New police chief lays down the law: No more checkpoints nationwide

[NanLaew]

14 minutes ago, connda said:

Hopefully this guy will lead the department into the 21st century.  Now, purchase patrol cars and train the cops to pull over traffic violators and issue citations.  Maybe then they could put a dent in the 21,000 lives lost a year on the Thai roads of death.

If they do that, then who's gonna escort the busloads of boyscouts and girlguides, flying down the outside lane on their regional jamboree's?

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, connda said:

Hopefully this guy will lead the department into the 21st century.  Now, purchase patrol cars and train the cops to pull over traffic violators and issue citations.  Maybe then they could put a dent in the 21,000 lives lost a year on the Thai roads of death.

Also teach them how to spot a driver who might be under the influence, make the traffic stop, make the contact, see the signs and symptoms, remove the driver from the car and give them some Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, then arrest them if they are deemed to be under the influence of either alcohol or a drug based upon training and experience, and then test them.  If a specially trained officer in Drug Recognition Evaluation and Detection is needed, well then get that examination performed as well.  With all of the evidence at hand and after the results come back from a certified lab on the blood or urine test, then prosecute the crud out of them, strip there license and fine them, increase there insurance and ensure that the vehicle they own has an ignition interlock system on it and one they must blow into to unlock the ignition so they can drive as long as no alcohol is detected.  OK, sorry but I went on a rant. 10 years ago as an independent contractor working for a training consortium in the US we approached the Thai Government with the training for there officers, and were told thanks but no thanks.  You can see what the outcome is, they just do not seem to care, as it is to much work for them to do.

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Naew Na called the new chief "Big Pat" in one of their headlines that referred to an end of checkpoints, and the flushing out of casinos and online betting

Ever tried chasing a tenner around a windy carpark .? 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Justgrazing
Sp

[bodga]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

5,000 new CCTV cameras to be installed in the next 4 months to help the police.

sleep more so they can check later?

[bodga]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

where would you begin to change that culture?

pretty  simple, massively over  manned, half  the force  double the salary

[worgeordie]

Free passage for the drug couriers coming down from Mae Sai,

Drink and drive no problem,there's going to be no one to stop

you,except maybe another car or someone  on a zebra crossing.

 

Just the other day they stopped a drug dealer,his mates,with

drugs, more important with a handgun,and a machine gun !

 

regards Worgeordie

 

[8OA8]

Waiting for the next announcement, "allegedly" New Army chief announces they now have the franchise for roadside checks, business will continue as before, but the uniform colour of those manning checkpoints will change.

[Flying Saucage]

I sense that there might be more behind this.

 

It seems that possibly there is someone at the very top of the country who aims to reduce corruption at least within the lower ranks of the Thai officialdom in general, possibly to make corruption more a monopoly of those within the top levels of the Sakdina pyramide, but especially to make the whole country more led by orders and obedience rather than corruption and anarchy as it is partly the case today. The installation of thousands more CCTV-cameras to enhance control on the populace fits into this as well.

 

The lower ranks have to functionate properly to stabilize and strenghten the existing political system, rather than undermining it by accepting personal benefits.

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Flying Saucage

[Kerryd]

Yeah, the news reports that were out much earlier today stated that they were only doing away with the Drink-driving testing at checkpoints, not doing away with the checkpoints themselves.

The measure was meant to crack down on cops taking under the table bribes to let drunk drivers go free. The earlier report said that testing would be done at a hospital. So if they pull you over at a checkpoint and suspect you've been drinking, they'll haul your *** to the nearest hospital and test you and if you're drunk, you'll get ticketed for the full amount.

Keep in mind that Big Jok made a splash when he first took over as the top cop for Immigration. Until he p1ssed off the wrong people and was assigned to an "inactive post" - where he'd been ever since (and has recently sued the gov't over that fact).

[AhFarangJa]

I think the odds on him being around long enough to draw his pension are now extremely long indeed.

[alexth]

Does this include them crocodiles who stand in booth like pregnant old ladies and only make a run out of their booth when they see a farang on the bike? 

[Dart12]

While not created by the west.  Checkpoints have been utilized by the west to perform unlawful searches of the public and are unconstitutional in the US (even though the police will still operate them). 

You used to be Innocent until proven guilty.  To me, that includes getting pulled over and searched for no reason is a fundamental invasion of privacy..

I can't believe how many of you think they are ok.  What next?  Random entrance into your house ok?

I recognized I'm not in the west right now, so I live by the rules and laws of being here and accept them as part of my choice to liver here. 

 

 

 

[Formaleins]

The Ya Bah transportation is going to skyrocket on the Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai 118 highway!

[rupert the bear]

all very well but what about the police being made responsible,if your a victim of crime many stations  wont do their duty unless u bribe them with a large chunk of change,how does the public whos a victim of such have a criminal held accountable or the polive held likewise.?so some complaints mechanism need sto be in place to ensure scum bags are held accountable,dont hold your breath

[Lacessit]

Interesting prostitution doesn't rate a mention with this new broom.

[natway09]

I bet you that when I drive to Mae Sot this month I will still be stopped at least 3 times,,,,,any takers ?

Buying of Police positions will continue as normal as long as the RTP gets away with extorting monies from business owners. It is endemic.

But interesting that the Army Chief has been told to step on a a few of the RTP big boys feet.

Change in the air or as one posterr asks, "we want a bigger share of the pot"

[uncleP]

I live in Bangkok. Roadside police checks have never stopped.  I see a couple a week ,minimum, driving locally

[Megasin1]

The thing about a good joke is that you can hear it again and again and each time it still makes you smile ????

[Dumbastheycome]

If this edict actually only relates to the "format" of alcohol checkpoints in that a positive breath test will require a proper hospital lab confirmation rather than the convenient  quick "spot fine" that would make a some sense in terms of  law. But is unlikely to change the reality of what regularly takes place.

 

[ronaldo0]

Does this include helmet and license checks ? If so a lot of police are going to suddenly become poor !

Give it a year and it will resemble a mad max movie on the roads and Thailand will surely surge out of reach in first position on the world road death charts !

[Redline]

Free reign on the roads~less work for the police

230,000 officers

 

Thailand's police forces number about 230,000 officers. About eight percent (18,400) are female.

 

They are going to be very busy scouring for cash

Edited October 3, 2020 by Redline

[Benmart]

4 hours ago, AbeNormal said:

good idea, wait until a drunk driver injures or kills some innocent victim then test them

 

no comprehension of crime prevention

 

this is very disturbing

Mobile, traffic enforcement works wonders if trained, well equipped and incorruptable police are used. Not going to happen here anytime soon.

[ChipButty]

15 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

If this edict actually only relates to the "format" of alcohol checkpoints in that a positive breath test will require a proper hospital lab confirmation rather than the convenient  quick "spot fine" that would make a some sense in terms of  law. But is unlikely to change the reality of what regularly takes place.

 

Police in Phuket prefer you settle up at the road side no need go monkey house, 40,000 Baht will do Sir

[Cranky]

 Not enough Farang a around to fleece?

[Dumbastheycome]

4 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Police in Phuket prefer you settle up at the road side no need go monkey house, 40,000 Baht will do Sir

Ah well, not a bad incentive to  Not  DUI  !

[Stevemercer]

The only way to enforce change is at the very top. A good start would be to stop rotating these high level positions to boost retirement pensions for those in favour. This system means the new appointees have only one or two years in the top position before retiring on a topped up pension.

 

Of course they aren't going to be making changes, creating waves or doing anything that could upset their political masters or jeopardise their pensions. So it will just be business as usual.

 

If you want to make a difference in organisational culture then appoint someone who will be good for at least 5 years, and on contract with clear goals for change.

[Operator2002]

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand's new police chief has begun his term in office by making a sweeping change that will affect the entire country.

Maybe in the future a sweeping change would be a built-in breathalyzer that would block the car's controls if the driver had too much alcohol... ????

[Pib]

13 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

The only way to enforce change is at the very top. A good start would be to stop rotating these high level positions to boost retirement pensions for those in favour. This system means the new appointees have only one or two years in the top position before retiring on a topped up pension.

 

Of course they aren't going to be making changes, creating waves or doing anything that could upset their political masters or jeopardise their pensions. So it will just be business as usual.

 

If you want to make a difference in organisational culture then appoint someone who will be good for at least 5 years, and on contract with clear goals for change.

There is a lot of truth to that.  Frequent, likely yearly, swap-out of the boss can result in the organization always being in turmoil.  Worker bees resisting, foot-dragging any unpopular change directed by the new boss because the worker bees know the change will probably disappear when the new boss comes in next year and cancels/replaces changes put into effect by the previous boss. 

[GroveHillWanderer]

5 hours ago, DaLa said:

So no roadside checks that I don't find to be a particular problem...and no monitoring and stops for moving traffic violations. Now add another x number to the fatalities.

From what I can tell, police forces in many, many countries worldwide seem to have no problem controlling motorists without semi-permanent roadside check points.

 

For instance, I've never seen police in the UK stopping and checking motorists on a regular basis like they do here (only when there's a specific reason - such as a recently-committed crime where they're looking for the perpetrators or at specific locations at specific times of year).

 

What they do have (and I've never seen here) is police patrol cars on the roads looking for signs of motorists breaking the law and pulling them over when they do so.

 

As far as I can tell there's no reason why you have to constantly create bottlenecks where you force every single vehicle on a country's major traffic arteries to slow to a crawl every so many miles in order to control motorists' behaviour.

[DrTuner]

Well, he's trying to do something. Let's see how many weeks longer before it all goes back to what it was. The corruption in BiB guarantees it.