Farang Police Volunteer with a very bad attitude.

[Tywais]

I wonder if the volunteer thought the OP waving his wallet at him was having a go at him implying 'come get your bribe' and that set him off. Still, if he reacted as stated in the OP, he's a prat.

[NamKangMan]

So, under Thai labour law, should he have a work permit, or not?

[Orac]

Valuable lesson to be learnt here - stopping at a police roadside check and waving your wallet at them may not be the wisest thing to do.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[nedkellylives]

I wonder if the volunteer thought the OP waving his wallet at him was having a go at him implying 'come get your bribe' and that set him off. Still, if he reacted as stated in the OP, he's a prat.

You could be right, but the more you think about it whats he doing at a check point trying to collect fines

Thats a thai policemans job not a volunteers, could be there to tell them why they were fined as most Thai

police only speak Thai but he was not doing that but trying to boss farangs around

Probably never had a job with any authority involved before and feels important for once in his life

He could always spend time in the office or on one of the beaches or shopping centres where farangs could

apprach him for assistance if they require it

Unforfunately with a lot of these volunteers its a ego thing and they are on a power trip and not suitable for the job

[nedkellylives]

So, under Thai labour law, should he have a work permit, or not?

Unless things have changed which i doubt you do not need a work permit to be a VTP

They claim to check people out thoroughly and you are supposed to supply a police

clearance from your home country, not all did in the past, things may have changed

[billythehat]

Stevenl you must be living on the moon.

Next you will be telling us that there is no corruption here.

I will go as far as to say that check points are even set up at certain times of the month(paydays)to get tea money,and it is aimed 90% of the time at motorcye riders.

Are you a volunteer btw?

hee, hee, nice one guv....

[DoctorB]

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

No, they do not.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes they do! They even entrap Thais!

Many times here in Pattaya we've seen reports of a Falang going to a knocking-shop, paying with marked money and taking a girl upstairs, only for the BIB to rush in and haul everybody off to the monkey house. Lord know why the Thais put up with it.

[CaitlinHappyMeal]

Hi, I imagine their attitude has been even worse since they became 'stars' on the uk fly on the wall documentary Big Trouble in Thailand. It was laughable when the narrator said that one particular volunteer policeman spoke fluent thai, i watched with anticipation as I am studying to read, write and speak thai and are a teeny but envious of fluent speakers, however i felt a tad smug when he opened his mouth and discovered it was actually bargirl language he was speaking.....someone has already made the comment but yes security guards with far to much importance and over inflated egos....

[Baerboxer]

Hi, I imagine their attitude has been even worse since they became 'stars' on the uk fly on the wall documentary Big Trouble in Thailand. It was laughable when the narrator said that one particular volunteer policeman spoke fluent thai, i watched with anticipation as I am studying to read, write and speak thai and are a teeny but envious of fluent speakers, however i felt a tad smug when he opened his mouth and discovered it was actually bargirl language he was speaking.....someone has already made the comment but yes security guards with far to much importance and over inflated egos....

You can't just wander in off the street and magically be transformed into a policeman.

The volunteer special constabulary are very helpful, effective and supportive in the UK. They receive good training, the same equipment as full time officers, and have the same powers. This includes passing the police recruitment tests and also the interviews and written questions seeking to understand your motivation and personality. Background checks are also carried out thoroughly.

What is the assessment and selection process here and what powers do these volunteers actually have?

[jimbo58]

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The royal Thai police officer waved him thru, them the DH farang volunteer stopped the OP and gave him a hard time

I sent 3 months as a volunteer thinking it would be good to assist tourists as i had plenty of spare time and no work

permit was required

Resigned in disgust at the majority of the VTPs attitude, they have no power just think they do and cannot arrest you

or do anything else if a royal Thai police officer does not authorize it and why would they want to

I think one poster is still in the VTP who was a member when i was

Helping tourists if you can is one thing, going to parades to practise standing at attention and saluting and giving

farangs a hard time is another, The volunteer immigration officers are a much better group of people

After nearly 30 years in the police service, I won't be volunteering to do the job in Thailand when I retire there in October. I've seen plenty of TV programmes in the UK featuring these guys and they don't come over too well. Most of them seem to be motivated by the uniform and thinking they are real police than anything else. A bit like the average PCSO or Security guard back in the UK. I'm happy to leave that part of my life behind and certainly don't want to spend nights dealing with drunks and tourists who have left their brains at home!!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Wildliferescue]

You are right, this <deleted> guy has no authority at all and you do not have to do anything he says. I tend to ignore them completely, most of them are <deleted> !

[slygeeza]

in my opinion there should be no farang police volunteers in Thailand. they can volunteer to be interpreters and give tourists information but no police uniform and pretense of power. most of these guys are useless and they only do it for the uniforms (or to get stories for their newspapers). most would soon leave once they lost the uniform as they have no genuine interest in helping the tourists

Edited June 15, 2014 by slygeeza

[LivinginKata]

All the trollish posts ae being removed without further notice.

[joshstiles]

He sounds just like most of the foreigners I have encountered here in Thailand.....which is why I avoid most of them.....I guess that's why most of us do. The internet is as close as I care to get....and sometimes this is even too close.

[glcdc]

His attitude can be fixed for a few hundred baht..think about that next time.

[KarenBravo]

He sounds just like most of the foreigners I have encountered here in Thailand.....which is why I avoid most of them.....I guess that's why most of us do. The internet is as close as I care to get....and sometimes this is even too close.

If you are avoiding farang, then you obviously don't see many. If you don't see many farang, then, it stands to reason that many farang don't see you.

To attribute the reason for this as 'other farang, avoiding other farang' is somewhat illogical.

I, for one, am certainly not trying to avoid you. I can assure you of that.

[Shot]

If I see Flappy Farang copper waving me over, I just keep going. Problem solved.

[Craig351]

I encountered them as well in the past

Stopped me for no reason

The guy thought he had me, asked me all the questions , about the bike all good, ask about me and my visa bla bla all good

Still wanted to get me for something ask about my licence even had international licence all good then he said no you should have a Thai licence

if you work here I said I have and showed him, that stuffed him up

Smart arse pri*k just tried to get me on something

"I just smiles and said better luck next time"

I don't care that they were farang or the wana be cop

It was his smart arse attitude and the smile on his face I got you buddy, plus he did say he is a police officer I said what in the Thai police he said yes!

Not True as I found out later when I did some investigation. I never have forgotten it due to his attitude

I'm not a dumb Thai cop he even made a remark along those lines to me as well

[phantomfiddler]

Regardless of whether the PV has the authority to do what he did, he should not be resorting to using language like the OP has quoted.

In my opinion most of these volunteer s**m have severe psychological problems, huge bunches of keys dangling outside their belts, a pathetic desire to be in a position where they can order people around, and are best avoided if possible. The thais who hire them are not able to distinguish between normal farangs and ones with a mental problem, just as we are generally unable to distinguish between good and bad thais, unfortunately, and these social misfits delight in their imaginary importance.

[ggt]

Dang...there is enough aggravation trying to survive in this country...without farangs getting in on the action...sounds like someone who loves his perceived power and authority...should be dismissed immediately...and get his butt kicked...

[Frank James]

Policemen and policewomen fill a vital role in any civilized society. It is an honorable profession, and it should always be filled by PROFESSIONALS, who should be well compensated so they won't be compromised. I do not trust anybody who volunteers to be a cop, here or anywhere else.

[kjhbigv]

I would guess this Tourist "Police" Volunteer is a Thai Visa member? Wonder if he will see this and comment?

[Ridler]

I have never has a positive interaction with a foreign 'police" volunteer. Each and every time they have been rude. Watching the Bed Race earlier this year in Pattaya I was standing one meter on the road taking photos of my team when two extremely rude volunteers screamed at me to move, even though there were many more standing further in the road than me. I asked why they were not telling th Thais to move, they said they do not deal with Thais! I was then told I should not be taking photos, even though everyone else was, unless I had a press pass! Ridiculous.

I have always wondered why anyone would move to a country and want to be a volunteer policeman. I know there will be people saying that they do it to help others, which is rubbish. They do it for the power they think it gives them

[NomadJoe]

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

No, they do not.

Sent from my Lenovo A369i using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes they do! They even entrap Thais!

Many times here in Pattaya we've seen reports of a Falang going to a knocking-shop, paying with marked money and taking a girl upstairs, only for the BIB to rush in and haul everybody off to the monkey house. Lord know why the Thais put up with it.

That's not entrapment.

[NomadJoe]

I would guess this Tourist "Police" Volunteer is a Thai Visa member? Wonder if he will see this and comment?

He's not part of the tourist police.

It would be interested to hear the other side of the story. I am certain it would differ from the OPs.

Edited June 15, 2014 by NomadJoe

[fritzzz25]

Personally, if you want to be a law enforcement volunteer to assist the police, you should have had a career in law enforcement, armed forces, corrections, customs to name a few. Some guy who worked at Walmart and decides to come over to be a FPV is doing the community and themselves a disservice.

Being a police officer is not being an enforcer. It is someone who has to have a VERY good knowledge of laws, the rights of citizens and the ever changing policies and procedures that arise. The agency I work for and have participated in the interview process of volunteers who become sworn peace officers that are allowed to enforce the national and provincial laws have to take extensive training (at least a year, two or three evenings a week) and commit to providing a minimum of 20 hours per month (most put in 40 ish, and some as high as 100). These people are well trained in use of force using pepper spray, a defensive baton, handcuffs, police driving, and the handling of firearms. They do not carry firearms, but are trained to use them in case of their partner becoming incapacitated and having to defend against deadly threats.

Those people who don a uniform to inflate their heads are an absolute joke. I have come across some of them in action and witnessed their skills, and they would be lucky to be hired as a security guard protecting a house being built from copper wire thieves. They do not have the skills that are designed to interact and react to the situation they are in. We use a model of interaction with subjects that is a dynamic wheel to determine the threat posed to us. It is ever changing and provides guidelines on what interaction and intervention is appropriate. Without extensive training in this model, you are more of a liability to the police, and become a laughing stock of the public.

Upon my retirement I will look into the system as I possess a "very special set of skills" to quote Nic Cage in Taken, which I would love to pass on to the Thai Police. I teach classes to junior police officers (and some senior ones) and enjoy it. As I stated before, possessing policing skills and providing these skills along side the local police can often be a great asset. I don't have any interest in being a "volunteer accountant / doctor / lifeguard" as I have no actually experience of skills in those careers.

All in all, better screening of applicants who bring some law enforcement experience to the table would be the right choice.

[Grateful farang]

Poo-lice usually are horrible psychotic bullies

A person that was bullied at school

A misfit

So they join the poo-lice force to feel powerful and strong.

Because without the police organisation behind them they are impotent and weak!

Volunteer police should be seen and not heard?

[NomadJoe]

He sounds just like most of the foreigners I have encountered here in Thailand.....which is why I avoid most of them.....I guess that's why most of us do. The internet is as close as I care to get....and sometimes this is even too close.

Agreed. I have always believed that both the negative experiences reported by expats ( I am sure some are legitimate) and the over the top general negativity expressed by expats that haven't interacted with them is more representative of the kind of person who chooses to live here. I have always had a small group of good friends here and have met more recalcitrant troglodyte crim types than I care to count.

Let's face it, there are a lot of foreign criminals in Thailand. If it takes foreign police volunteers to catch them, then so be it. I support vollis being used this way.

[catweazle]

Most of these volunteer cops have serious inferiority complex issues. I know one of them personally. He's not a volunteer because he wants to change the world to the better or actually help people, naa - he there for the badge, uniform, walkie-talkie, and his baton, believing that surrounded by all that foliage he would change all of a sudden from the spineless loser he is to a person others would admire and look up to. Problem is, that most still see and hear what a pathetic tosser he is as soon as they have looked into his eyes and spoken a few words with him...

I strongly suggest to every person who reads this to stand their ground and not back down whenever confronted with one of those wannabe sherrifs, especially if you haven't done anything wrong like the OP in this thread.

They are NOT policemen and have NO AUTHORITY whatsoever to arrest, question, or give orders to people. All they are allowed to and needed for is translation services to defuse situations with foreign parties involved that otherwise might turn sour due to language barriers and to assist real police officers when asked to.

Edited June 15, 2014 by catweazle

[merijn]

Could some of our volunteers help to fill out the caps, correct the errors and add additional information.

1) Tourist police volunteers. Reporting to the Tourist police head office in Bangkok.

2) Police volunteers. Reporting to Region 8 provisional division headquarters in Surat Thani.

3) Immigration volunteers. Reporting to Office of immigration bureau in Bangkok

4) Highway police volunteers - ???

I don't know very much about the TPV but the Immigration Volunteers are under the direct command of Pol Col Sunchai Chokkajafkaij and he is under orders from Bangkok Immigration head quarters.

The immigration volunteers need to pass a background check by the Thai Police in cooperation of the Embassy of the volunteer.

The embassy needs to declare that they don't have any objections that the person is going to work for the immigration department.

After this they are officially appointed by the immigration department.

They and are complete independent from all other volunteers groups on the island.