Thai Policemen

[aqua4 2]

http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php/2008/0...n-part-1?blog=8

 

Please explain your background as a police officer.

 

I’ve been a police officer for around 13 years and currently hold the rank of Sargeant Major. When I first entered the police force I only had a high school education (Grade 12). It wasn’t easy at all to become a policeman, I had to take the exam many times before I finally succeeded in passing. When I did manage to pass it, there were only 500 positions available compared to more than 10,000 who took the exam.

 

So, in regards to educational qualifications, a high school certificate is enough to become a cop?

 

Yes, 13 years ago, but now – No. The regulations have changed over the past few years. Anyone who wishes to take the police force entrance examinations these days must have a degree.

 

Any old degree?

 

No, in most instances you must have a degree in law. In fact, for those officers like myself who didn’t originally go to university, most of us have now graduated in the field of law from an open university.

 

You earlier told me that you were attempting to pass your ‘Nai Roy’ examination, please explain again.

 

Yes, last year I twice took the examination for non-commissioned police officers to become commissioned officers (lieutenant +). It was really tough, for the first examination 23,000 non-commissioned officers took the exam, competing for only 300 places. As for the second, the figures were very similar. The examination was completely ‘multiple choice’ – 100 questions mostly about law. I didn’t pass last year’s exams but I’ll try again the next time one comes up.

 

As a police officer, can you decide whereabouts you work?

 

No, that depends on the big bosses in Bangkok. They could turn around any day and tell me that I am moved to say Narathiwat or Yala in the deep south. They are usually understanding enough though, especially when you have children at school etc… If a policeman wants to move provinces, say join his wife upcountry, he has to try and find an officer in that province who is willing to swap location. If no-one wants to swap locations he will have to wait and wait until an empty position arises. This can take years, especially if it is well sought after locations like Bangkok or Chiang Mai etc….

The only officers who have a choice on where they work are the new commissioned officers straight out of university who have just joined the forces.

 

Can you tell us about your current job as a police officer?

 

Sure, I am what you say ‘Patrol Police’, one of those guys you see driving around two on a motorbike all day, patrolling the area, arresting suspects and also attending to 191 calls. On occasions, as I am a trained commando, in the event of a hostage crisis or something like that, I also get called in.

 

What kind of crime do you have to deal with most?

 

First up, has to be drugs. I probably spend half my time patrolling around just stalking down drug-addicts in possession of Ya Ba (methamphetamine pills). Second most common are thieves and especially those whose speciality is motorbikes. I also have to waste a lot of time dealing with drunks, angry wives and family fights that are disrupting their nieghbourhoods. And of course, the police are always called into solve matters which have nothing to do with them. This is one reason it is essential for a police officer like to me to have a degree in law; we get called into incidents which are either borderline arrests or a case for police intervention, so we have to make sure we know our stuff before bringing the matter to the station lieutenant.

 

How dangerous is your job?

 

Extremely.

 

Please explain in more detail giving an example or two.

 

Well, it is the patrol police like myself who has to enter places like slums, search or/and arrest drug-addicts and drug dealers etc…. Many of these criminals are often in possession of a weapon of some kind like a knife, baton or even a gun. Often, I have to call in assistance to arrest a drug-addict in possession, who is on a high crazed out brandishing a weapon. For search and arrest of drug-dealers the most dangerous times of all are when we have to pull-over vehicles, many of which aren’t just random but the result of investigation or a tip-off. A lot of these dealers shifting drugs in their vehicles are also carrying guns, either on their bodies or under their car seats etc… Some even think they are real smart and have their girlfriends carry the weapon under their blouse even skirt. Many have been known to fire at the police in the event of been ‘pulled over’. Until now, I have been personally lucky but a very close colleague/friend of mine was killed like this a couple of years ago.

 

I’d like to ask more about criminals carrying drugs and what happens if they are female or ladyboys.

 

If we suspect a girl has drugs on her we can give her a very brief search but if we don’t find anything we can take her down to the police station and have a female officer do a search. Often the girls carry the pills in intimate places. If it’s a ladyboy, and she has a pair of breasts say, we still have the right to check between them for drugs, she is still a man according to the law. But their rights in regards to the law are taking a turn in their defense.

 

Many foreigners want to know this one in regards to policemen’s guns, bikes, uniforms etc… – What is Free and What is not?

 

The motorbike is free (patrol police = 2 cops/1 bike) but at the end of our shift we have to return the bike to the station. Only if we have special permission from our bosses can we take the thing home. As for petrol, we get 1,200baht in allowance each month (for one bike) but this is no way enough, on average we spend around 100 baht a day on gas. When we become a cop we get a gun for free, but because it is usually old and scrappy, if we have the money, we buy our own. If we lose it (same goes for the bike, walkie-talkie etc…) we have to pay for it and the police force charges us cops the full-price for anything lost. Take this battered police walkie-talkie which is probably worth just 3-4,000 baht (he shows me) if I lose it, I have to pay around 18,000 for it!

 

The police do have to pay for their own bullets (1 = 38baht) but in the case of special gun training we are given them for free. As for uniforms and boots etc…. we have to pay for all that out of our own pockets. One uniform costs around 1,800baht and a pair of boots is 1,500.

 

I’m sure a lotta people would like to know how much salary does a typical police officer like yourself earn.

 

My present salary is approx. 12,000baht, then I get 3,000 danger money and 1,000 rank bonus – so my monthly salary is basic 16,000. Then, if I or my colleagues make a big important arrest or meet or targets etc…. we receive financial awards to share out between us.

 

When you first became a policeman what was your salary?

 

Mmmm…in those days it was just 5,100baht for a new cop, these days it is now 7,200.

 

How is rank related to amount of salary and how does promotion work?

 

For non-commissioned officers like myself they aren’t very related, salary is based on work performance. The usual time period for promotion from one rank to another is three years but again your salary will only go up a lot if your work has been good.

 

How many days off a week/month do you get?

 

None. If we want a day off then we have to swap shifts with a colleague. A shift is 8 hours, any time of the day, so if we swap shifts that means we have to work 16 hours straight. We are though, allowed ‘leave’ but for this we have to ask our boss and give him a good excuse.

 

How difficult is it, as a cop, to keep a ‘cool heart’?

 

Very. We get called into deal with drunkards a lot and that is difficult. Often, they get angry or even start to throw punches or throw things at us.

 

What rights do you have for carrying a gun?

 

At all times. In theory, a police officer is never ‘off duty’, if he sees a crime at anytime he must deal with it. In our spare time, dressed in casual clothes, we should still carry our guns but they ought to be concealed under our shirts etc…. That is the regulation.

 

When does a police officer have the right to shoot?

 

Only if the suspect is carrying a weapon and shoots at us first. We are only allowed to fire once. If an average suspect turns around and tries to run away, I can only chase him.

 

Do Thai police have taser guns?

 

Very few and only in Bangkok, but as they are very dangerous, they are only used in the case of say a hostage crisis.

 

Have you ever shot or/and killed anyone?

 

Fortunately, no.

 

When you become a policeman, do you have to take any kind of oath?

 

Yes, with witnesses around, we have to plead allegiance in front of a portrait of the King and swear the Holy Trinity of ‘Nation’, ‘Religion’ & ‘Monarchy’.

 

In your opinion, how do the general public view Thai police?

 

Mostly positive. The people who don’t like the cops are usually the ones who often break the law themselves, like carrying drugs, gambling or committing driving offenses etc…

 

Driving offenses - don't they have to do with the traffic police?

 

A police officer is a police officer. It is our duty to crack down on any kind of criminal even if that suspect is involved in another branch of crime which is not directly related to ours.

 

 

How old must an individual be before you can lock him up in a police cell?

 

14. Older than that but under 18, they are then sent to a Youth Detention Centre.

 

A friend would like ask; is it possible to hire a police officer to be a bodyguard, escort a private car or even collect debts?

 

Yes. If you wanted me to be your bodyguard then I can certainly be so, but only in my own spare time. Otherwise, same goes for escorting cars, you would have to contact the police station superintendent with good reasons. A fee needs to be paid too.

As for collecting debts, that is none of my business. In such a situation, I could only go and explain the law to the one who owes the money. That is a matter for the judge to decide not the police.

 

What about female police officers, what is their role?

 

Mostly administration, they just sit in the office like at Immigration signing this and that and keying in data on their computer. There are a lot of female cops though in the police hospitals, many work as nurses and doctors. You will also find that a lot of the older ones also hold a high rank, such as Major or even Colonel.

 

Do you like your uniform? Don’t you find it a bit tight! I read that they are going to bring in a new ‘cool’ looking one. Are you glad about that?

 

I like my current uniform. As for the idea about bringing in a new uniform, I have seen the pictures of it and I don’t like it, it looks silly. The uniform is a bit tight but not as tight as what you might think. You see (he shows me) the buttons aren’t real, they are fake – there is only a shirt zip – the fake buttons are only there to make the thing look tight. It’s like an optical illusion.

 

What type of criminals do you detest the most?

 

I really hate the influential ones with their big connections. They are often high ranking individuals who deal in drugs or something like that. I can do nothing to arrest them as I have ‘no evidence’. If I see an old one in a restaurant surrounded by lots of pretty girls, I know he is scum, but I can only look on. If I say anything, then me myself will get into trouble – the guy has big money and big friends, often politicians.

 

Have you ever though, arrested any ‘big shots’ or Hi-So teenagers etc..?

 

Sure, but they aren’t as big as the ones I just mentioned. A couple of months ago, I pulled over some teenagers for a driving offense – six on a motorbike and drunk. The driver was the son of a high ranking person. When I stopped him he said

“Do you know who my dad is?” I replied “No”.

Next, he was on the phone to his dad and asked me to talk to him. I completely refused and just arrested him. I told him to tell his dad to come to the police station.

Recently, I also arrested a nephew of the former provincial police chief for a similar offense.

 

What type of suspect, if any, do you take pity upon?

 

I feel really sorry for many girls who get arrested alongside their boyfriends who are carrying drugs. Often, the girl doesn’t know that her boyfriend is shifting drugs, she is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, when we call him over to do a search. Most of the time, the girls are finally let off ‘Scot-free’ but at first, I have to arrest them too.

 

I also take pity on teenage boys who get charged for under-age sex, I mean I used to be a teenager myself. I had to arrest one young boy lately who was 18, but his girlfriend was just 14. The father of the girl was a teacher and it was him who called the station and filed the charge. When we arrested the boy (in the girl’s bedroom) and took him down the station, his girlfriend was throwing a frenzy; screaming and kicking, she was even kicking and punching her dad. On that day, I didn’t blame the boy, I really blamed the father – he was obnoxious. The boy was finally sentenced and sent to prison.

 

Interesting. Can you tell us anymore interesting times as a police officer?

 

Of course. I’ll start with this one. Last year I was ‘off duty’ in plain clothing and went to have a noodle soup at a shop which also sold beer. When I was there some guy called me over and offered me a beer, since he was paying like, I agreed to join him. He asked me what I did for a living and I explained that I was a cop. Anyway, after half an hour or so, this guy was obviously getting seriously drunk and suddenly started getting really mouthy. He was shouting things to me like “You are not a f**king cop, you f**king wa*ker”. I got up and went to the toilet. When I came out and was walking to my bike outside, he smacked me on the back of my head with a beer bottle. He went back to his table and just carried on drinking!

 

So, I called in the police and he was arrested. In the morning, behind bars, he was full of bruise marks. Supposedly, the night before in the cell, he had been swearing and making trouble with the other inmates and got into some fights!

 

When the lieutenant called me over to face him, the guy claimed that he couldn’t remember me, in fact he reckoned he couldn’t remember the slightest about the night before!

 

I can clearly remember the time too a few years ago when I was just signing in. In came to the station this old scruffy looking guy who just planted himself down in front of my desk. Right in front of me he lit up a big Ganja joint and placed a big bag of it on my desk. Then he said “Please arrest me”. It had came to light, that the guy had just been released from prison after having been there for 15 or so years. He had nowhere to go - no money, no food. He simply wanted to go back to prison. I didn’t arrest him but called in a member of a local charity organization for the poor. I also gave him 100 baht.

 

A colleague of mine also told me of another similar case where a ‘tom-boy’ committed a crime directly in front of him as she wanted to go back to prison; she missed her lover.

 

A short while back, my colleague and I were called in by some villagers about a monk from their local temple. So, when we arrived, thinking that perhaps the monk was taking drugs or something, we were lead up to the top of a house. Instead, there in the woods, was a monk with his robes off having it off with a nun. We had to explain to the villagers of course that we as cops could nothing about this except contact the temple abbot.

 

In fact, us police are constantly called in to deal with matters that have nothing whatsoever to do with the police. Like problems about minor wives, child maintenance, divorce and debts etc…. These kinds of issues can only be settled in court.

[snowmaan 0]

its good to have an insight in to there lives.

i cant believe they make them buy there own uniform

[BigDUSA 71]

Good read. Sounds like what the Philadelphia cops go through. Cops hate going on a domestic dispute call. They consider this the most dangerous assignment they can have.

[thaiali 0]

very insightful.....a great read

[vegasdave 0]

Very interesting indeed. One can see why they need to get extra tea money. I was just listening to a radio add here. The where recruiting officers. The starting pay is $53k. Plus retirement, and full benifits. That doesent count all the overtime. And on top of that if you call them for a house burgerlry or car theft they will not even come out on a call, they just tell you to go to the station to fill out a report. Also anyone who calls the police is considered a suspect and is the first person to be looked into. Their theory is that if you had to call them you where doing "something" wrong. When my neighbor was jumped going to throw out the trash, he called the police. When asked what he should do or what the police could do they simplely said. Arm yourself. We can complain about corupt police in LOS but best to look at what we have right at home.

[egget 0]

I wish all the policemen was like this one.

[bibzo 7]

Don’t kid your self’s, this lot are in it for the money they own bars and got big houses

 

The jet skies and the big motor boats are all owned by the bib ,or tied to the bib