside a ma and pop shop at 10 am having a beer?

[Prbkk]

Sounds right; The Sgt gets caught and punished by the Generals get a free pass. Nothing much changes.

[toybits]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

[Snig27]

Sounds right; The Sgt gets caught and punished by the Generals get a free pass. Nothing much changes.

Very true - but what is interesting is the almost daily editorial criticising the military from the extraordinarily well-placed elite The Nation Group. Things are going on behind the scenes ...

If I were a certain General I'd be looking in the shadows.

[sawadee1947]

Sounds right; The Sgt gets caught and punished by the Generals get a free pass. Nothing much changes.

Very true - but what is interesting is the almost daily editorial criticising the military from the extraordinarily well-placed elite The Nation Group. Things are going on behind the scenes ...

If I were a certain General I'd be looking in the shadows.

I agree....and then there is always the mighty shadow of someone out there in Singapore

[chuang]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

NO..the army is in power and he is the army..

[Laughing Gravy]

Another 'lets pat ourselves on the back' for something that should have been routine but turned negative, so we will show and do the right thing. which should have been dealt with in the first place. Forgive me if I don't jump up and down. I hardly think this is a news worthy article.

[wabothai]

14 days in the cooler, Klink ordered.

[mikiea]

it is a matter of respect, if being in the army means you do not have to respect anybody that is not, well....that tells everybody that the army is a paper tiger, if this is not checked it will lead to lack of respect for the army by the army. huh....uhhh ? ....just gave myself a headach, damm soap opera.

[NeilSA1]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

I doubt action would have been taken, if this had remained unknown, and not followed up.

Fortunately there was a video which resulted in online condemnation, which was brought to the attention of the PM who correctly took immediate action.

[Alwyn]

errr.... "Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who duly ordered the Army to punish the non-commissioned officer for presuming to be above the law of the land."... Yes, he can't have another fellow soldier thinking he too, is above the law of the land. Only he is allowed that privilege....

[Godders]

Pity there were no security cameras around to record the military's finest hour at Tak Bai.

[Srikcir]

" as if to mock the authority of the police - and the law."

"The resulting outcry drew the attention of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who duly ordered the Army to punish the non-commissioned officer for presuming to be above the law of the land."

How about an outcry for complete insanity?

Under Article 44 the police are under military command that is the LAW. The sargent was perfectly correct to ignore the police who have no jurisdiction over the military forces.

Gen. Prayut had no problem violating and abolishing the 2007 constitution as the law of the land to establish the Junta's own contrived laws and provide immunity from prosecution of all military within the chain of command for any actions carried out under the Interim Charter. Immunity would include the sargent's actions.

How then does General Prayut justify imposing a conflicting standard on the sargent? It is becoming more difficult to blame Prayut's erratic actions on good intentions than it would be to blame ineffective leadership.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Thanks to traditional Thai rules of hierarchy ...' Otherwise known as feudalism.

[casualbiker]

" as if to mock the authority of the police - and the law."

"The resulting outcry drew the attention of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who duly ordered the Army to punish the non-commissioned officer for presuming to be above the law of the land."

How about an outcry for complete insanity?

Under Article 44 the police are under military command that is the LAW. The sargent was perfectly correct to ignore the police who have no jurisdiction over the military forces.

Gen. Prayut had no problem violating and abolishing the 2007 constitution as the law of the land to establish the Junta's own contrived laws and provide immunity from prosecution of all military within the chain of command for any actions carried out under the Interim Charter. Immunity would include the sargent's actions.

How then does General Prayut justify imposing a conflicting standard on the sargent? It is becoming more difficult to blame Prayut's erratic actions on good intentions than it would be to blame ineffective leadership.

Only erratic actions are yours by posting this rubbish time after time. Obviously the Sargent was in the wrong hence the discipline.

Article 44 places CERTAIN elements of the military above the police on certain operations not in every day life.. You really need to get a grip. And probably get a new tinfoil hat.. Yours is leaking!!

[casualbiker]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

How would they have known about it????

A bit of thought before commenting!

[greenchair]

And then there is the general and his deputy from the south. Both have been transferred to an inactive post for one full year.

In punishment for the deaths of the 4 unarmed unarmed university students that were not militants after all.

It's good to see even the highest generals in the army cannot escape punishment.

Well done Mr p.

More please

[ableguy]

All your replies do not mean a bloody thing,this is Thailand get used to it.

[Traveling Sailor]

"On Monday the sergeant - accompanied by his commanding officer - faced the police and was fined Bt400 for not wearing a helmet and driving without a licence."

Only 400 baht! When smoking in the wrong place is a 2000B fine. What a joke! No helmet and no licence should be 5000 baht for the first offense, Confistication of vehicle for 2nd driving without a licence offense.

[katana]

The clip in question:

In the Manager newspaper there was a report he's bipolar and had received treatment for the disorder in Buriram hospital in 2009. Apparently he plays in the military band, stationed in Surin.
His superior officer explained his behaviour as being due to him stopping taking his meds which caused him to become moody and aggressive and he will be sent for more treatment.
His medical condition was confirmed by his father who said he'd suffered from it since the age of 18.

If true, all a bit strange that someone who's bipolar would be in the army with access to guns etc.

[berybert]

Talking to a friend of mine tonight. He got a 5000 baht fine for drink driving. Then after paying the fine he was told by the policeman that had stopped him to bugger off home on his motorbike.

Good to see the PM is getting on top of it.

[NongKhaiKid]

Anyone who has seen the BIB in action on a ' helmet ' day knows who many m/cyclists simply speed up, serve around the officers and speed away. All that happens is some shouting, arm waving and a tune on official whistles.

The Sgt was ' unlucky ' in that there was a camera running, he was in uniform and easily identified since it's unlikely the BIB took his licence plate number. Yesterday a friend suggested the BIB use cameras at every checkpoint but that was easily shot down as apart from them not wanting everything they do and say recorded does anyone think if the number of all the m/cycles that failed to stop was recorded they would actually be bothered to trace the owners for details of who was riding the machine ?

[ChrisY1]

Oh...spare me!

Prayuth getting involved in these trivial issues is pure PR".........he is after all the leader of hugely corrupt military!!

[Berkshire]

Sounds right; The Sgt gets caught and punished by the Generals get a free pass. Nothing much changes.

Flag/general officers the world over gets treated differently. Thailand is no different.

http://taskandpurpose.com/cash-bribery-prostitution-scandal-that-continues-haunt-navy/

[Caveat Emptor]

Oh...spare me!

Prayuth getting involved in these trivial issues is pure PR".........he is after all the leader of hugely corrupt military!!

PR exactly and the Sgt is junior enough to be dealt with. Would the PM have involved himself if it was a senior officer and especially one he knew, unless he didn't like him naturally.

Look how all those on the NCPO, including many military types, were immediately protected when wealth was questioned.

[toybits]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

How would they have known about it????

A bit of thought before commenting!

Perhaps you have not heard of a Police report filed by a policeman. That was how things were done in the past. But you wouldn't know anything about that would you?

[casualbiker]

Would his superior officers have done the same thing if there was no video of the event? I sincerely WONDER. I don't think he would.

How would they have known about it????

A bit of thought before commenting!

Perhaps you have not heard of a Police report filed by a policeman. That was how things were done in the past. But you wouldn't know anything about that would you?

Hahahahahahaha... Wonderful, you have made my day. A Thai police man would waste his time on writing a police report for a guy with no helmet evading the check point.. Jeeze..dig,dig,dig