No more bribes for Police says City Hall

Municipal police issued with warning - Pattaya Mail

No more bribe taking says city hall - Ariyawat Nuamsawat

City hall has issued a warning to PattayaтАЩs municipal police after receiving complaints about their conduct, and has given them three months in which to improve their standards.

Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn says he is ready to punish inappropriate acts performed by municipality police.

The warning was issued on May 31 by Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, after a Pattaya lawyer was asked to look into the complaints that had been made over abuse of police powers.
Ronakit said the warning amounted to a performance policy concerning honesty and adherence to lawful practices, and makes it clear that extortion of money from people is illegal. He pointed out that the municipal police have an employment contract that is renewed every year, and that any officer found committing acts against the regulations could find himself in contractual difficulties. Niran said that the current image of PattayaтАЩs municipal police is opposite to that of policy, and that the cityтАЩs image suffers accordingly.

The mayor said that city hall policy divides police work into three distinct areas, namely Naklua, Pattaya and Jomtien. However, officers are only carrying out their duties in certain areas, and neglecting others. A new understanding needs to be created in which the police revise their operational coverage.

Niran said that if the present problems are found to persist within the next two to three months, offending officers might have to be removed from duty.
тАЬThey should be proud to conduct their duties,тАЭ said the mayor, тАЬeven though their work requires a high level of endurance. тАЬSenior officers should behave well, and set an example for the others. Ultimately, this is all good for PattayaтАЩs international reputation.тАЭ"

Pattaya Mail

Brave Mayor - but then he is not standing for re-election.

No more bribes for Police says City Hall

:idea: Something about 'pigs' and 'flying' springs to mind

If Pattaya was serious about this why would the police be given 3 months to stop breaking the law?

The Royal Thai Police, Bangkok municipal police and Phuket provincial police are providing clearing offices where complains about fraud etc are accepted … if submitted in Thai language only.

To my knowledge, neither Tourist police nor Immigrants office or other police forces are providing this kind of services.

The good thing about the Pattaya system is that the borders of responsibilities are (more) clearly clarified.

Salary paid to low ranking police officers is pretty low. Civil service benefits are very important (like free schooling, medical care, less housing costs etc).

Police officers need to buy all of own equipment (weapon, uniform, helmets, hand cuffs, etc.). It takes some time until this “prior investment” returned.

People working on one years contact do usually not receive a good training either. ..

It would probably be a better idea to train the force properly, support them in difficult situations and prove a sufficient future. If an officer gets sacked due to any misbehaviour, this would be a real punishment. Threatening doesn’t make anything better.

Under present circumstances I can understand the pressure of making “extra” money in order secure present and future living.

I cannot remember any reason to complain personally about police behaviour in Thailand. There are sometimes lazy or insecure who to handle some questions but with some patients and good will I always got what I wanted. Locally I do prefer to deal with the tourist police if I need anything. Otherwise I can call some Bangkok based officers who I know privately or business wise very well since many years.

The City Hall said no more bribes for Police. Actually the City Hall has not any kind of power to order something to the police. It is not my mind, the major said to me personally. So bribes never ending in case of tradition.