Honest Thai Police Chief"s ?

[Mozzbie47]

My Qustion is, are there any Thai police chiefs who are honest, do a good job, can be trusted and not on the take, if so, who are they.

[peterpan]

I don't know about police chief but I have met (in 20 yrs) a couple of honest coppers, I remember one who caught me speeding on the road to huahin, I pulled out some money which he waved away, and said "Not necessary" I was struck dumb with fright. It was so rare,I have heard reasons ,too justify excuses, "low pay" all that sort of shit, they are just born as corrupt thieves, police in higher positions are well paid.

[kmart]

My Qustion is, are there any Thai police chiefs who are honest, do a good job, can be trusted and not on the take, if so, who are they.

It helps to remember that the Royal Thai Police are not a 'police force' as such. "Laws" here are only enacted to extort money or other benefits.

Thailand's police did not become an organized crime gang by accident. The modern force was from the beginning intended both as a criminal and political agency, monopolizing the drug trade and murdering or detaining opponents, including other police. It quickly became unstoppable as, historian Thak Chaloemtiara notes, while people whispered about its crimes "investigation was impossible, for the crimes were committed by the police themselves."

Rest of link here:
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/571

[jamescollister]

Is there such an animal in the world, honest, true, stand for the right Police Chief.
Cops can be promoted on ability to a certain rank, after that it's politics and patronage that counts, favors are owed.
Corruption comes in many forms, not just envelopes passed, Thailand is openly corrupt, just like many western forces were in the 50s,60s, 70 and some still are.
Guess what I'm saying is, you get senior police that reflect the honesty of their Governments. Jim

[VocalNeal]

Also could be the only police force to have tanks?

Oh and it should be noted that "he in Dubai" was a senior ranking policeman, as was his father!

[Khonwan]

My wife’s great-uncle was a Major General in the police (head cop for Tak) when I visited him at his home in Nakhon Sawan seventeen years ago. He told me that he tried to live a good Buddhist life but that it wasn’t possible to be a good policeman in Thailand. He died, still in service, a couple of years later…unfortunately.


Most of the police I’ve had the “pleasure” to meet here have been corrupt. I recall meeting a Special Branch sergeant socially when a cousin who is always been a criminal (drugs, money collecting with menace, etc.) brought him and some other friends to my village from Bangkok. He asked me what I thought was Thailand’s biggest problem, to which I replied, corruption. I went on to tell him that he was corrupt…that he couldn’t have attained his position unless he was. That kind of brought the discussion to an end! Met him later that day again at the cousin’s house and shared a few beers, at which time he brought the subject back up, telling me that his corruption wasn’t for a couple of hundred baht like a traffic cop but that his started at 20,000. I explained that The Met (London Police) had been similarly corrupt but that a commission had been established to resolve it, which increased wages (putting them on par, at that time, with teachers’ salaries) to properly reward them and increased the penalties for corruption (I wasn’t sure about this last part but reckoned they probably had – I still only assume this). I asked him how much he would need for him not to be corrupt – he said 50,000 baht per month (this was around 8 years ago).

[Gazza]

Don't know about chiefs or other senior policemen being honest or not as I don't really come into contact with them. Traffic policemen? I got stopped using an overpass near the courts on Ratchadapisek. He gave me the usual mini-lecture about not using overpasses while I gave him an 'innocent-little-lost-boy-about-to-cry' look.
Showed my licence and a Reddie but he dismissed it with a showing of his palm and sent me on my way. I thought 'OMG! did that really happen? a copper refusing money?'
But as I passed the courts I remembered that Chalerms son was due sometime that day for a court appearance for shooting a policeman in a night club.

[Brown Sugar]

I must have been lucky in the seven years I have resided in Thailand never come up against this problem. Maybe though I am missing something like where is the judicial system in Thailand? I see daily on Thai T/V news persons being arrested cross examined in public on video (never any sign of a lawyer) found guilty and sentenced by the police.
Or that what appears to happen unless Daddy is rich. Could someone out there enlighten me?

[Mid]

I must have been lucky in the seven years I have resided in Thailand never come up against this problem.

Could someone out there enlighten me?

doubtful , as in you have been residing in the country for seven years and are unaware of the corruption . Best you continue with the blinkers 'cause they obviously are working .

[Brown Sugar]

I must have been lucky in the seven years I have resided in Thailand never come up against this problem.

Could someone out there enlighten me?

doubtful , as in you have been residing in the country for seven years and are unaware of the corruption . Best you continue with the blinkers 'cause they obviously are working .

I am fully aware of the corruption which goes on. I have been stopped by the police ( road blocks when driving) but have never been unfortunate enough to find a 'bent' copper to date.

[jamescollister]

Brian, like you never paid out in my time here, no cops out here border soldier country. May open up with a M14. but don't do traffic.
Main road has cops, they are locals and don't give family a hard time and everyone is family. They have to live in the villages, I couldn't get booked or asked for a kick back or the cops mother would be giving him a slapping for losing face with my family.
Wife's been done twice by the highway cops on her way to Ubon, once for speeding, radar and once for having a expired license. Both fair calls .
Big cities are a different game, not saying the locals aren't bend, but it's not local stuff. but what comes over the border things. Jim

[RickThai]

My Thai BIL is a Captain in the Thai Police. I have known him for almost 40 years. He is extremely honest, a devout Buddhist, and a good father. He once got into trouble with his superiors whiling patrolling the Myanmar border, because he showed compassion for a Burmese woman with two small children who had been arrested for crossing the border illegally.

Instead of booking them into a Thai jail, he took them back to the border and made them go back into Myanmar. He did this out of compassion for the woman and her children, all the while knowing it would hurt his career.

Corruption in Thailand is very common. It is not just police officers but just about all government workers who are in a position to help you (or hinder you) expect to receive "tea money" for their "help".

One of my Thai SILs has been a teacher for over 30 years. In order to help her nephew's girlfriend get a job as a student teacher, she had to pay "tea money" to the hiring manager (almost $200.00 USD). It's just a way of life.

Something similar happens in the USA (and probably most developed-countries, but it is generally on a much higher scale, such as a multi-million dollar businesses giving large "campaign" donations to members of Congress in order to influence the introduction of bills and votes on matters that would benefit their industry/country.

I would think the only "real" difference between Thailand (and other developing countries), and countries like the USA, London, Paris, etc is that everyday citizens can afford the relatively small amounts of tea money needed to influence government officials, but in the civilized countries, only the rich can afford to pay enough "tea money" to influence officials without being arrested.


RickThai

[Mozzbie47]

^^^ It always amazes me how polatitions here in Australia, who come from poor family's, become multi $$$ millionares, if you do the math, it's not from an accumulation of their wage.
So yes, I think corruption is every where.

[Brown Sugar]

Brian, like you never paid out in my time here, no cops out here border soldier country. May open up with a M14. but don't do traffic.
Main road has cops, they are locals and don't give family a hard time and everyone is family. They have to live in the villages, I couldn't get booked or asked for a kick back or the cops mother would be giving him a slapping for losing face with my family.
Wife's been done twice by the highway cops on her way to Ubon, once for speeding, radar and once for having a expired license. Both fair calls .
Big cities are a different game, not saying the locals aren't bend, but it's not local stuff. but what comes over the border things. Jim

I agree country cops are different to city cops. Like you I live in the sticks and do not have trouble from 'relatives'. But having said that I have also been lucky with ones I have encountered in other areas even Bangkok.

[Khonwan]

Many of these nice country cops control the local drugs distribution networks, facilitate the sale and shipping of local forest timber, accept large bribes in local murder cases to not forward cases to the prosecutor, etc. These are all examples that I’m personally aware of in my police district.

[jamescollister]

Many of these nice country cops control the local drugs distribution networks, facilitate the sale and shipping of local forest timber, accept large bribes in local murder cases to not forward cases to the prosecutor, etc. These are all examples that I’m personally aware of in my police district.

Can't disagree with that, sometimes have to drop a few 100 baht when moving wood for the rubber smoke house. Not illegal, but the local cop can give the worker a hard time.
Things are changing though, wanted to buy an old teak stilt house to move to the factory for the workers to live. Local cops refused to take some look the other way money, afraid we may get stopped by another agency, not local.

Getting more and more visits from the BKK boys, DSI, Drug Suppression, Border Army/Police, Forestry cops etc and they have little care for what the local cops do.
Even had a visit from channel 3 or 7 a few years ago, about an illegal logging operation. Shortly after a lot of cops, border troops were posted to less than good places.

Things are changing, just like in the west, Government want the money in their coffers not in the cops pocket.
Petty I didn't take advantage of it years ago, could have had a Thai ID card, legal. Jim

[Khonwan]

Jim, what’s to stop you getting Thai ID if you want it? You already qualify since you have a w/p and therefore have paid tax for at least 3 years; I assume you can converse in Thai.

[jamescollister]

Jim, what’s to stop you getting Thai ID if you want it? You already qualify since you have a w/p and therefore have paid tax for at least 3 years; I assume you can converse in Thai.

No W/P anymore, the factory doesn't process enough of other peoples rubber to justify paying a worker or 2 full time. When the world gets going again we will to.
Until then, no use even applying and my Thai is crap, Lao speaking area. Jim

[Mid]

Brian, like you never paid out in my time here, no cops out here border soldier country. May open up with a M14. but don't do traffic.

Can't disagree with that, sometimes have to drop a few 100 baht when moving wood for the rubber smoke house. Not illegal, but the local cop can give the worker a hard time.

.....

[jamescollister]

Brian, like you never paid out in my time here, no cops out here border soldier country. May open up with a M14. but don't do traffic.

Can't disagree with that, sometimes have to drop a few 100 baht when moving wood for the rubber smoke house. Not illegal, but the local cop can give the worker a hard time.

.....

That's a permit, you get a recipe to show if you are stopped, as said not illegal to burn wood, but illegal to cut down trees around here with out permission.
Is it corruption, I don't know, where the money goes I don't know or care.

Somewhat different to traffic offenses. Jim

[Mid]

apples and oranges and you know it .

you where simply caught out , end of .

[Khonwan]

Jim, what’s to stop you getting Thai ID if you want it? You already qualify since you have a w/p and therefore have paid tax for at least 3 years; I assume you can converse in Thai.

No W/P anymore, the factory doesn't process enough of other peoples rubber to justify paying a worker or 2 full time. When the world gets going again we will to.
Until then, no use even applying and my Thai is crap, Lao speaking area. Jim

It has crossed my mind in the past to establish a company and obtain a w/p long enough to get Thai citizenship but I’ve never been convinced of the benefits (for me personally) – certainly far cheaper just to do annual extensions.