Massive police force mobilized to ensure public safety during Songkran festival

[webfact]

Massive police force mobilized to ensure public safety during Songkran festival



BANGKOK: -- About 90,000 policemen nationwide have been mobilized to be on the streets to ensure safety in life and properties for the public during the Songkran festival from Monday until April 17.

The National Police Office spokesman Pol Gen Detnarong Suthicharnbancha said that police would tend to all aspects of public safety from their travelling back homes, traffic on main and secondary roads and drunk driving.

He warned that motorists who were caught drunk or drinking while driving would have their cars impounded and the drivers sent to court on charges of drunk driving or reckless driving.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Mrs Pussadee Tamthai, meanwhile, said the city administration had appealed to stores at Khao Sarn road to not sell alcoholic drinks during Songkran festival.

Also, she said that each district office was instructed to hold Songkran celebration in just one location and to encourage no alcoholic drinks.

Director-general of the Department of Probation Pol Col Narath Sawettanan said that the department would introduce a new form of community service for convicted rogue drivers by putting them to work at morgues in hospitals.

The whole country appears to be in festive mood today. In Khon Kaen, students from several schools were mobilized to fill water in used water bottles punctured with holes to be used for water splashing in order to save water.

In Hat Yai, the Thamnoonvithi road was sealed off with a stage and tents set up on the road in preparation for the celebration while tourists from Singapore and Malaysia were streaming out of their hotels to the site of celebration.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/158947


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-11

[Smiley Face]

Then I suppose there will be massive congregations of police sitting on their butts under the shaded canopies, playing with cell phones and keeping cool with nice cold Chang beers.

[selftaopath]

And if/when the carnage is similar to every other year will this Massive police force admit incompetence?

[jamesbrock]

So, out of a force of around 230,000 officers they can only scrounge up 90,000—less than 40 percent—to ensure safety for one of the most dangerous periods of the year? How many of the superfluous 140,000 officers are administrative or inactive?

As a quick comparison, Victoria Police has 14,750 sworn members and 2,928 civilian administrative staff, so their administrative staff account for 16.5% of the total force as opposed to the RTP's 60.1%. If anything demonstrates the need to for a complete restructuring it is this.

[macksview]

So, out of a force of around 230,000 officers they can only scrounge up 90,000—less than 40 percent—to ensure safety for one of the most dangerous periods of the year? How many of the superfluous 140,000 officers are administrative or inactive?

As a quick comparison, Victoria Police has 14,750 sworn members and 2,928 civilian administrative staff, so their administrative staff account for 16.5% of the total force as opposed to the RTP's 60.1%. If anything demonstrates the need to for a complete restructuring it is this.

too harsh, a good % of the 140,000 would be those transferred to inactive posts on full salary.

the inactive would be so upset, having the holdays at home with family, not out serving the thai public.

[selftaopath]

So, out of a force of around 230,000 officers they can only scrounge up 90,000—less than 40 percent—to ensure safety for one of the most dangerous periods of the year? How many of the superfluous 140,000 officers are administrative or inactive?

As a quick comparison, Victoria Police has 14,750 sworn members and 2,928 civilian administrative staff, so their administrative staff account for 16.5% of the total force as opposed to the RTP's 60.1%. If anything demonstrates the need to for a complete restructuring it is this.

From what I've observed, Thailand policing is NOT to protect and serve the public. It is just another business. All that matters is Profit... no matter how it's achieved. Is it anything but a money grubbing drain on society?

[ronwparker]

Big deal-I am leaving Chiangmai

[macksview]

RTP motto is not serve and protect, it could be 'extort and profit'

wife's family are very much a police family, no millionaires there, there is some honest coppers.

[JAG]

Well those coppers in the photograph didn't look very massive - they looked like pretty ordinary sized Thai blokes to me...

[jamesbrock]

So, out of a force of around 230,000 officers they can only scrounge up 90,000—less than 40 percent—to ensure safety for one of the most dangerous periods of the year? How many of the superfluous 140,000 officers are administrative or inactive?

As a quick comparison, Victoria Police has 14,750 sworn members and 2,928 civilian administrative staff, so their administrative staff account for 16.5% of the total force as opposed to the RTP's 60.1%. If anything demonstrates the need to for a complete restructuring it is this.

From what I've observed, Thailand policing is NOT to protect and serve the public. It is just another business. All that matters is Profit... no matter how it's achieved. Is it anything but a money grubbing drain on society?

True, but they are increasingly being made irrelevant for reasons that cannot be discussed by the NCPO, a group that cannot be accurately described. Of course, as a policing body their gross ineffectualness rendered them pretty much irrelevant anyway, but, now, under gazetted Order 13/2559 (29 March 2016 [2559], vol.133 Special Section) of Article 44, their mafia-esque power is being most certainly eroded.

The current situation in Thailand reminds me of a quote by Alice, from Alice in Wonderland:

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?"

[Caveat Emptor]

On a related topic, early this morning I passed the ' Road Safety ' unit set up by the local municipal government and both occupants were sound asleep.

Passed again around an hour and a half later, now four occupants and, Yes you've guessed it, all of them were sound.

[macksview]

On a related topic, early this morning I passed the ' Road Safety ' unit set up by the local municipal government and both occupants were sound asleep.

Passed again around an hour and a half later, now four occupants and, Yes you've guessed it, all of them were sound.

got to sleep off their sunday hangovers some where.

probably do not even have their infringement books with them.

[Kabula]

Remember back in the day in our home countries when one Policeman, dressed in blue, not black, with a 38 pistol, not a machine gun, watched over a small community? People who acted out of line got punched in the face, mostly by their fathers!

Now it's reported, "a massive Police Force" required to over see squirt gun revelers! Does that include the Army?

What will that cost?

They recommend mist, however the stores are selling last years stock with water guns that can blind a person.

Perhaps it would be best to cancel the event and transport the water to drought areas to water plants and nourish people!

Many tourists leave the country during this nonsense. I for one stay in my home during Songkran while saving money. Money that does not end up in a citizens wallet.

I pray for the farmers and families who have no water worldwide.

For those of you that are not concerned about the drought, a day will come when the food/bottle water shelves in the stores will shock you. Many around the world are already shocked!

I really miss common sense...

Edited April 11, 2016 by Kabula

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Useless is as useless does.

As if they have done a great job in the past. This year again, hundreds of people will die on the roads, many of whom will not be counted as it doesn't reflect Thainess.

[thhMan]

I wonder what the police do the rest of the time... I rarely see them, unless they are waiting on corners. looking for farangs on scooters to shake down

[natway09]

I have said it before & I will say it again,

Without "mufti " police travelling in the traffic, nothing will ever get better.

The road rage after a police check point just sums i all up.

No,, I will stay home & throw a bit of water around

[Patje55]

Have your 20 TB notes ready then !!

Ans some 100 too

[Gonsalviz]

You mean those guys sitting in the shade, sipping cold drinks and whiling their time away. I never see them even look at the road.

Nearest I figure is they set up the cones on the road and if you make it through, you must not be drunk.