The Royal Thai Police (RTP) have questioned the Constitution Drafting Committee's (CDC) move to single out the police for reform in the draft charter and opposes a proposal to slash certain units to improve management.
The RTP has handed its recommendations to the Meechai Ruchupan-led CDC after finding out it is the only organisation stated in the charter for such reform.
The move comes at a time when the debate on controversial ideas including a proposal to downsize the police has not yet been settled.
The CDC's decision to target the police by adding clauses about reforms for trouble-plagued agencies to the draft charter raises questions over whether it treats other state agencies in the same manner, so the office cannot help question whether it is being "discriminated against", the recommendations said.
According to the RTP, if the CDC insists on including police reform in the charter, the changes should be written in a broader manner.
For example, they could include a clause for reforming the police "to provide honest police officers to the public and ensure fair treatment for the people without any form of interference", according to the recommendations.
The RTP's resistance to the reform push emerged recently after CDC members reportedly decided to go ahead with ideas to overhaul the structure of the police force.
The CDC expects to complete the new draft charter by Jan 29 next year.
It is still unclear what police-related issues will be finalised by the CDC, but the RTP alerted the group to past controversies discussed earlier by the now-defunct National Reform Council (NRC).
In September this year, the NRC voted to accept the police reform proposals mainly aimed at making the establishment of the Police Commission, the governing body of the police force, and the appointment of the national police chief free from political interference as well as separating some police units from the RTP.
In its recommendations, the RTP agrees with the move to make it "free from politics at all levels". The office suggested candidates for the police top job, who must rank lieutenant general or higher, be elected by officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel and above.
Currently, the national police chief is appointed by the Police Commission chaired by the prime minister of the day.
As for the police restructuring proposal, the RTP said in its recommendations it does not want to see its agencies split because they have been established to carry out duties as set out in the 2004 National Police Act and they are needed as arms of the RTP. The NRC earlier suggested some police units should be separated from the RTP because some responsibilities are not "direct duties" of the police.
For example, traffic control should be overseen by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and other local administrative bodies and immigration work should come under the supervision of the Interior, Justice or Foreign ministries.
The RTP also insisted that investigation work must be carried out by police, though opponents argue its removal will help police enjoy an even greater degree of freedom from politics.
"To make investigations independent is difficult because it is closely related to interrogation work," the recommendations said.