Five bankrupt Thai cops sacked, more likely says top brass

[smedly]

Why axe them they plainly don't take backhanders.

They were axed because even though they did take backhanders, they still managed to run up hundreds of thousands of baht in debt.

It's staggering these huge loans are handed out to people making peanuts (not just cops but many other low-wage employees also).

.

and you think it's just cops, wait for the financial implosion caused by personal debt, I predicted this 3 years ago

You are a very Clever man

I know

[Fookhaht]

Lets hope they have to surrender their firearms also.

If they're fleeing the country through Swampy, probably not.

[fgmr]

Successive governments have encouraged personal spending as a means of boosting GDP. Banks have favoured government employees by providing loans believing in "Job for Life" security. The house of Baht Cards is about to come tumbling down.

[jerojero]

Fired because they went bankrupt? But millionaire cops accumulated assets dubiously.... That's OK?

Edited August 7, 2015 by jerojero

[WitawatWatawit]

QUOTE: " I bet this sends the shivers down a lot of corrupt cops. "

No. It sends a shiver down my spine. The thougt of being disconnected from the gravy train is going to make a lot of "police" very scared. They are going to need a cash injection very quickly, and that is what frightens me. Their financial adviser, Don Corleone, is going to be very busy in the next few days.

And as for their guns!!! They have to pay for them, they are not issued by the department. So, do the sacked cops get to keep them?

[SoilSpoil]

The moment a bankruptcy is filed in Thailand, as far as I have witnessed it, is also the moment you loose the right to hold a bank account, insurance, travel documents without permission and many other legal matters. I have seen one of my wife's family members going through this process and that ruined their lives. I can't see a police officer functioning properly without even having a bank account to receive his/her salary.

[thesetat2013]

Even an old car would cost a couple 100k baht, are coppers not allowed to have a car?

Either you didn't read the article or you don't know the difference between thousands, millions, and billions! These cops were millions and billions into debt. Not a measly few hundred thousand

[SoilSpoil]

QUOTE: " I bet this sends the shivers down a lot of corrupt cops. "

No. It sends a shiver down my spine. The thougt of being disconnected from the gravy train is going to make a lot of "police" very scared. They are going to need a cash injection very quickly, and that is what frightens me. Their financial adviser, Don Corleone, is going to be very busy in the next few days.

And as for their guns!!! They have to pay for them, they are not issued by the department. So, do the sacked cops get to keep them?

Good point, these people could potentially be very dangerous.

[Just1Voice]

Well, you can probably watch the rate of Armed Robbery sky-rocket.

[djjamie]

The more you owe the more chance you will be corrupt.

I am surprised they did not go into inactive posts. If in debt though I cannot see why the govt cannot place them into positions within the force where they have no opportunity for corruption.

A desk job processing parking fines.

[Dogmatix]

I think the problem is that cops need cash to pay tea money upfront to get the high income producing extortion jobs, as well as having to pay monthly rental. When they overstretch themselves financially, they end up not being able to borrow to pay the tea money or fall behind in their rental payments. Then they get stuck in pencil pushing jobs where they can't make any money.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Dogmatix

[LannaGuy]

it's probable that these were loans for promotions

[WitawatWatawit]

The more you owe the more chance you will be corrupt.

I am surprised they did not go into inactive posts. If in debt though I cannot see why the govt cannot place them into positions within the force where they have no opportunity for corruption.

A desk job processing parking fines.

There's a huge bureaucracy behind the police, and it would seem sensible to retrain some of these guys in clerical work. Sadly, most of them are buffoons, goons, fools and losers, incapable of being trained for anything legitimate. Also, at an average of 15k baht a month salary, they wouldn't stay in a boring, mindless job. They'll be back on the streets continuing their careers as criminals.

But I notice that the new security company/guard legislation doesn't mention bankrupts. So I would expect that many of them will end up in that job.

[Bakseeda]

What the Police owe is a fraction of what teachers and other civil servants owe...

[Jimlove]

Why axe them they plainly don't take backhanders.

Or maybe the governments crackdown on corruption is having an impact on their income

yeah right - I hear the Mercedes dealers are struggling ...

[wabothai]

To fire is counterproductive I would say.

Almost bankrupt cops do their utmost to collect tea money.

never heard of anybody being fired because of bankruptcy.

[Broken Record]

Why sack them,they are just like the majority of Thais,

up to the eyes in debit,the must have it,have it NOW

mentality.

regards Worgeordie

Yeah, who do they think they are, Europeans, North Americans ?

[Broken Record]

This is a huge change to the normal state of affairs. Sacked over being placed to an inactive post. I bet this sends the shivers down a lot of corrupt cops. I can only hope that successful corruption charges are brought and when convicted assets are stripped and a long goal sentence is issued.

You could start at the Very top of the Pile and work your way down, therefore I concur, it's just a dream.

[starky]

Some calculations per person are in order I think.

9,000,000,000 / 13,000 = 692,307.69 THB per person

2,000,000,000 / 2,500 = 800,000 THB per person

900,000,000 / 1,100 = 818,181.82 THB per person

Just for the people who think the 9 Billion THB is a lot...

Nice thanks for running the sums. I agree in principle its not a lot but surely for the average Thai copper 800 000 baht is a substantial loan on their meagre wages.

[apetley]

Even an old car would cost a couple 100k baht, are coppers not allowed to have a car?

Either you didn't read the article or you don't know the difference between thousands, millions, and billions! These cops were millions and billions into debt. Not a measly few hundred thousand

Average debt is 692k bht each. Not even a mortgage on a house or even the price of a decent pickup.

[speedtripler]

How could lending institutions extend so much credit to people with low incomes ? They certainly bear some responsibility for the high level of household debt in Thailand. Corrupt police and civil servants should not be able to claim their tea money as income on loan applications.

If a policeman age 25 already had a few million through the bank they might have thought he will easily repay whatever loan he's asking for

[Artisi]

How could lending institutions extend so much credit to people with low incomes ? They certainly bear some responsibility for the high level of household debt in Thailand. Corrupt police and civil servants should not be able to claim their tea money as income on loan applications.

Low income, you probably forgot to add in the monthly extra's which would have been shown as income from extra-curricula activities, of course without any query on the part of the bank.

[Pinot]

I didn't realize that you get fired if you're a bankrupt cop. My TG says also applies to other government jobs. Doesn't seem like the best policy to kick a man when he's down. But TIT.

[Artisi]

Even an old car would cost a couple 100k baht, are coppers not allowed to have a car?

Either you didn't read the article or you don't know the difference between thousands, millions, and billions! These cops were millions and billions into debt. Not a measly few hundred thousand

Average debt is 692k bht each. Not even a mortgage on a house or even the price of a decent pickup.

But are you privy to the full story - like how much was borrowed originally and how much already passed thru the bank as payments etc - Nah! didn't think so.

[apetley]

Even an old car would cost a couple 100k baht, are coppers not allowed to have a car?

Either you didn't read the article or you don't know the difference between thousands, millions, and billions! These cops were millions and billions into debt. Not a measly few hundred thousand

Average debt is 692k bht each. Not even a mortgage on a house or even the price of a decent pickup.

But are you privy to the full story - like how much was borrowed originally and how much already passed thru the bank as payments etc - Nah! didn't think so.

You obviously are, care to let me know?

[speedtripler]

I don't think police keep all their dough in their personal bank accounts anyway...

Almost daily I see them in gold shops and many well off Thais don't trust the banking system and keep off site safes at home or security deposit boxes...

This is probably only the tip of the iceberg that some of them owe money to banks

A few of them are very partial to gambling and multiple gfs etc can sure take a toll on your funds..

[mikemac]

So Just how and did the money come from to settle some of the debits of these BIB and how could less twenty thousand BIB owe BILLIONS of baht?

The regions 13,000 BIB owe 9 BILLION BAHT!!! <deleted>??? and that's just one section.

Awesome investigative reporting, leaves more questions than gives answers.

There's something going on in the kitchen but we(the people) don't know what's cooking!!!

I agree ait, the weight of debt is one of the scariest things happening to Thailand.

And we are not the people, we are the "farangs" !

[northernphil]

If I was in debt the first thing I would get sacked from would be my mianoi. My TW would call it removed from inactive post.

[jobwolf]

The real recklessness lies with the banks, giving them such high loans considering their low LEGAL income.

They are forced to take illegal action to repay so much money.

The whole system stinks.

[BoristheBlade]

And the people of the west are any different? The must have it now generation has bankrupted the world...thanks to easy credit

Why sack them,they are just like the majority of Thais,

up to the eyes in debit,the must have it,have it NOW

mentality.

regards Worgeordie