Police graft goes far beyond immigration

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Police graft goes far beyond immigration
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- If any crackdown is to succeed, it must be comprehensive and address the entire police force

Reports this week of an anti-graft crackdown on Immigration Police are not so much reassuring as they are disturbing. We are disturbed because, even though we can predict irregularities among some of the officials, the systematic nature of the graft is quite worrying. Compounding our concern is the fact that it took a tragedy like the Erawan Shrine bombing to spur those at the top of the police force into action. Without the bombs, how much longer would the immigration scams remain hidden under the rug?

In his "urgent report" to the prime minister, the police chief described the scams as potentially harmful to national security. That might not be entirely accurate, but what's been going on is absolutely wrong, regardless of whether it affects national security or not. Police corruption affects far more than just public safety. It lowers public morality and infects other sectors of society. In other words, police graft makes national corruption overall a lot harder to beat.

The report to the premier describes what some Immigration Police have been doing. They extend the stays of foreigners who bribe them; they advise foreigners how to get around the law on visa runs; they are paid to allow illegal entries; they issue their own work permits; they demand grossly inflated fees for visas on arrival from foreigners who wouldn't pay except out of desperation or ill intent; and they intimidate foreigners, many of them probably innocent, into paying bribes.

In Thailand, there is a saying that police and custom officials in remote areas who are transferred to Bangkok have been demoted. That's because bribery is more widespread in the rural areas and at border checkpoints. Being a customs official in the far South, for example, is said to be quite "lucrative".

The crackdown on corrupt Immigration Police must not be a flash in the plan. In fact, the campaign must cover the entire police force. If Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is serious about uprooting corruption within the force, he must already know that the problem has spread far beyond a few immigration officers demanding money for illegal entry. Traffic police are corrupt. Those enforcing early-closure regulations on bars are corrupt. Anti-narcotics police are corrupt. Police can speed up or slow down cases depending on where the money comes from. They can make cases strong or weak depending on the same factor.

Lip service and knee-jerk reactions will never tackle police corruption. An all-encompassing strategy must be mapped out.

The political will must be unwavering, the public-awareness campaign must be intense and continuous, and punishment must be swift and harsh. Absolutely no one should be spared. The cop who allegedly assaulted a waiter after failing to secure a free meal by flashing his badge must be made an example of.

Last but not least, one part of the report to Prayut states that the visa-on-arrival scam brings in Bt1.8 million worth of bribes daily and "there is no information on whom the money has gone to". This implies - and adds weight to the general suspicion - that police at the very top, or near to it, have benefited from the illegal activities that mock their vow to protect and to serve. Most of all, it underlines the scale of the task of whoever tries to clean up the force.

The undertaking will be daunting and most likely dangerous, but Thailand will continue to suffer unless something serious is done soon.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Police-graft-goes-far-beyond-immigration-30268626.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-12

[PatOngo]

Police graft goes far beyond immigration..........What a startling revelation.........who'd ever have guessed that!

[fritzzz25]

This is not anything new. Thai people have known this for decades, and tolerate it. There has to be a wide spread desire to curb corruption everywhere, not just within the police force. Everywhere you look, you can find corrupt practices. Treat all as equal - two tiered pricing for citizens vs foreigners shows people that only your money is wanted. You are not getting any extra special treatment because you paid more.

Until the society changes, nothing will change. And this concept of "face" is nothing but a farce......

[Fiddlesticks]

Removing graft and corruption from Thai society will reduce the standard of living in Thailand to that of undeveloped African countries!

[mca]

Police graft goes far beyond immigration..........What a startling revelation.........who'd ever have guessed that!

Stay tuned for the next Nation editorial." Drinking industrial drain cleaner is bad for you."

Edited September 11, 2015 by mca

[arthurboy]

Since the coup, many senior BKK and provincial senior RTP officers have already been replaced by those newly 'loyal' to the junta. The immigration police is just another tick box on the junta's list of 'useful' - to itself that is - reform.

Recent tragic events and the reality of people trafficking have served to expedite the upcoming purge and replacement by another bunch of sycophantic cronies.

Now, what would be really interesting is if the junta took a long hard look at its own and removed the notoriously corrupt military personnel therein.

[NOC]

If you fired all of the police here and brought in the army, you'd just get more criminals. Follow the path of Singapore.

[terryp]

I will let you into the worst kept secret in history ...EVERYBODY KNOWS ...its having the bullocks to do something about it..the problem is their does not appear to be anyone whos snout is not in the trough ..so its never going to change whatever the army guy says (has he been thoroughly checked LOL...thought not)

[noitom]

The Thai newspaper "happily" reports that immigration duty in the south is "quite lucrative." What a sham an a laugher. Where's the investigative journalism?

[selftaopath]

"Preaching to the choir."

The entire country DEPENDS on corruption. It can not survive without it.

[jalansanitwong]

Airport corruption is rampant or it used to be anyway when i travelled alot. Farangs are OK but anyone with dark skin wandering around the transit terminal with a carry-on bag is vulnerable to being searched and even detained. A fine usually has to be paid before they will release you. Immigration have plain clothes officials scouring the airport looking for these people.

When you go through immigration they look disinterested and quickly stamp your passport. No money. Waste of time.

[Bernard Flint]

Investigate the wealth of khun junta retiree, then ask who is corrupt.

[worgeordie]

Like the Mafia,they have their finger in every pie where money

is involved,to reform and clean up the force ,will be at least very

difficult,if not impossible,the first step should be to stop this practice

of moving Police who are found guilty of wrongdoing,to an inactive

post,instead they should be sacked and pensions terminated and

if offense serious be given jail terms.

regards Worgeordie

[DavisH]

Nothing will change because corruption is a way of life - from the highest echelons to the noodle seller not paying their due taxes (yes, some of them earn enough to pay tax).

[rodknock]

what a joke. more dog and pony show.

the question that should be asked is not who accepts bribes and graft, but who does not would be a good start. Ha, Ha, Ha.

this is a country that only knows how to run on corruption and bribes. no matter how hard any one trys, they will never be able to stop it.

business of any type can not run with out coruption or graft in Thailand. remember the police are a business no matter what branch, so is the milltary and the politics of government.

what is will always be.

[Hawk]

Impossible to stop, even the army are prone to corruption.

[Broken Record]

This is not anything new. Thai people have known this for decades, and tolerate it.

The Thai people have no choice, what are they going to do, protest ?

All the while laws that protect the elite from any form of criticism and keep the masses in their place are on the books, nothing will change, sure, people know that the system is rotten, but what can they do, that's why the top men who control the Guns, Army and Police Generals, are all stupidly rich on a paltry wage and are allowed to get away with it, there is nobody to stop them, who is above them in Thai society, the Elite.

And those people like things just the way they are, they are protected by the corrupt officials below them, things could change in Thailand but there is no desire for change from people of any consequence, keep the poor people poor and poorly educated, in the Internet age that's not so easy, so enact laws that forbid any criticism by the masses, you have to hand it to the Elite, they've got it pretty sewn up.

The Police Chief is harping on about Corruption, The PM is on about Corruption, are they both willing to set an example and allow a full investigation into their own enormous personal wealth and how it was gained ?

Of course not.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Broken Record

[soalbundy]

''To protect and serve my own interests''

[Broken Record]

Impossible to stop, even the army are prone to corruption.

That's quite an understatement.

[klauskunkel]

Police graft goes far beyond immigration

Actually, police graft goes far beyond imagination

[Jon Wetherall]

Police graft goes far beyond immigration..........What a startling revelation.........who'd ever have guessed that!

Well it got to the point it's so ridiculous and so widely accepted by the public, that it can no ;longer be ignored. Personally I don't think Mr P has the gonads to do anything about it. and that will also be seen by the public. Another nail in the coupster's coffin.

I bet he's really glad he agreed to launch a coup, it'll be the end of him yet.

[jvs]

I would think there is not one person among us who has not witnessed corruption , are part of it,or took benefit of it.

I have seen it and still see it and when the time comes i will most likely be part of it again,what choice do we (i) have?

Is there a solution which is actually workable?

[Jon Wetherall]

This is not anything new. Thai people have known this for decades, and tolerate it.

The Thai people have no choice, what are they going to do, protest ?

All the while laws that protect the elite from any form of criticism and keep the masses in their place are on the books, nothing will change, sure, people know that the system is rotten, but what can they do, that's why the top men who control the Guns, Army and Police Generals, are all stupidly rich on a paltry wage and are allowed to get away with it, there is nobody to stop them, who is above them in Thai society, the Elite.

And those people like things just the way they are, they are protected by the corrupt officials below them, things could change in Thailand but there is no desire for change from people of any consequence, keep the poor people poor and poorly educated, in the Internet age that's not so easy, so enact laws that forbid any criticism by the masses, you have to hand it to the Elite, they've got it pretty sewn up.

The Police Chief is harping on about Corruption, The PM is on about Corruption, are they both willing to set an example and allow a full investigation into their own enormous personal wealth and how it was gained ?

Of course not.

Well said!

[fritzzz25]

This is not anything new. Thai people have known this for decades, and tolerate it.

The Thai people have no choice, what are they going to do, protest ?

All the while laws that protect the elite from any form of criticism and keep the masses in their place are on the books, nothing will change, sure, people know that the system is rotten, but what can they do, that's why the top men who control the Guns, Army and Police Generals, are all stupidly rich on a paltry wage and are allowed to get away with it, there is nobody to stop them, who is above them in Thai society, the Elite.

And those people like things just the way they are, they are protected by the corrupt officials below them, things could change in Thailand but there is no desire for change from people of any consequence, keep the poor people poor and poorly educated, in the Internet age that's not so easy, so enact laws that forbid any criticism by the masses, you have to hand it to the Elite, they've got it pretty sewn up.

The Police Chief is harping on about Corruption, The PM is on about Corruption, are they both willing to set an example and allow a full investigation into their own enormous personal wealth and how it was gained ?

Of course not.

Monkey see, monkey do. Watch your papa pay the police out the car window as a kid, what are you going to do when you start driving and get stopped? Same as papa did. How did they gain this wealth as police - by learning from their superiors. Break the cycle and put a stop to it. Nobody has the balls to take action, because of "face" and making someone lose it.....

And I agree with you, they all should open up their affairs to the public if they want to deal with corruption.

[Your Thainess]

This article, though I agree with its main points, is written like somebody's forgettable blog rant.

[jalansanitwong]

Investigating corruption in LOS is the same waste of time as a real forensic investigation into Sept 11 NYC. Governments are never going to investigate themselves.

In the Thai army the money starts at the top with the big generals who have access to the military budget. Some of that money trickles down through the ranks.

The police is the opposite. Most of the money starts at street level and works its way up through the ranks to the district captains etc. The more palms the BIB grease the faster they will get promoted.

20 years ago it cost up to 20 million baht to buy a senior position (captain) in A grade bangkok police stations which includes Pattaya and Phuket.

Heavens knows what it costs today. 50-100 million ?

Corruption is never going away. It will get worse because of the appalling low wages.

Edited September 12, 2015 by jalansanitwong

[WhizBang]

Police graft goes far beyond immigration..........What a startling revelation.........who'd ever have guessed that!

Well it got to the point it's so ridiculous and so widely accepted by the public, that it can no ;longer be ignored. Personally I don't think Mr P has the gonads to do anything about it. and that will also be seen by the public. Another nail in the coupster's coffin.

I bet he's really glad he agreed to launch a coup, it'll be the end of him yet.

Prayut won't do anything, unless he gets a green light first. He takes his orders from above. Just like he did NOT act unilaterally in staging a coup. He was under orders.

[elgordo38]

Investigating corruption in LOS is the same waste of time as a real forensic investigation into Sept 11 NYC. Governments are never going to investigate themselves.

In the Thai army the money starts at the top with the big generals who have access to the military budget. Some of that money trickles down through the ranks.

The police is the opposite. Most of the money starts at street level and works its way up through the ranks to the district captains etc. The more palms the BIB grease the faster they will get promoted.

20 years ago it cost up to 20 million baht to buy a senior position (captain) in A grade bangkok police stations which includes Pattaya and Phuket.

Heavens knows what it costs today. 50-100 million ?

Corruption is never going away. It will get worse because of the appalling low wages.

Take it easy on attacking low wages or you will have all the TV capitalists coming out of the woodwork giving you the same time worn old message. We are packing up and moving to Vietnam, we have to compete and make a PROFIT. If wages are too high we cannot compete. If wages are to high we will move on and workers will have no money blah blah blah. They will start singing from their old GREED AND PROFIT hymn books. Its all a cover for the legal slavery that exists today. They are learning to manufacture without human labor and the few they do employ they want to pay less and less. The only problem is once they have beaten wages down who will have the money to buy their overpriced products. Their only savior is cheap money but once that dries up and people cannot afford to borrow money cheap or not they will be in trouble. Heaven forbid that a new honest do something style of politician should emerge in our corrupt world. One can only hope and pray for this but things do not look promising.

[VINCENT2012]

Police corruption affects far more than just public safety..!

thats a good one

remember the tv publicity:.....together,,,stronger !! with the thai accent too!bike fro mom...ok..i bike..... the bicycle seller must be really happy about this government iniciative...if this is going to arase coruption, i am not so sure but perhaps they make us surprised somehow!

enjoy:

Edited September 12, 2015 by VINCENT2012

[ratcatcher]

I will let you into the worst kept secret in history ...EVERYBODY KNOWS ...its having the bullocks to do something about it..the problem is their does not appear to be anyone whos snout is not in the trough ..so its never going to change whatever the army guy says (has he been thoroughly checked LOL...thought not)

"....its having the bullocks..."

terryp, bullocks don't have <deleted>.