'Police support military man' as reform panel chief

[webfact]

'Police support military man' as reform panel chief
By THE NATION

 

 

Fifteen police officers in 36-member committee headed by Boonsrang

 

BANGKOK: -- POLICE WOULD support the idea of a military officer heading the newly-appointed police reform committee, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday.

 

Meanwhile, a deputy police spokesman praised the 36 panel members as high-calibre people with expertise to deal with the tasks within the nine-month time frame.

 

The Cabinet approved the establishment of a 36-member police reform committee on Tuesday, chaired by former Supreme Commander General Boonsrang Niampradit. As well as Boonsrang and five executives from related ministries and offices, the panel also comprises of 15 police officers and 15 non-police officials. 

 

Boonsrang was Prawit’s former classmate at Military Preparatory School and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s former instructor at the Chulachomklao Military Academy.

 

Prawit quoted Prayut as saying that the premier held Boonsrang, who is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and a doctorate degree holder, in high regard and believed he could perform this duty well. 

 

Prawit said it would be no problem for a military man to head the police reform panel and police would like it too, as tasks would be completed fast and well. He also said that the number of police on the panel wasn’t too many, provided 15 non-police members would balance them. 

 

Deputy police spokesman Pol Maj-General Songpol Wattanachai said the committee would proceed with aspects of police reform, especially the annual police shuffle to avoid an alleged position-buying scandal. He emphasised such a scandal was being probed and it currently remained a “criticism” as there was no proof such a crime had ever taken place and nobody faces legal action. 

 

He said that Boonsrang’s military status did not necessarily mean there was military intervention in police reform as there were many committee members to balance him. “All 36 members are high-calibre persons with expertise and virtue. We just have to see the reform result,” he said.

 

National police deputy chief Pol General Rungroj Saengkhram – who was among the panel members – had led a previous working team on police reform that had concluded. It had submitted to the government six aspects of the police force that should be reformed, including missions transfer, human resource development, pay and welfare adjustment, career growth path, reform of interrogation work and law enforcement, and the use of technology.

 

National Security Council chief and new panel member General Thaweep Netniyom quoted Boonsrang as saying his position as head of the committee did not mean he could order other panel members at will. “Whether it is led by a police or military man, the point is this committee of experts must work together and consider various aspects and solve problems within the police force and complete the work within the given time frame,” Thaweep said. 

 

It will have 15 police officers, including national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and fellow police generals Ek Angsananont, Panya Mamen and Aswin Kwanmuang, the governor of Bangkok.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30320007

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-06

[Thaiwrath]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Boonsrang was Prawit’s former classmate at Military Preparatory School and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s former instructor at the Chulachomklao Military Academy.

Jobs for the boys !

[colinneil]

You scratch our backs we will scratch yours.

[tracker1]

I posted this previously ! "Why is it no surprise another Army General in a high position 36 positions 15 will be police 4 from other walks of life I would say the other 17 positions just might be Military ! so who has the majority rule ? you guessed it !!!! and they think we are dumb ! " Now it appears there are 30 positions that the number of police on the panel wasn’t too many, provided 15 non-police members would balance them. My maths arn't the best but this is totaly confusing but if there are only 15 police and 36 members doesn't balance out to well !

[al007]

If and only if this moves forward there will be some very worried people around

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, al007 said:

If and only if this moves forward there will be some very worried people around

The police say they accept the panel.

 

Actually I would prefer that they said they didn't accept the panel, meaning their relationship is not too cosy.

[joebrown]

I see Pol General Panya Mamen seems to be climbing the junta's ladder quite well. And this is after he was 'replaced' as the chief investigating officer in charge of the Koh Tao murders 3 years ago, for doing too good a job! 

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prawit quoted Prayut

I bet they finish each others sentences too.  Or Prawit thinks and Prayut speaks, or sings or waxes in verse.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Supreme Commander General Boonsrang Niampradit.

He looks good on paper.  See if the former Supreme Commander General can change that which is considered unchangeable.

[Yann55]

A majority of police and army guys in a committee created to clean up the corruption problem within the police ?

 

It's a bit like a tiger entering a butcher's shop full of customers ... Faced with all the terrified looks the tiger raises his paw and explains with a large, benign smile : "don't worry, guys : I'm a vegetarian".

Edited July 6, 2017 by Yann55

[Eric Loh]

Let me quess. The reform committee will meet for the first session and agree to launch a comprehensive review of the police system and report back. The review will probably take a few years and meanwhile the panel members will continue to receive their paycheck and all this will probably take a few years. Meanwhile police misdemeanor will continue unabated.  

[Zack61]

2 hours ago, al007 said:

If and only if this moves forward there will be some very worried people around

And for this reason there will only be cosmetic changes or at best minor ones. 

[mikebell]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

All 36 members are high-calibre persons with expertise and virtue.

Non of whom has any previous record of showing the slightest interest in police reform/Thai justice. 

[debate101]

Top-down reform is not reform. It's just power and control. That's all it's ever been about since the beginning. "Reform" is just a buzzword thrown around to muddy the waters and paint their naked power grabs as having a noble purpose. It should be obvious by now...

[Smarter Than You]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

The police say they accept the panel.

 

Actually I would prefer that they said they didn't accept the panel, meaning their relationship is not too cosy.

How bizarre is your view that the police are the epitome of all evil and the military an organisation of virtue capable of ridding the police of said evil.

I would posit every wrong the police do they have learned how to do it from the military, the only difference would be that the wrongs of the military are on a much larger scale than those of the police.

Big brother, little brother.

[Srikcir]

"POLICE WOULD support the idea of a military officer heading the newly-appointed police reform committee"

Like there was a choice between "playing ball" with the junta and/or getting reassigned to an inactive station and/or attitude adjustment? Without free will there's no reform.

[Chris Lawrence]

Why 36?

 

Why so many?

 

What fee is paid to sit on this board?

 

"Boonsrang was Prawit’s former classmate at Military Preparatory School and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s former instructor at the Chulachomklao Military Academy." This man may be fantastic for the job, but with 36, sounds like he will be back in Preparatory School class room.

 

"36 panel members as high-calibre people with expertise to deal with the tasks within the nine-month time frame." These high calibre people would be 'good people', majority from Bangkok, I assume. 

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, Chris Lawrence said:

Why 36?

 

Why so many?

 

What fee is paid to sit on this board?

 

"Boonsrang was Prawit’s former classmate at Military Preparatory School and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s former instructor at the Chulachomklao Military Academy." This man may be fantastic for the job, but with 36, sounds like he will be back in Preparatory School class room.

 

"36 panel members as high-calibre people with expertise to deal with the tasks within the nine-month time frame." These high calibre people would be 'good people', majority from Bangkok, I assume. 

There is a Mr. Tossaporn in the photo line up. I think he might come from Pattaya.

[TheFishman1]

Do they have any chose 

[Redline]

National police deputy chief Pol General Rungroj Saengkhram – who was among the panel members – had led a previous working team on police reform that had concluded. It had submitted to the government six aspects of the police force that should be reformed, including missions transfer, human resource development, pay and welfare adjustment, career growth path, reform of interrogation work and law enforcement, and the use of technology.

 

I like that law enforcement is near last, and corruption didn't make it on the list   And what about jailing the police that commit crimes?

[natway09]

Why use people who have absolutely no interest in reform ?

What is needed is people who can possibly teach them that they have a job to do not just lining their own pockets.

Take Ratchaprasong for example, if the police had stopped them erecting tents in the middle of a busy road 

(not just turning a blind eye & filling the piggy bank) a lot of Thailand's woes could have been avoided.

 

[Nip]

This says it all ..... It's a well known fact that positions are not only bought in the RTP but in the public service too.... 

 

"Deputy police spokesman Pol Maj-General Songpol Wattanachai said the committee would proceed with aspects of police reform, especially the annual police shuffle to avoid an alleged position-buying scandal. He emphasised such a scandal was being probed and it currently remained a “criticism” as there was no proof such a crime had ever taken place and nobody faces legal action." 

[inThailand]

Good idea! Establish a committee of criminals to investigate their fellow criminals. They must not be sharing enough up the ladder.