Thailand needs 9,000 new police officers: Somyot

[webfact]

Thailand needs 9,000 new police officers: Somyot
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang yesterday revealed that the police force required another 9,000 police officers.

Commenting on the Cabinet's approval on Tuesday of the National Police Act, which would create "drafted policemen" whose status would be equivalent to military conscripts, Somyot said this matter was awaiting clear policy from the government.

The policy would be implemented gradually because recruiting manpower required budget and welfare, so if the government deemed it necessary to have such "drafted policemen", it would proceed accordingly, he said.

He went on the say that the Metropolitan Police Bureau needed 5,000 additional officers, while up to 9,000 officers were needed nationwide.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-needs-9000-new-police-officers-Somyot-30265051.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-23

[ratcatcher]

That's a lot of sharpened pencils and bums on chairs.

[plachon]

"Commenting on the Cabinet's approval on Tuesday of the National Police Act, which would create "drafted policemen" whose status would be equivalent to military conscripts......"

Sounds a lot like a new ill-educated, poorly trained and easily controlled paramilitary force to be unleashed on the long-suffering population by the generals.....

[MB1]

That's a lot of sharpened pencils and bums on chairs.

And a lot more tea money to be shared out....

[NongKhaiKid]

Most of the current BIB shouldn't be in the job as it is and conscription to fill vacancies isn't the way to go.

If people join voluntarily with ulterior motives or who get swept up by the ' practices ' we all know only too well what are recruits who don't want to be there going to be like ? i'd rather not think about it.

Public service ? Oh please.

[selftaopath]

HOLY CRAP!!! WHY???? Are the current buffoons in brown (BIB) OVERWORKED?

Other than causing dangerous highway conditions with their "check points" what do they really do? Investigate crimes/ patrol neighborhoods? Hell there's a police ???? barrick or something called Police.... in our village, but I've NEVER seen any police in the village or surrounding area.

Personally I think the Kingdom would be better off w/out the BIB.

[Laughing Gravy]

What a load of rubbish. Seems like the top police are trying to create more jobs for the boys. I would say that theycould reduce more than 9000 police officers. It is simple. Get rid of the ones in the police boxes at junctions. The lights are automated so there is no need for them. Get rid of the police outside schools in the mornings and afternoons. Employ traffic style wardens. Get rid of the incompetent ones. Well over 9000 police offcers. Problem solved.

[MB1]

Most of the current BIB shouldn't be in the job as it is and conscription to fill vacancies isn't the way to go.

If people join voluntarily with ulterior motives or who get swept up by the ' practices ' we all know only too well what are recruits who don't want to be there going to be like ? i'd rather not think about it.

Public service ? Oh please.

If the report/article had said "Thailand needs 9000 new police officers to replace 9000 corrupt ones"........Then that would be a start and maybe make people believe that someone is trying to wipe out corruption in Thailand.....Oh well we can all dream on hey...555

[PatOngo]

Thailand needs 9,000 new police officers.....................and a larger trough!

[bangkokfrog]

Wikipedia is not always a good source, but it lists a UN survey of police by country which shows some massive differences. Thailand 230,000 in total which is 333/100,000 people (2012) vs U.S.A. 401/100,000 (2008) and U.K. 207/100,000 (2013). Can't tell much from this other than perhaps that crime rates and how hard the police work are important variables.

[Nigeone]

Thailand needs 9000 new honest police officers.!! Corrected

[BSJ]

If they could extract 10% more work from the ones already in the police they could retire 9000 and things would be the same!

[baboon]

Fabulous. Yet another legion of poorly trained bullyboys to intimidate the public and sit around getting pissed. I bet your average Thai is just as thrilled as we are by the prospect.

This conscript police wheeze has African banana republic/South American fascist dictatorship written all over it.

[canuckamuck]

There must be a bunch of gold shops and banks opening up that need someone to sit on a chair by the door.

[Somtamnication]

Sounds like income has dropped exponentially.

[NongKhaiKid]

There must be a bunch of gold shops and banks opening up that need someone to sit on a chair by the door.

Funny thing but all of the officers I see doing those jobs are Snr. Sgt Majors / Sgt. Majors.

Is doing even less than usual some sort of reward.?

Incidentally does anyone know if they're privately hired by the banks etc. ?

[mojorison]

Nonsense. It is his humble and ill-informed opinion. That is all. The general (pun) consensus among analysts is that the RTP force should be reduced by one third and comprise trained, educated officers who are relatively well paid. Increasing their performance whilst reducing their eagerness to accept bribes. (That was the belief anyway. Educated people are less likely to take bribes being the principle. This was the recommendation of an international group that specializes in this area.)

[worgeordie]

When a VIP and their motorcade are in the area,there are police at every intersection

and small soi's, after they have past,the police just melt back from where they came,

and to me its a mystery to where they go,as you very rarely see them on the roads,

unless they are manning the road blocks,taking in donations to the police fund.

regards worgeordie

[janpharma]

How much do the recrutes have to pay to get the job those days?...

[Tatsujin]

Just choose 9,000 from the overcrowded prison's ... they already have the required training and qualifications to be a Royal Thai Police officer, and just need to brush up on the "not getting caught" side of things before being fully respected and loved members of the Police.

[Chang_paarp]

Wouldn't it be cheaper to make the existing police actually do something?

Or, heaven forbid, train them into a professional force that gains the respect of the populace.

[Fullstop]

No need for an extra 9000. Just get the current ones off their fat behinds and force them to do their job.

[phoenixdoglover]

No need for an extra 9000. Just get the current ones off their fat behinds and force them to do their job.

Nonsense. It is his humble and ill-informed opinion. That is all. The general (pun) consensus among analysts is that the RTP force should be reduced by one third and comprise trained, educated officers who are relatively well paid. Increasing their performance whilst reducing their eagerness to accept bribes. (That was the belief anyway. Educated people are less likely to take bribes being the principle. This was the recommendation of an international group that specializes in this area.)

Agree.

And split up the RTP into national and regional entities. The beast is way too big.

Nice to dream.

[tajtom]

Implemented

9000 fresh Isan police

I suppose scooter sales have risen in the last year and they can not stop enough

$$$

[tajtom]

What military please police are no where near the standard of Miltary and it is common knowledge that miliatry no like the police. HMMMM I WONDER WHY

Good luck buddy but I dealt it

[northernboy]

was there not enough sign ups for the newly proposed hand gun purchase program?

One has to make a good living.

[oneday]

Why, what do they need them for? For their crack investigative skills. So they can declare building jumpers and hanging people with their hands tied behind their backs all "suicides". For their efforts in preventing untold numbers of deaths on the roadways of Thailand or so they can just continue to do the same old thing...which isn't much.

Nah, don't need them.

[Lupatria]

Hard to believe 9000 can fill the gap of twice as many on inactive posts.

[Oziex1]

Need another 9000 to watch the military conscripts about to infiltrate and watch the bib.

[Nitepassage]

What's the point of having 9000 more "Empty Suits", to add to the already mostly untrained force that exists now?

How about taking a fraction of that number and trying the novel approach of training people to some sort of higher standard.