Law Enforcement in Thailand

Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised
by the Thailand National Police Department (TNPD), a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior. Charged with performing police
functions throughout the entire country, the TNPD was a unitary agency whose power and influence in Thai national life had
at times rivalled that of the army.
The formal functions of the TNPD included more than the enforcement of laws and apprehension of offenders. The
department also played an important role in the government's efforts to suppress the remnants of the insurgency. In the
event of an invasion by external forces, much of the police force would come under the control of the Ministry of Defense to
serve with, but not be incorporated into, the military forces.
Originally modelled on the pre-World War II national police force of Japan, the TNPD was reorganized several times
to meet changing public order and internal security needs. American advice, training, and equipment, which were provided
from 1951 through the early 1970s, did much to introduce new law enforcement concepts and practices and to aid in the
modernization of the TNPD. During this era the strength and effectiveness of the police grew steadily.
All components of the police system were administered by the TNPD headquarters in Bangkok, which also provided
technical support for law enforcement activities throughout the kingdom (see fig. 20). The major operational units of the force
were the Provincial Police, the Border Patrol Police (BPP), the Metropolitan Police, and smaller specialized units supervised
by the Central Investigation Bureau.
In mid-1987 the total strength of the TNPD, including administrative and support personnel, was estimated at roughly
110,000. Of this number, over one-half were assigned to the Provincial Police and some 40,000 to the BPP. More than
10,000 served in the Metropolitan Police. Quasi-military in character, the TNPD was headed by a director general, who held
the rank of police general. He was assisted by three deputy directors general and five assistant directors general, all of whom
held the rank of police lieutenant general. Throughout the TNPD system, all ranks except the lowest (constable)
corresponded to those of the army. The proliferation of high ranks in the TNPD organizational structure, as in the military,
indicated the political impact of the police on national life.
In 1998, TNPD was transferred from the Ministry of Interior of Thailand to be directly under the Office of the Prime
Minister. Using the name (in English) the Royal Thai Police. The position of its supreme head was changed from that of the
Director-General of the TNPD to the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police.
Police Organization
The Thai police are subdivided into several regions and services, each enjoying their own powers.
Royal Thai Police Headquarters - Bangkok
Director-General of Police - since 1998 the position was called "Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police"
Border Patrol Police Division 40,000 paramilitary force
BPP General Staff Division
BPP Tactical Training Division
BPP Support Division
BPP Nawut Sondetya Hospital
BPP Village Scouts Center
BPP Counter-Insurgency Training Center
BPP Districts 1 through 4
Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit (PARU)
Airborne Training
Naresuan 261 Counter-Terrorism Unit (formerly the 4th Company PARU)
Sea Air Rescue Unit
Central Investigation Bureau - national coordinating headquarters which assist provincial and metropolitan components
in preventing and suppressing criminal activity and in minimizing threats to national security. Having jurisdiction over the
entire country, the CIB was organized to assist both provincial and metropolitan components of the Royal Thai Police in
preventing and suppressing criminal activity and in minimizing threats to national security.
Specialized units of the bureau, including the railroad, marine, highway, and forestry police, employed up-to-date
technical equipment, law enforcement techniques, and training.
Five other divisions and offices employed modern procedures to assist in investigating and preventing crime.
The Crime Suppression Division-one of the bureau's largest componentswas responsible for conducting most
of the technical investigations of criminal offenses throughout the kingdom. Its Emergency Unit coped with riots
and other public disorders, sabotage, counterfeiting, fraud, illegal gambling operations, narcotics trafficking, and
the activities of secret societies and organized criminal associations.
Special Branch sometimes referred to by critics as the "political police", is responsible for controlling
subversive activities and serves as the Thai Police's major intelligence organization, as well as the unit
responsible for VIPs protection.
The Criminal Records Office collected and maintained records required in the conduct of police work, including
dossiers and fingerprints of known criminals and persons suspected of wrongdoing.
The well-equipped Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, technicians performed the requisite chemical and
physical analyses.
Licenses Division registered and licensed firearms, vehicles, gambling establishments, and various other items
and enterprises as required by law.
Office of Immigration Bureau (under plan to separate from the Royal Thai Police to become independent authority)
Narcotics Suppression Bureau
Office Of Logistics
Aviation Division - operates the force's extensive fleet of helicopters and light aircraft.
Office of Royal Court Security Police
Crown Prince's Royal Protective Unit
Crown Prince Royal Protective Unit 'Dechochai Knight 3'
Provincial Police Division -
The Provincial Police formed the largest of the Royal Thai Police operational components in both manpower and geographic
responsibility. It was headed by a commander, who reported to the police Commissioner-General, and administered through
four police regionsgeographic areas of responsibility similar to those of the army regional commands. This force provided
police services to every town and village throughout the kingdom except metropolitan Bangkok and border areas. The
Provincial Police thus handled law enforcement activities and in many cases was the principal representative of the central
government's authority in much of the country.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, as the police assumed an increasing role in counterinsurgency operations, a lack of
coordination among security forces operating in the rural areas became apparent. Observers noted that the overall police
effort suffered because of conflicting organizational patterns and the highly centralized control system that required decisions
on most matters to emanate from the various police bureaus of the (then) TNPD headquarters in Bangkok.
A reorganization of the TNPD in 1978 and 1979 gave more command authority to the four police lieutenant generals who
served as regional commissioners of the Provincial Police. Thereafter, the senior officers of each region not only controlled all
provincial police assigned to their respective geographic areas but also directed the railroad, highway, marine, and forestry
police units operating there, without going through the chain of command to the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok.
Although this change increased the workload of the four regional headquarters, it resulted in greater efficiency and improved
law enforcement.
The Provincial Police Division is divided into 10 regions covering the 75 Provinces of Thailand except Metropolitan Bangkok
and the border areas:
Region 1 - Ayuthaya
Region 2 - Chonburi
Region 3 - Nakhon Ratchasima
Region 4 - Khon Kaen
Region 5 - Chiang Mai
Region 6 - Phitsanulok
Region 7 - Nakhon Pathom
Region 8 - Surat Thani
Region 9 - Songkhla
Southern Border Provinces Region - Yala
Chaiya Training
Special Operations Units
191 Special Branch Police
Arintharat 26 Special Operations Unit
The Police Education Bureau of the Royal Thai Police was responsible for training police personnel in the latest
methods of law enforcement and the use of modern weapons. It operated the Police Officers Academy at Sam
Phran, the detective training school at Bang Kaen, the Metropolitan Police Training School at Bang Kaen, and the
Provincial Police training centers at Nakhon Pathom, Lampang, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Yala. The bureau also
supervises a number of sites established and staffed by the BPP to train its field platoons in counterinsurgency
operations. These sites included a large national facility at Hua Hin and smaller facilities in Udon Thani, Ubon
Ratchathani, Chiang Mai, and Songkhla.
Tourist Police - uniformed personnel who lack police powers and are largely responsible for writing out reports for
insurance companies for victims of theft. In more serious cases, they will translate reports to be passed on the
normal police in Bangkok. Recently recruiting foreign nationals living in Thailand.
Training
Immigration Police Division
Marine Police Division
Metropolitan Police Division, Bangkok - Responsible for providing all law enforcement services for the capital city of
Bangkok and its suburbs, the Metropolitan Police was probably the most visible and publicly recognizable of all Thai
police components. This largely uniformed urban force operated under the command of a commissioner, who held
the rank of police major general and was assisted by six deputy commissioners. Organizationally, the force
consisted of three divisions, each responsible for police services in one of the three urban areas: northern Bangkok,
southern Bangkok, and Thon Buri. Together they accounted for about forty police precincts, which were patrolled
around the clock. In addition to covering the city with foot patrols, the Metropolitan Police maintained motorized
units, a canine corps, building guards, traffic-control specialists, and law enforcement personnel trained to deal with
juvenile problems. The Traffic Police Division also provides mounted escorts and guards of honor for the king and
visiting dignitaries and served as a riot-control force to prevent unlawful demonstrations and to disperse unruly
crowds within the capital city.


Transportation
Unlike in many other countries, the Royal Thai Police extensively utilize pickup trucks and SUVs which are known for their
capabilities to move around in any sort of terrain. Especially in the provincial forces. For traffic regulation and patrolling in
cities, sedans and motorcycles are also used. Highway Police vehicles generally also have equipment like speed radars,
breath analysers and emergency first aid kits. They also use tuktuks, minivans, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats and
helicopters.
[citation needed]

Royal Thai Police vehicle colors vary widely according to grade, region, and kind of duty performed. Bangkok Metropolitan
Police vehicles are black and white. Provincial Police vehicles are maroon and white while Highway Police are maroon and
yellow.
Appearance
Royal Thai Police uniforms vary widely according to grade, region, and kind of duty performed. Among the police, uniforms
tend to resemble army dress rather than conventional police uniform
Police Conduct
Recently, Thai Police and justice system in the holiday island of Phuket have been accused of corruption, and over-reaction
by tourist to the island.
[2]
In one case an Australian woman was arrested and accused of stealing a bar mat. She spent four
nights in jail and had her passport confiscated. Then she faced a wait of another 14 weeks on bail until the next phase of her
prosecution. This is despite a friend of her confessing to the police and providing a sworn statement that she had placed the
bar mat in the woman's bag as a joke.
[3]
Eventually the case was resolved after the intervention of governor of Phuket, Wichai
Praisa-nob, after being contacted by Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and the Foreign Ministry. A deal was done under which
she would plead guilty, she would be fined, and governor Wichai Praisa-nob would pay the fine and give an apology. After
this her passport was returned and she was allowed to return to Australia.
[4]

In another case an American couple were arrested upon returning to Thailand and accused of being responsible of burning
down a house in which they resided on a previous stay at Phuket. The fire had previously been investigated and found to
have been caused by an electrical fault. To recover their passports and being allowed to depart Thailand they had to
compensate the house owner and make under the table payments to the judges, the public prosecutor, everyone down to the
bailiffs in the court. This cost them around 45,000 US dollars.
[5]

In 2007 a 15 year old Danish boy was involved in an insurance fraud when a Chinese couple threw themselves under
his Jetboat killing one of them. While the court ruled the incident as an accident, the police detained the boy and held his
passport until an amount of 300,000 DKK had been paid so the case could be settled within weeks.
[6][7]

The conduct of the local police in Pai, and Thai drug enforcement, has also generated an unusual amount of controversy
over the past decade. This is partially due to the proximity of Pai to drug routes from the Shan State in Burma, however given
the post-2000 rise in incidents involving foreign tourists, it is evident that other factors are also at work.
Police corruption remains a problem in Thailand. Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer 2007, a survey
assessing the public's perceptions and experience of corruption in 60 countries, states that, for Thailand, the police received
a rating of four out of five, where one represents "not at all corrupt" and five represents "extremely corrupt" (6 December
2007, 22).
Policemens' death sentences
Policemen have been executed before 2012. In 2012, three policemen were sentenced to death for actions during Thaksin
Shinawatra government's war on drugs.
[8]
(They were released on bail on July 31, 2012.
Controversies
In 2012 Duang Yubamrung son of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung became a police lieutenant, transferring
directly from a position as an army lieutenant.
[10]
Bangkok Post claims that the "transfer to the police force has attracted
criticism in many quarters".
[11]

Notable Thai Police Chiefs
Phao Sriyanond (also "Pao Sriyanond") was Director General of Thailand's national police from 1951 to 1957.
Sarit Dhanarajata was Director General of Thailand's national police from 1959 to 1963.
Praphas Charusathien was Director General of Thailand's national police from 1963 to 1973.
Pratin Santiprapop was Director General of the Royal Thai Police from 1994 to 1994.
Poj Boonyajinda was Director General of the Royal Thai Police from 1994 to 1997.
Pracha Promnog was Director General of the Royal Thai Police from 1997 to 1998 and Commissioner-General of the
Royal Thai Police from 1998 to 2000.
Pornsak Durongkavibulya was Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from 2000 to 2001.
Sant Sarutanond was Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from 2001 to 2004.
Kowit Wattana was Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from 2004 to 2007.
Seripisut Temiyavet was the acting Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from February 5, 2007 to September
10, 2007.
Kowit Wattana was reinstated as Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police from September 10, 2007 to
September 30, 2007 (his mandatory retirement).
Seripisut Temiyavet was Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police starting from October 1, 2007 to April
2008.
[12][13]
Appointed Police Commissioner of Thailand by a military junta government. As a police officer he gained a
reputation from targeting mafia leaders.
[14]
He was removed from office on April 2008 by the elected government of
Samak Sundaravej under charges of corruption.
[13]
His supporters, however, claim that these charges are put-up jobs to
punish him for prosecuting many cases against the militarily deposed former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national
security in British and Commonwealthpolice forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police. A Special Branch unit
acquires and develops intelligence, usually of a political nature, and conducts investigations to protect the State from
perceived threats of subversionparticularly terrorism and other extremist activity.
The first Special Branch, or Special Irish Branch, as it was known, was a unit of London's Metropolitan Police formed
in March 1883 to combat the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The name became Special Branch as the unit's remit
widened.