Speedy top cop is the quick to the scene – except in his own case
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK’S top cop, Pol Lt-General Sanit Mahathavorn, got his nickname from his modus operandi in seeking to counter crime – “Nor 1 Beung Took Thee”, or “city police chief dashing to every scene”.

 

And so it was last weekend, with the Metropolitan Police Bureau chief showing up to inspect the Fortune Town shopping mall in Din Daeng after a small fire.

 

His prescription for city police is for them to be “proactive and speedy in probing and closing cases, willing and able to perform duties immediately”.

 

This outlook has led to Sanit being spotted at most crime or disaster scenes in Bangkok, as well as in nearby provinces if there is a link to cases in the capital. 

 

Nor does he shy away from talking to the media. News photos portray him trying to get on top of many investigations – be it a “talk of town” case on social media, like a senior official being censured for smacking a waiter who called him a “sugar daddy”, or a nasty murder, a traffic snarl or simply a student brawl. 

 

One image still lingering in many people’s memories is of Sanit leading officers to pose for the camera in a heart-shaped arch pose, waving an “I love you” hand sign to urge students to love one another during a press conference last July. The conference followed the arrest of two technical college students on charges of killing a rival youth. 

 

Sanit often attends at least four events in a single day and is generous in giving good quotes, leading journalists to give him the “dashing to every scene” nickname.

 

A graduate from the Police Cadet Academy Class 34, Sanit is said to be an interrogation expert who covers all the angles when seeking evidence, so it is no surprise that he is keen to take a hands-on approach at the scene of the crime. Named as acting city police chief in October 2015, Sanit proved himself and was officially appointed to the post 10 months later. 

 

“I want to see people love policemen. Police investigations in cases must be thorough to ensure justice and so the bad guys don’t walk free,” he said.

 

But Sanit has also faced controversy. The Ombudsman’s Office recently ended its investigation of allegations that he earns Bt50,000 a month as an adviser to Thailand’s biggest producer of alcoholic drinks, Thai Beverage, after deciding there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case. 

 

Following an uncharacteristically long pause, Sanit told the office that there had been a mistake on his asset declaration after he was named as a new member of the National Legislative Assembly, adding he had asked someone else to handle the matter for him. Meanwhile, a letter from ThaiBev to the Ombudsman said the company had not hired Sanit as an adviser. 

 

The Ombudsman’s Office sent a notice to Sanit, warning him to be more careful in the future, adding that he must set a good example for others or his ethics could be called into question. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309846

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-03-22

Caught you! but. T.I.T.

Is this meant to be serious??

The man is a joke, loves getting his photo taken , loves getting money.

Very economical with the truth, but who cares not the authorities. TIT.

Effectively swept under the carpet. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“I want to see people love policemen. Police investigations in cases must be thorough to ensure justice and so the bad guys don’t walk free,” he said.

No, first protect and serve the public then mete out justice.  But since the RTP does neither there will not be much in the way of love in the near future.  Policemen are to be feared and avoided.    

every dealing i have had with the cops they have asked for cash. my property got stolen, they want money to make a report, involved when my friends car got backed into, they want cash to make a report. no wonder the try to get there first, to try to make money from every situation they can. ok thats how they get paid but lets say it as it is.

He is just a clown to me.

...the really confusing part is.....wasn't it stated somewhere: '2 years of records of payment'.....(???)

I strongly recommend lady police officers should take over the public relationship and speaking to media to improve the image of police.

 

I have never seen any lady police taking charge in Thailand with so much ladies i population.

That is an unbelievably turgid piece of writing.

 

The final two paragraphs are the real story.

 

Why, I wonder, is there such a nauseatingly sycophantic drawn out intro to them?

 

To ensure no one gets to them I bet...

Edited March 22, 20179 yr by Bluespunk

Whitewash complete.  Thailand's Independent Newspaper appears to be not totally independent if you ask me.  

53 minutes ago, wealthychef said:

Whitewash complete.  Thailand's Independent Newspaper appears to be not totally independent if you ask me.  

We didn't but we would probably agree.

2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

every dealing i have had with the cops they have asked for cash. my property got stolen, they want money to make a report, involved when my friends car got backed into, they want cash to make a report. no wonder the try to get there first, to try to make money from every situation they can. ok thats how they get paid but lets say it as it is.

True. A friend of mine had his house robbed, and they found the keys to his SUV so stole that too. The same day the so-called security guard at the housing complex disappeared. The police refused to investigate unless they were paid 100,000 baht.

11 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

True. A friend of mine had his house robbed, and they found the keys to his SUV so stole that too. The same day the so-called security guard at the housing complex disappeared. The police refused to investigate unless they were paid 100,000 baht.

the best option in thailand is to own nothing worth stealing or have everything 100% insured.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

 

“I want to see people love policemen. Police investigations in cases must be thorough to ensure justice and so the bad guys don’t walk free,” he said.

A cloning candidate for sure. A lot of cases mentioned but closure of same hmm. I think in the west they call this a flash in the pan. 

Edited March 22, 20179 yr by elgordo38

I thought you were supposed to have words like "Advertisement" or "Paid Editorial" or something similar as a heading above content meant to endorse, promote or sell individuals, orqanisations or their policies.  To me, this sort of clumsy free plug seems a touch awkward. Naive, even.

How does any serious-minded person reconcile a saccharine-sweet media depiction of a privileged authority figure who has openly admitted to having taken large amounts of money regularly from a commercial enterprise that makes a profit from alcohol production and sales and pretend he's an exemplary role model for young citizens to emulate?

Yes, it's good to find a way to earn money or increase your income, but illegal or immoral methods are socially unacceptable.

TV Forum users deserve better if this is meant to be a genuine human interest article with pretensions to "news value".

there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.  ??? Of course !!!

10 hours ago, wvavin said:

He is just a clown to me.

Does he do kids' birthday parties? How much for a 2 hour slot?

How can anybody still say but "T.I.T." after all the B/S that went on with Hilary and Donald (and still going on). With what has been going on in Sth. Korea and all the other countries where cover up take place?  ( meaning every country in the world)

   So please....cop yourselves on and drop the "but T.I.T."... B/S.

7 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

How can anybody still say but "T.I.T." after all the B/S that went on with Hilary and Donald (and still going on). With what has been going on in Sth. Korea and all the other countries where cover up take place?  ( meaning every country in the world)

   So please....cop yourselves on and drop the "but T.I.T."... B/S.

Ah, so by your reasoning, it's okay to BS people because other people do it too? It's all one big competition, and only the person in first place can be criticized when climbing BS mountain?

 

I'll let you into a little secret - Donald Trump is a massive liar and is rightly criticized by many as so. Hillary Clinton the same. There are even TV shows that expose all kinds of liars. The rhetoric is that they're liars and not that other people do it so cut them some slack. 

18 hours ago, webfact said:

'... his ethics could be called into question

And we wouldn't want that.

16 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

the best option in thailand is to own nothing worth stealing or have everything 100% insured.

Nearly right, the best thing you can do in this neck of the woods is find the exit gate while you still can, its a better life on the other side and the grass is greener

2 hours ago, wakeupplease said:

Nearly right, the best thing you can do in this neck of the woods is find the exit gate while you still can, its a better life on the other side and the grass is greener

i just left. after 10 years thailand wears a bit thin. it is hard to find a balance of doing nothing there and getting bored or getting involved in a business or property and getting burned.  my kids reached school age so the grass is greener in nz for them to grow up, no doubt about that. will still enjoy a trip once a year back to thailand. not sure if i will retire there, thats still another 15 years away. 

On 3/22/2017 at 0:34 PM, williamgeorgeallen said:

the best option in thailand is to own nothing worth stealing or have everything 100% insured.

 

Sad but true.  Is it really a good place to live if you run a real risk of getting ripped off and no help from the police?  Yes but only if you have nothing of worth.  As a person with some money in the bank, I've been mulling over my vulnerability and considering moves elsewhere.  It's one thing to have your stuff stolen but if the police cannot be trusted, that's some next level BS.  

54 minutes ago, wealthychef said:

 

Sad but true.  Is it really a good place to live if you run a real risk of getting ripped off and no help from the police?  Yes but only if you have nothing of worth.  As a person with some money in the bank, I've been mulling over my vulnerability and considering moves elsewhere.  It's one thing to have your stuff stolen but if the police cannot be trusted, that's some next level BS.  

cant even trust money in the bank. i know a guy who put money in a  bank for a term investment. went to get it some years later and the bank teller never deposited the money, just pocketed it. the bank said the employee no longer worked there so they would do nothing about it. now for my time in thailand i just use an ATM card and withdraw 30 000thb at a time.

"...... or his ethics could be called into question."   What ethics. Told a baldfaced untruth (or was it?) about money from the brewer! Where are his ethics? Self-aggrandizement comes to mind.

 

The old "Do as I say, not as I do" also comes to mind!

On 3/22/2017 at 8:36 AM, williamgeorgeallen said:

every dealing i have had with the cops they have asked for cash. my property got stolen, they want money to make a report, involved when my friends car got backed into, they want cash to make a report. no wonder the try to get there first, to try to make money from every situation they can. ok thats how they get paid but lets say it as it is.

I had a farang friend in Bangkok married to a Thai lady, she was screwing a guy in the army on the side, she told my girl friend I kept quiet, later my friend for other reasons decided to leave her and asked me to help relocate south of Pattaya,  also to take one of his big TVs  with him which I did, she reported me to the police as having stolen her tv, we came back to Bangkok and her husband my mate sorted it with the cops.

A week later a bomb was tossed through my bedroom window second floor apartment by her boy friend lucky for me we were in Hua Hin for a few days. The cops wanted twenty thousand to go and get him. I told them to F off and moved out the next day. Amazing Thailand

As a foot more my friend did divorce her a few years later so I just heard, myself I cut off contact with both of them plus my girl friend , I should add my apartment then was in Bangkok.

the bomb blew out the sliding doors from my bedroom to a balcony and shredded my bed, had we been in bed at the time I probably would not be writing this now.

 

 

2 hours ago, ableguy said:

I had a farang friend in Bangkok married to a Thai lady, she was screwing a guy in the army on the side, she told my girl friend I kept quiet, later my friend for other reasons decided to leave her and asked me to help relocate south of Pattaya,  also to take one of his big TVs  with him which I did, she reported me to the police as having stolen her tv, we came back to Bangkok and her husband my mate sorted it with the cops.

A week later a bomb was tossed through my bedroom window second floor apartment by her boy friend lucky for me we were in Hua Hin for a few days. The cops wanted twenty thousand to go and get him. I told them to F off and moved out the next day. Amazing Thailand

As a foot more my friend did divorce her a few years later so I just heard, myself I cut off contact with both of them plus my girl friend , I should add my apartment then was in Bangkok.

the bomb blew out the sliding doors from my bedroom to a balcony and shredded my bed, had we been in bed at the time I probably would not be writing this now.

 

 

thailand is a crazy place. mostly fun but can be dangerous. i always say to enjoy life stay out of everything, even helping your mates with their TVs.