The Royal Thai Police has insisted that police random checkpoints even for crime suppression reasons must be removed.
On Monday, the RTF held a meeting to discuss and map out a plan launched by the newly appointed national police chief to eradicate the procedure.
“We will order police to remove random checkpoints that are set up just to deter crime. Yet police will still be able to set up barriers for special cases where there is a need to catch pre-identified criminals,” Pol Maj Gen Yingyos Thepchamnong, the national police’s spokesman told the media.
The new policy has been brought in by the incoming national police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk, with aims to reduce corruption related to bribes and extortion, and also better manage manpower resources and improve transparency.
He said the only future checkpoints will be those approved by cabinet motions such as those endorsed to clampdown on the trafficking of drugs, national security checkpoints and emergency cases.
These checkpoints would be staffed at agreed times by listed policemen.
The RTF is installing 5,000 surveillance cameras in Bangkok over the coming four months so that detectives can no longer use a lack of cameras as an excuse for poor work.
In another development, Pol Gen Jangyodsuk announced his vision and strategy for the RTP under his leadership.
“I don’t want to just impose my own plan on all police. I want you all to help me think about a vision and action plan for the RTF.
“We must think about what the RTF should be like in five years time,” Pol Gen Jangyodsuk told management-level policemen.
He said his priority is to develop human resources and focus on “putting the right man in the right job.”
In the meeting, he asked all 179 management-level policemen to give input on how to improve and modernise the structure, processes, human resource development and work culture of the RTP.
No More Random Police Checkpoints | Chiang Mai One