Bangla thugs threaten expat police volunteers, expose lack of police presence

Lite Beer · July 25, 2015

Bangla thugs threaten expat police volunteers, expose lack of police presence

The Phuket News

The police box at the end of Soi Bangla is often unattended while the one policeman on duty does his rounds.

PHUKET: A gang of drunken thugs threatening expat police volunteers on patrol has exposed the lack of police protection provided at the police box at the beach end of Bangla Rd in Patong.

The gang turned up at the scene in a white pickup at 10:50pm on July 10 and started playing loud music from the vehicle while drinking beers on the steps right in front the police box, noted an incident report filed to Lt Col Pongpichan Chayanonpiriya at the Patong police station.

“There were no police in attendance at the police box all night and it was locked… The people were asked to leave as parking the car [and] drinking alcohol [there] is not allowed and playing loud music was not appropriate at the police box – and they left immediately,” a lead volunteer said in the report.

But the gang was soon back, in greater numbers and looking for a fight. “They returned with more people at 11:20pm, parked the car in the

same spot, played loud music, drank alcohol and told Thai people they were looking for the farang [foreign] police to fight them,” the report said.

“I chose not to engage them as the girl I spoke to outside Starbucks said they were waiting to fight with us and there were no police on Bangla Rd.”

Lt Col Pongphichan Chayanonpiriya, the officer in Patong responsible for co-ordinating police volunteers, this week told The Phuket News that he had little to say to rectify the lack of police presence on the busy tourist street.

“We have three to four officers stationed on Bangla every day, but at that particular time those officers were called to an incident elsewhere. That’s why they could not be found,” he said.

“We also have an officer at the police box every day, but he has to leave the box often to check along the entire three kilometres length of the road, from the bridge at the southern end of the beach road to the ‘dolphin circle’ at the northern end.

“That one officer has much to do, and all on Thaweewong Rd only,” said Col Pongphichan.

“I presume that the officer was not at the police box at the time of the incident because he was performing these duties.”

Col Pongphichan noted that expat police volunteers have no law-enforcement rights whatsoever unless a regular officer on duty is with them, which is often the case.

He also assured that anyone who assaulted a volunteer would face the law.

Despite having the report and photos for more than a week, Col Pongphichan on Wednesday said that no effort had been made to find the culprits, as the report did not constitute an official complaint.

However, by Thursday (July 30), he contacted The Phuket News to confirm that efforts to locate the gang were underway.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/bangla-thugs-threaten-expat-police-volunteers-expose-lack-of-police-presence-53348.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

-- Phuket News 2015-07-25

Just1Voice · July 25, 2015

Sooooo typical of the "police" here.

rwdrwdrwd · July 25, 2015

"Col Pongphichan noted that expat police volunteers have no law-enforcement rights whatsoever unless a regular officer on duty is with them, which is often the case."

So why are they demanding that people move on? Som nam na.

Edited July 25, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

CaptHaddock · July 25, 2015

Explain to me the advantage of volunteering as a pseudo-cop? Because otherwise there isn't sufficient opportunity to mingle with the criminal element?

Brit_Doggie · July 25, 2015

Where was the threat nobody was there.

ToddinChonburi · July 25, 2015

So why do people go there ?

robertthebruce · July 25, 2015

Classic, a guy sitting on a Scooter outside the Police Box, no Helmet ???

Law and Order... Right...

petercool · July 25, 2015

A general slur post removed

diehard60 · July 25, 2015

All that tells me is that there is not enough police there. Or someone was lying about where they were.

oneday · July 25, 2015

“I presume that the officer was not at the police box at the time of the incident because he was performing these duties.”

A single policeman on duty with no supervision...right...everyone will swallow that excuse.

"...expat police volunteers have no law-enforcement rights whatsoever unless a regular officer on duty is with them, which is often the case..."

So with no REAL policeman on duty means volunteers are totally useless...so what's the point?

"...He also assured that anyone who assaulted a volunteer would face the law..."

Really...one does wonder.

"...Despite having the report and photos for more than a week, Col Pongphichan on Wednesday said that no effort had been made to find the culprits, as the report did not constitute an official complaint..."

This shows how much the police value the volunteers. Why anyone would volunteer with no support is beyond me.

With this report and the recent article about the tuk-tuk mafia being back in even greater force it would seem that Mr. P and his military and/or the entire Phuket government has taken their eye off the ball. Everything seems to have gone back to the old ways if you would believe recent reports.

Whatever happened to cleaning up the taxi mafia at the airport...any progress there?

Edited July 25, 2015 by oneday

Tchooptip · July 25, 2015

It also confirm that this very word "Police" for those volunteers is probably inappropriate.

Fullstop · July 25, 2015

This country.....

dpeti73 · July 25, 2015

Around Bangla the volunteers is ok sometimes they really can help with translation for a local police, but around Rawai and Nai-Harn have 2 "volunteer" they just help collecting money what i guess local guys can do themselves without any help.....

SOTIRIOS · July 25, 2015

...always ready to engage ...............if they have a clear advantage.......

...but really.....can hatred or hostility against foreigners be more clearly indicated....

...thankfully it is only a minority....but still disconcerting nonetheless.....

mihalis · July 25, 2015

Iv seen few volunteers in actions, some take the VOLUNTEER job way to serious..................

July 25, 2015

Although no one is going to say "Oh good" loud music and drunk kids...

I have to be honest.

At that age, at that time of night ... if a Foreigner full of his own self importance and no legal authority told me, a Local . to "pack up and leave..."

It would be SHOWTIME, and I mean NOW.

A foreigner, most likely Farang, telling a Thai to move on ...

Amazing Farang ... really. Where do these people get off with BS like this?

kg1947 · July 25, 2015

They should learn how to do it properly , like along WALKING STREET PATTAYA .

If NOT ask the General to send in. the MARINES TO CLEAN UP those thugs , maybe

4 wks basic training can smarten up these despicables .

In the meantime - just avoid Phuket , leave them to the Chinese & Indian tour groups.

July 25, 2015

...always ready to engage ...............if they have a clear advantage.......

...but really.....can hatred or hostility against foreigners be more clearly indicated....

...thankfully it is only a minority....but still disconcerting nonetheless.....

OK, let's try this.

You are in your native land, a "Foreign volunteer cop" with no legal auditory tells you and your mates to "move along, pack up and go"

You do what exactly?.

If it is "move along" .. well .. you and I are polar opposites for sure.

There is something a bit unsettling in your posting, a near Colonial scent of, we, the Foreigners are better, know better, and have the RIGHT to tell CITIZENS what they can do.

This is the root of an arrogance so profound, it is hard to take in.

I was walking down a main avenue in my home city at 11;00 PM after a few beers.

A guy stepped out and said (not asked ... told me) "you need to cross the street and go around.

"Why"

We are shooting a movie on this block....

I said, "This must be the fight scene, yes? Now get the f out of my way."

Walked directly through the set, lights, camera, movie star and all.

I need to "go around" ... in my home town, without so much as an "excuse me" "please' or "thank you."

????????

Not exactly.

And we were both Americans!

Edited July 25, 2015 by Guest

maddermax · July 25, 2015

If the expat volunteers were to withdraw their services for a few days we would see whether they make a difference or not!

BuaBS · July 25, 2015

"expat-police-volunteers" ??

There should be no such thing . A translator , who assists the THAI police , but has NO authority at all , ok !

cekipa · July 25, 2015

What a crap of a statement by thai top cop. I wonder why farangs volunteer in putting themselves at risk without local support.

July 25, 2015

This country.....

That is a sentence that needs finishing.

Here, let me help.

This country, .... that did quite nicely since the 12th century and now is crawling with over fed, over inflated, overly self important Foreigners whining, bch'n and complaining that the Citizens will not kiss their backsides might be wise to just say "Off you go" to many of them.

And by that, I mean the rats of the well known red zones that are actually an embarrassment to many other Foreigners who live here in happy, peaceful, product lives and are .. wait for it ....

GRATEFUL to be here.

The flights leave daily ... Farang-atopia .. is just one ticket away!

Go for it.

LivinginKata · July 25, 2015

If the expat volunteers were to withdraw their services for a few days we would see whether they make a difference or not!

They did strike 4 months back ...

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-Police-volunteers-strike-Patong/51533

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-police-volunteers-return-Bangla-beat/52538#ad-image-0

Lupatria · July 25, 2015

RTP to serve and protect- pfffffffft

cookee68 · July 25, 2015

I notice true to form that they came back with a car full to fight the Farang volunteer, why people offer to volunteer for them I never know, they get no protection from the other card board cut out police, they have no powers, and I like the bit about they had photos etc but did nothing at that time because they did not think it was a real complaint,

cookee68 · July 25, 2015

This country.....

That is a sentence that needs finishing.

Here, let me help.

This country, .... that did quite nicely since the 12th century and now is crawling with over fed, over inflated, overly self important Foreigners whining, bch'n and complaining that the Citizens will not kiss their backsides might be wise to just say "Off you go" to many of them.

And by that, I mean the rats of the well known red zones that are actually an embarrassment to many other Foreigners who live here in happy, peaceful, product lives and are .. wait for it ....

GRATEFUL to be here.

The flights leave daily ... Farang-atopia .. is just one ticket away!

Go for it.

says a lot for the red zone citizen workers,

thailandforumaddict · July 25, 2015

No, it's not possible, cheguevara took good care of all the problems and now Thailand is perfectly safe and respectable <3

Shawn0001 · July 25, 2015

Iv seen few volunteers in actions, some take the VOLUNTEER job way to serious..................

So you think they should not take their work seriously because they are not being paid?

Lorn · July 25, 2015

This country.....

That is a sentence that needs finishing.

Here, let me help.

This country, .... that did quite nicely since the 12th century and now is crawling with over fed, over inflated, overly self important Foreigners whining, bch'n and complaining that the Citizens will not kiss their backsides might be wise to just say "Off you go" to many of them.

And by that, I mean the rats of the well known red zones that are actually an embarrassment to many other Foreigners who live here in happy, peaceful, product lives and are .. wait for it ....

GRATEFUL to be here.

The flights leave daily ... Farang-atopia .. is just one ticket away!

Go for it.

don't now the area but doesn't look like a place where anyone should care about people drinking and playing loud music, especially so early.

Shawn0001 · July 25, 2015

This country.....

That is a sentence that needs finishing.

Here, let me help.

This country, .... that did quite nicely since the 12th century and now is crawling with over fed, over inflated, overly self important Foreigners whining, bch'n and complaining that the Citizens will not kiss their backsides might be wise to just say "Off you go" to many of them.

And by that, I mean the rats of the well known red zones that are actually an embarrassment to many other Foreigners who live here in happy, peaceful, product lives and are .. wait for it ....

GRATEFUL to be here.

The flights leave daily ... Farang-atopia .. is just one ticket away!

Go for it.

Projecting.

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