Cabinet endorses broad spying powers for Thai police

[webfact]

Cabinet endorses broad spying powers for police
By The Nation

 

File photo : Pol Colonel Krissana

 

BANGKOK: -- With little fanfare, the Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed sweeping new powers for police to monitor mobile phone conversations and access mobile apps – but police promised that ordinary people would not be affected, because the authorities would only target criminals accused of grave offences.

 

The Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed an amendment of criminal laws that would affect investigations of suspects involved in terrorism, transnational crimes, security threats or crimes with a statute of limitations of more than 10 years.

 

The draft has to be passed by the National Legislative Assembly before it can go into effect.

 

Deputy police spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said on Wednesday that police would have to submit evidence to their superiors and receive permission from a court before they would be allowed to eavesdrop on conversations.

 

The courts would set the conditions such as the duration and type of monitoring, the spokesman said.

 

He added that innocent people should not be worried about the amendment as it would only be applied to criminal suspects.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30313425

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-26

[darksidedog]

And so the move towards a police state continues and innocent people should be worried about that.

[zaphod reborn]

Don't worry, Off. Somchais will be too busy monitoring their wife's, mia noi's and gik's calls and social media accounts to pay any attention to average citizens, or "criminals accused of grave offenses."

[Eligius]

17 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And so the move towards a police state continues and innocent people should be worried about that.

Yes, my friend. And still the Thais do nothing about it. More important to watch comedy shows with bells, gongs, hoots and whistles, or the latest appallingly acted soap opera.

 

There comes a point where, with the heaviest heart, one has to speak of national cowardice. Some nations in this world fought and sacrificed their blood in millions for liberty over the centuries. 

 

Moral and physical courage is not an attribute I see in abundance here. So - people get the 'government' they deserve. Sad - but, I am afraid, ultimately true. In the final analysis, a 'government' which is allowed to persist for growing numbers of years reflects the soul of the people who supinely permit such continuance. 

[KhunBENQ]

29 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And so the move towards a police state continues and innocent people should be worried about that.

One step closer.

Really worrying.

They must be so anxious that the "whole thing" might collapse.

[Bluespunk]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

With little fanfare, the Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed sweeping new powers for police to monitor mobile phone conversations and access mobile apps – but police promised that ordinary people would not be affected, because the authorities would only target criminals accused of grave offences.

Will that include offences that are not offences in other countries, but rather an opinion?

[Bluespunk]

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

He added that innocent people should not be worried about the amendment as it would only be applied to criminal suspects.

Yeah, right.

[baboon]

If a surveillance state with arbitrary powers of arrest and detention doesn't encourage foreign investors to flock here on the next thing smoking, I don't know what will...

[jacko45k]

Perhaps they should start by monitoring the phone conversations of their own if they seriously want to catch criminals.

[Nip]

15 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Yeah, right.

That's foreign nationals knackered cos we are guilty until proven guilty.

[Nip]

15 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

One step closer.

Really worrying.

They must be so anxious that the "whole thing" might collapse.

It's already a police state. The police control everything from the charities to the football association to all the foreign embassies. 

[sandrew33]

3 years now of slowly turning up the heat - the frog is well and truly being boiled at this point 

[Knocker33]

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And so the move towards a police state continues and innocent people should be worried about that.

It's just getting more like the US  the UK. No fun living here anymore

[AGareth2]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

security threats

Ah!

The catch all offence

(such as making a police report)

Edited April 27, 2017 by AGareth2

[Eagle60]

oh

Edited April 27, 2017 by davidcc

[AGareth2]

29 minutes ago, Nip said:

It's already a police state. The police control everything from the charities to the football association to all the foreign embassies. 

is there a Thai police bank?

[Sphere]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

...suspects involved in terrorism, transnational crimes, security threats or crimes with a statute of limitations of more than 10 years...

Does any of this already cover Ferrari drivers? 

 

 

 

[Nip]

3 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

is there a Thai police bank?

There is actually the KTB and AMLO the Anti Money Laundering Office is also run by the Police as is the entire Ministry for Justice.

[biplanebluey]

16 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And so the move towards a police state continues and innocent people should be worried about that.

Yep just another "without fanfare" downhill slide------ but hey,what am I worried about.I am an honest citizen, so I am safe.

[rosst]

Made the move to the Philippines a few years ago, no regrets, come to Thailand for a holiday occasionally but losing it's appeal. Very sad days. 

[faraday]

Why the outrage from some people?

 

The NSA & GCHQ have been doing this & more for years.

[wvavin]

The citizens should instead have the power to spy the Thai police for corruption. Really shameless!

[geriatrickid]

33 minutes ago, Knocker33 said:

It's just getting more like the US  the UK. No fun living here anymore

Pathetic fail at sarcasm.

The laws in place  to protect civil rights and privacy in the USA and UK are strong and are enforced. Despite what you might think, a police agency can not access private data as easily as the manner proposed for Thailand.  The judiciary is independent and is not cowed or intimidated by the military. Neither the US, nor UK military interferes in domestic affairs and in both countries the military is subject to transparent civilian oversight. 

 

If  I am harmed by a police officer or the government, I have a right of recourse. I have far more confidence in the judicial system, the military  and the law enforcement of these two countries than I do in the shakedown boys who hang out under the  walkway in front of Market Village , Hua Hin at the end of every month collecting money.

 

 

are

[jai boon]

 I wonder if your shirt color is a reason to tap your phone

[faraday]

Newspapers in the UK have been hacking peoples' phones for years.

[yellowboat]

Given the muzzling of the media, the intimidation of those who inquire about national heritage plaques, and a legal system that caters to the elites, this should be seen as a predictable but sad next step.  It will be used against political foes and those who express a inconvenient truths.   It will be used to terrify an already terrified public.  

[williamgeorgeallen]

have to wonder how it all works. army is in power but cops get the new powers. i suppose the army will be able to use these new powers as well. they would have been better off waiting till the next bombing to bring the new powers in. people dont care about freedom and liberty if they feel they are in danger.

[RichardColeman]

7 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

have to wonder how it all works. army is in power but cops get the new powers.

You scratch my back and i'll scratch yours I believe.

[PatOngo]

Thankfully, farang have options.

[klauskunkel]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Cabinet endorses broad spying powers for police

Yeah, sure, give the Bunglers in Brown more stuff they can falsify...

Wasn't there an initiative to reform the police in some way or another some time back? Looks like the reform is finished and now they can have extra power to satisfy their urges.