Boonsrang sets agenda for police reform

[webfact]

Boonsrang sets agenda for police reform

By JITRAPORN SENWONG 
THE NATION

 

General Boonsrang Niumpradit

 

New head of panel studying overhaul of force looks overseas to find the best model.
 

BANGKOK: -- The newly-appointed head of the police reform committee, General Boonsrang Niumpradit has set his sights on promoting transparency, stamping out the sale of police positions, and improving police efficiency based on various overseas models. 

 

He said the mission was “challenging” and “meaningful”. 

 

“If the police system is not good, people will be the losers. Through this mission, we can improve the system,” he said yesterday. 

 

Boonsrang pointed out that a good system, for example, would reduce the problem of police-position-for-sale – which is blamed for corruption and various other problems in society. 

 

He said that he intended to make it easier to detect irregularities in police transfers and promotions, which would raise the chance of culprits being caught. 

 

“This way, even those who wish to buy or sell police positions would have to think twice. They would face a higher risk of getting caught and prosecuted,” Boonsrang said. 

 

He expressed confidence that he was up to the mission, even if he had no direct background in the police force.

 

“I can study the matter, although I don’t know all the details from the very beginning,” said Boonsrang, who is a former supreme commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

 

According to him, there are case studies from 10 nations for Thailand’s plan to reform its police force. The Hong Kong model has proved to be very effective in fighting corruption. The United States, meanwhile, is outstanding in ensuring that police can usually reach a crime scene within minutes. 

 

The Boonsrang-headed police reform committee will convene its first meeting today when four subcommittees will be established.

Boonsrang refused to confirm whether members of the general public would be recruited into the sub-committees. 

 

He said that people could always express their opinions through social media and other methods. 

 

Yesterday, he accepted a book on a police reform road map from Somsri Harn-anantasuk, who represents the people’s network on police reform.

 

“We may even set up a subcommittee on opinion-gathering and open a website to make it easier for people to have their voices heard,” he said.

 

Boonsrang said his committee would meet twice a week until solid progress was made. “Then, we may meet just once a week,” he said. 

He added that his committee would focus on completing its mission within the nine-month timeframe. 

 

“Our mission would be useful to people and the National Police Office, including its junior policemen,” he said. 

 

Boonsrang shrugged off criticism that his appointment made it appear that the military was going to overhaul the police force. 

 

“If you look into the details, you would find that there are just military officers in the committee,” he said. 

 

Boonsrang also insisted that the government and the National Council for Peace and Order had not given him any special instructions about the mission. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30320486

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-12

[Smiley Face]

Talk, talk, talk!  I remember the old advertising slogan, 'Where's the beef?'  Let's see even the smallest amount of improvement amid all this non-stop rhetoric.  Talk is cheap and in Thailand, cheap is always number one.

[smutcakes]

I presume the talk if 10 other countries examples is setting the bait for 10 overseas 'study ' trips for the Committee.

[Chris Lawrence]

Then again they have a lot to learn from the military. Why go overseas. The acre of diamonds is in their own backyard.

[yellowboat]

At least he is looking for answers outside of Thailand.  That is not the most popular way to start in this country. 

 

In the 1970's and 1980's Hong Kong heavily recruited policemen from the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to stop corruption.  

[bheard]

9 month timeframe.
Sounds achievable, talkfest, report, job done.
Now for implementing the recommendations.
. . . . Yawn.

[tracker1]

Surely a man in his position as former Supreme Commander of the Air Force would know about buying positions ! as for setting up sub committiees and committee meeting twice a week that should get things done in nine months sounds a bit like where I worked they ended up more like a free lunch and a chat but not much achieved !

[biggles45]

The RTP force is beyond reform, those that could perhaps make it work have no wish to do so. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

impossible job as it means paying the cops a decent salary so they dont have to go out and find their own. step 2 stopping the way cops go out and earn their money. only 2 steps required but both steps are impossible. interesting hearing how hong kong sorted them selves out.

[williamgeorgeallen]

2 hours ago, bheard said:

9 month timeframe.
Sounds achievable, talkfest, report, job done.
Now for implementing the recommendations.
. . . . Yawn.

should have made it 20 years like the war on corruption. gives more time to forget about it.

[Paul Henry]

They have finally agreed that the RTP is corrupt.Yet these corrupt officers are allowed to give sworn evidence in court and be believed.

[lvr181]

"Through this mission, we can improve the system,” he said yesterday."

 

Improve the system for whose benefit? Tinkering around the edges of RTP cultural problems is not going to achieve a responsible, accountable, effective and respected Police Force!

 

Ho hum 

[whatawonderfulday]

More crap

[SABloke]

Just now, yellowboat said:

At least he is looking for answers outside of Thailand.  That is not the most popular way to start in this country. 

 

In the 1970's and 1980's Hong Kong heavily recruited policemen from the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to stop corruption.  

Looking for answers outside the country?  ..... He's looking for some free trips and there's not a chance in hell that they would ever hire foreigners to sort out their shitty mess.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, yellowboat said:

At least he is looking for answers outside of Thailand.  That is not the most popular way to start in this country. 

 

In the 1970's and 1980's Hong Kong heavily recruited policemen from the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to stop corruption.  

When he realises that the only people he can work with and change the mindset of are one and the same people ie the BIB he will hit a brick wall

they are and always have been happy with the system they have now as it works very well for them.

It's not about solving crime, it's always been about making money and status, buy your way to the top with hard cash, not promotion from ability.

Where does that cash come from, and there's the route of most corruption.

I hope he has a very heavy hammer to crack this ancient walnut.

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

When he realises that the only people he can work with and change the mindset of are one and the same people ie the BIB he will hit a brick wall

they are and always have been happy with the system they have now as it works very well for them.

It's not about solving crime, it's always been about making money and status, buy your way to the top with hard cash, not promotion from ability.

Where does that cash come from, and there's the route of most corruption.

I hope he has a very heavy hammer to crack this ancient walnut.

Understood, as it is now, the system is nothing less than vile.  Not holding out much hope there will be any substantive changes anytime soon.  It will be a very long time before anything in Thailand remotely resembles the Hong Kong Police Force