Police urged to take soft approach

Police urged to take soft approach

Officers are under fire for taunting rallygoers during confrontations

Psychological tactics were instrumental in the police's handling of the unrest last week.

Pol 1 intersection near the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) turns into a battle ground as police fire tear gas at thousands of anti-government protesters who tried to break through barricades to seize the MPB on Dec 1. The clashes continued for several hours. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Police officers taunted anti-government protesters by loudspeaker as they fired tear gas to stop the demonstrators from entering the compound of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) on Dec 1 and Dec 2.

The heated confrontations at the Pol 1 intersection and Chamai Maruchet bridge have ended, but questions over the police officers' role in dealing with rallygoers remain.

Peace advocates believe the police could have handled the situation better if they had adopted a less confrontational approach.

Ekkachai Siwilat, director of the Peace and Governance Office under the King Prajadhipok's Institute, weighed in on the police's taunting strategy.

Police insulted and jeered at the protesters during the clashes at the MPB, in a move that was seen as an attempt to demoralise the rallygoers.

Gen Ekkachai said the foul language used and the taunting did more harm than good as it provoked the protesters, and this could have caused the clashes to spin out of control.

The police should have thought instead about how to calm the protesters, who were tired, stressed and some of whom could have been at breaking point, he said.

Authorities should also set up a team of police to talk to protest leaders, he said.

Gen Ekkachai said he did not see police engage in any campaigns to improve the protesters' mood during the Dec 1 and Dec 2 clashes.

The police should streamline their crowd control procedures as street protests are likely to reoccur, he said.

Gen Ekkachai wants police commanders to deploy the "right" officers to deal with the protests.

Regionalism must also be factored in, he said, suggesting officers from the North and Northeast _ strongholds of the ruling Pheu Thai Party _ should not be assigned to confront opponents of the government.

Pol Col Aiyasun Singhanat, deputy police chief of the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, who supervised his team during the clashes at the Pol 1 intersection, admitted his men had use disparaging language during the clashes, but denied this had inflamed the violence.

"I just called the protest leader 'Ai Luk Mi'," he said, referring to the nickname for ex-Democrat MP and protest leader Chumpol Julasai. 'Ai' is an impolite prefix.

However, he said his actions and the actions of his subordinates did not violate the law.

Pol Col Aiyasun insisted he sometimes needed to keep the officers mentally strong after some protesters shot at them with catapults and tried to use backhoes to remove concrete barricades outside the police headquarters.

"[Protesters] also heavily scolded the police," Pol Col Aiyasoon said.

However, Gen Ekkachai said a softer approach was needed in such a precarious situation.

He warned that police should not guard certain areas for too long. The longer they remain, the higher the chances they could become agitated.

He also disagreed with the use of barricades to keep the protesters at bay.

The sight of the barricades created the impression the police had erected a bunker and taken up a highly combative position, Gen Ekkachai said.

However, when police later took the barriers off the streets on Tuesday, protesters peacefully entered the MPB and later left. This was a good example of a non-violent approach, Gen Ekkachai said.

If the police wanted the government to enact a rally control law to support its mission, they must ensure the law benefits both sides, he added.

Peace advocates were pleased to witness the police and the protesters shake hands and embrace each other after the MPB gate was opened. The protesters were allowed to enter the previously "restricted" zones.

The taunting had stopped and it was replaced by smiles and flowers which were handed to the police officers by the protesters. Pol Col Aiyasoon said he was willing to shift from hard to soft approaches, but strategy decisions are up to his superiors.

"No matter what role I have to play, I'll do my best," he said.


Contact Crime Track: crimetrack@bangkokpost.co.th

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