Police reform cannot be put off any longer

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Police reform cannot be put off any longer

BANGKOK: -- THE REFORM COUNCIL MUST DEAL WITH THE ISSUES OF TRANSPARENCY AND POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

Unable to decide whether to separate police investigative work from the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO), the National Reform Council (NRC) has decided to put off voting on this key issue.

NRC members felt that more debate is needed to go deeper into recently released report by the NRC's law and justice process reform committee.

A panel is expected to be set up next week in line with an instruction from NRC chairman Thienchay Kiranandana.

Pol Colonel Wirut Sirisawat, an adviser to the subcommittee in the NRC, argued that separating investigative work from the RTPO is important because, in the past, some police work has been known to serve political powers.

Moreover, there were even times, he said, when police were told to suspend their investigations.

Others on the panel questioned the practicality of this idea and suggested that investigative work should remain with the police but be supervised by prosecutors to ensure transparency and better accountability.

Regardless of where one stands on this issue, one thing is clear is that the NRC members are acknowledging that the country's police force has a major problem with transparency and political interference. They may differ in terms of how to go about resolving it, but their acknowledgement of this long-standing problem should be praised.

Separating the investigator from the RTPO may not guarantee an end to political interference. Because, if politicians can meddle under the current structure, what can guarantee that they will not under a new structure? Moreover, corrupt police officers will remain corrupt.

These are tough issues for Thailand to look into. But for any

reform to be effective, we need to look at it comprehensively - the principles, the philosophy underpinning the force, and the mission of the Thai police.

Let's face it, not many of us feel comfortable when we are in the presence of our local police. And there is a reason for this.

Beside this sticky issue of political interference, the NRC should go further and examine the recruiting process and the credentials of new recruits. Thailand's bureaucracy and police force are staffed with people with "know-who" - instead of people with real "know-how". Doing away with the patronage system should be another priority.

Moreover, Thai people still have difficulties explaining the police's organisational work. Is it purely a law enforcement agency? If so, why do they sometimes behave like one of the Armed Forces? Is the police's Armed Personnel Carrier necessary?

Also, why do we have Train Police, Tourist Police, and Border Patrol Police (BPP)? Shouldn't some of their work be passed on to civilians, and the role of the BPP be transferred to the regular Army?

Letting go of that bureaucratic mentality - the bigger the better - has not been easy for the Thai police, obviously.

Nevertheless, changes have to be made - not only to improve public-police relations and enhance trust and credibility between citizens and Thailand's finest. Reform is needed so that the police are better equipped and structured to meet the challenges of the modern era.

Political interference is not the only problem for the Thai police. Incompetence, insurgency, transnational crime, terrorism, accountability, corruption are some of the problems that have to be urgently addressed.

Unless these issues are tackled, the police can stop pretending that they have the moral authority to make our streets and nation safe and secure.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Police-reform-cannot-be-put-off-any-longer-30259220.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-03

[WitawatWatawit]

Most of the police I have dealt with can be classified as either buffoons or arrogant losers who are unemployable anywhere else. How on earth do you deal with the tens of thousands of these types? I don't envy anyone trying to solve this particular problem. But the biggest hurdle really is that few are actually in the job because they truly believe in the law, in upholding the law for the sake of the people - at least that's the impression I get. Those that do seldom go anywhere and are marginalised or forced under threat to "look the other way". A good many years back, the Bangkok Post ran a story on Serpisuth (then known simply as Seri) Temiyavej, and headlined it "One good cop". Just about every single person in my office who saw that headline chortled or burst into laughter. Many were outright sneering. The inference is that no cop could make it to his level in the force while remaining a lilywhite. Another inference is that any cop who professes to uphold the law and belief in the law is immediately accused of insincerity. What a mess to have to clean up.

[EricBerg]

One has to start somewhere. Improve the training (get professional help from abroad). Increase salaries. Punish corruption severely. Make finances from higher ranking officers and their families transparant. It all will probably take generations.

[Thaddeus]

Police reform cannot be put off any longer

I bet it can, and will be.

[Tatsujin]

Sack the lot of them, institute proper training, with the emphasis on the fact that "they" serve "the people", not just the top man, better salaries (reasonable ones for the jobs they do), better uniforms ...

oh, forget it, sack the lot and just put the military in charge of it all. They are (on the whole) nothing more than an extra "tax" collection service (apologies to the very few that actually do the jobs they are paid to do and are not corrupt in some way ... and that will be only a very few).

[NongKhaiKid]

More committees and panels and nothing will happen. The BIB is a big organisation inherently rotten and corrupt not to mention inefficient.

Reform is quite a mountain to climb and I doubt it can ever be achieved. The system suits too many at the top of various trees.

[Bluespunk]

" Moreover, corrupt police officers will remain corrupt"

And worse still, they remain police officers.

[seajae]

how can they clean it up when police found to be corrupt are simply transferred to an inactive post, same with any government worker. Corruption is so tightly ingrained in the thai govt jobs that it will take years to root it out. I know several policemen, while a couple are pretty good the others are following their fathers into a job where they made a motza through their dealings and want their sons to continue to draw that money in. The bib needs to be separated from the govt but they also need to be overseen by a corruption commission so that they are forced to actually do their jobs and not simply use their positions as a money making affair like they do now. The police need to be made to do what they are paid for, at the moment it is simply a matter of doing what they want, until such time as they are forced to actually patrol as well as attend complaints we will not see any improvement.

[NE1]

The potential policeman has to pay money to get into the Thai police force.

He does so , because he knows it is a money spinner , not because he wants to uphold the law.

You cannot blame them from wanting a return on the thousands they had to pay out just to get on the first rung.

[trogers]

The potential policeman has to pay money to get into the Thai police force.

He does so , because he knows it is a money spinner , not because he wants to uphold the law.

You cannot blame them from wanting a return on the thousands they had to pay out just to get on the first rung.

Now we understand the term "Born Again".

Evil embedded in the seed of a heart cannot sprung a righteous man.

[slapout]

inactive post'' everyone same uniform, walking shorts only, put senior gunneys in charge of military conscription intial training for duriation of inactive duty, sleep in pup tents do mess duty, etc the whole nine yards of being told what to do by a gunney sgt. no privleges outside area assigned.

this would get the attention of a lot of borderline , wannabe thieves and those found guilty are jailed, innocents wont want another taste of inactive/adjustment camp and will tend to distance themselves from the bad boys.

it wont take generations to change the police force attitude, i figure 1 to 2 year and you will be setting an example for the rest of government thiefs. be sure and include the partners in crime who contributed to those in inactive post. it might be best to seperate the snitches from the rest of the folks and give them a 1 week headstart on scheduled releases..

[Local Drunk]

If you think back a bit... Some police genius was offering cash rewards for his men to turn down bribes.

[dageurreotype]

What a red herring this is, and anyone believing anything else is deluded. No one has any reason more than I to loathe the RTP, BUT there are some genuinely good and able police officers, including some from the top. This is merely another 'red' - aka Taksin allied - cleaning of the opposition exercise. What happened to the Russian kidnap case involving soldiers on Phuket? Who won? None so blind as those who will not see.

[ttthailand]

An internal affairs department in all districts that works partly on commission. If they recover corruption money they get a bonus. Would have to be attached to the army.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

"Unless these issues are tackled, the police can stop pretending that they have the moral authority to make our streets and nation safe and secure."

Moral Authority...Isn't that God's jurisdiction?

[dageurreotype]

"Unless these issues are tackled, the police can stop pretending that they have the moral authority to make our streets and nation safe and secure."

Moral Authority...Isn't that God's jurisdiction?

Oh perleeez

[dageurreotype]

An internal affairs department in all districts that works partly on commission. If they recover corruption money they get a bonus. Would have to be attached to the army.

[JAG]

Perhaps they can at least postpone reform until the Police have finished collecting money for the Nepal earthquake victims!

Edited May 3, 2015 by JAG

[Local Drunk]

Perhaps they can at least postpone reform until the Police have finished collecting money for the Nepal earthquake victims!

I'm sure former Central Investigation Bureau head Lt. Gen. Pongpat Chayapan would love to make a donation.

[JAG]

Sack the lot of them, institute proper training, with the emphasis on the fact that "they" serve "the people", not just the top man, better salaries (reasonable ones for the jobs they do), better uniforms ...

oh, forget it, sack the lot and just put the military in charge of it all. They are (on the whole) nothing more than an extra "tax" collection service (apologies to the very few that actually do the jobs they are paid to do and are not corrupt in some way ... and that will be only a very few).

I would suggest the military are just as corrupt.

I think a massive clearout, starting at the top. It will require enormous political will, and I suggest a strong mandate.

It can be done, The Hong Kong police was known as the best police force money could buy. During the 1980s it was cleaned up.

Edited May 3, 2015 by JAG

[smutcakes]

One year into the 'reform' and yet not one 'reform' has been carried out.

I think we can drop the 'reform' crap now, even the feckless morons who supported the coup and actually believed there was intention to 'reform' are starting to see there was never intention to 'reform' anything for the benefit of the people of the country.

[dageurreotype]

Perhaps they can at least postpone reform until the Police have finished collecting money for the Nepal earthquake victims!

Hmmm. 'Reform'. A word often used but never implemented here. BTW, if you truly believe the RTP are the sole 'beneficiaries' of all charitable contributions here, you really need an 'attitude readjustment'.

[dageurreotype]

One year into the 'reform' and yet not one 'reform' has been carried out.

I think we can drop the 'reform' crap now, even the feckless morons who supported the coup and actually believed there was intention to 'reform' are starting to see there was never intention to 'reform' anything for the benefit of the people of the country.

Forgive them, because they are mindless and many

[JAG]

Perhaps they can at least postpone reform until the Police have finished collecting money for the Nepal earthquake victims!

Hmmm. 'Reform'. A word often used but never implemented here. BTW, if you truly believe the RTP are the sole 'beneficiaries' of all charitable contributions here, you really need an 'attitude readjustment'.

Oh I'm sure that they are not the sole beneficiaries.

[djjamie]

Reform begins at the top.

When the police chief is seen having his insignia pinned on by a convicted criminal fugitive while the photo of this was hanging in the police chiefs office in the capital of Bangkok in the HQ of the Thai police force then that sends a very very negative message to the future police recruits, the current police recruits and the current police force working under the police chief.

When police chiefs are aligned with a political party and ignore justice and bend to political influence then that sends a message to the police force as well.

Start accountability at the top and ensure that the police force is independent of politics.

And never ever let society see a police chief who is supposed to arrest criminals pin insignia's on them. Never ever let society see police chiefs announce, brag about and cheer the deaths of innocent people at the hands of terrorists in Trat.

When police are terrorists then it is time to reform them with absolute urgency.

God speed Prayut, God speed.

[WitawatWatawit]

^^^ And those who supported the coup because the Thaksinator needed to be excised, but did not believe there would be reforms?

By the way, congratulations on believing you are a station above the "feckless morons". You rock.

[dageurreotype]

Sack the lot of them, institute proper training, with the emphasis on the fact that "they" serve "the people", not just the top man, better salaries (reasonable ones for the jobs they do), better uniforms ...

oh, forget it, sack the lot and just put the military in charge of it all. They are (on the whole) nothing more than an extra "tax" collection service (apologies to the very few that actually do the jobs they are paid to do and are not corrupt in some way ... and that will be only a very few).

I would suggest the military are just as corrupt.

I think a massive clearout, starting at the top. It will require enormous political will, and I suggest a strong mandate.

It can be done, The Hong Kong police was known as the best police force money could buy. During the 1980s it was cleaned up.

No mention of the 'Hong Kong military' then?

[Jai Dee]

A couple of argumentative flame posts (and replies) have been removed from this thread.

[JAG]

Sack the lot of them, institute proper training, with the emphasis on the fact that "they" serve "the people", not just the top man, better salaries (reasonable ones for the jobs they do), better uniforms ...

oh, forget it, sack the lot and just put the military in charge of it all. They are (on the whole) nothing more than an extra "tax" collection service (apologies to the very few that actually do the jobs they are paid to do and are not corrupt in some way ... and that will be only a very few).

I would suggest the military are just as corrupt.

I think a massive clearout, starting at the top. It will require enormous political will, and I suggest a strong mandate.

It can be done, The Hong Kong police was known as the best police force money could buy. During the 1980s it was cleaned up.

No mention of the 'Hong Kong military' then?

At the time there wasn't a Hong Kong Military as such -there was a British Army Garrison ( Hong Kong was a British Colony then) and they had absolutely nothing to do with civil policing.

[oneday]

They just can't make the hard decisions.

Everyone is too scared of making the wrong move and so become an outcast from the IN CROWD.