Police reform a pipe dream

EDITORIAL

Published: 2/09/2011 at 02:29 AM
Newspaper section: News

It is the public outcry against systematic justice and disparity that has strengthened the red movement and propelled the Pheu Thai Party into power. Yet, in her lengthy policy statement, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not mention a single word about the most crucial step towards making justice a reality _ police reform.

Even after the casino brouhaha which has revealed yet again the cancerous problem of police corruption, the Yingluck administration made no move to pressure the police force to shape up.

Instead, the casino scandal has become only a political ploy to justify Pheu Thai's move to replace the police chief with one of Thaksin Shinawatra's men.

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Ian Wensor
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Discussion 13 : 03/09/2011 at 08:45 AM13
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Aussie John - comment 10... You're right - it certainly is all about money... Furthermore, when the famous Thai politician you mentioned allegedly said "I don't respect farangs", maybe it's because they're more inclined to expose stupidity, ineptitude and rorts that possibly apply to him.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 12 : 02/09/2011 at 05:46 PM12
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I am sure there are other countries in this world which had similar problems and which solved at least some of them. I know we can’t just use solution A from country B and think exactly the same will happen in Thailand. But hopefully we can learn from what other countries did. Maybe the Bangkok Post can report what other countries did and I am sure some regular readers can contribute some experiences.
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lungstib
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Discussion 11 : 02/09/2011 at 03:02 PM11
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It looks like its never going to change, no-one has the desire to make it happen. Politicians and police enjoy the status quo. As a bystander I look on and laugh at all the 'serious' quotes from foreigners about changing things. This is how it is and will be for a while. I'll hide myself away in the country, pay little tax, avoid corruption the best I can and only feel bad when I think I've brought a son into this country who has to face it for his life. Its some country.
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Aussie John
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Discussion 10 : 02/09/2011 at 01:07 PM10
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Ian those are grand words. Yet as a famous Thai politician stated this year 'I do not respect farangs". This is the attitude fostered and promoted amongst many Thais and it is not going to change anytime soon no matter how the TAT promotes the Land of Smiles. Its all about the money!!!
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dao
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Discussion 9 : 02/09/2011 at 12:19 PM9
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Politicians and police will be respected when their actions begin to show that they respect themselves .
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tomb
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Discussion 8 : 02/09/2011 at 11:40 AM8
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Bangkok Post should do what it preaches: more investigative journalism is needed, not articles that repeat facts everyone knows already.

Name and shame, use photos and video, ferret out wrongdoers and report them. The FOLLOW UP on the story, something very few journalists seem to have heard about in the LOS.
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Ian Wensor
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Discussion 7 : 02/09/2011 at 09:46 AM7
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Thais must be blind if they can't see that the best way to increase tourism in todays competitive market would be to eliminate all the graft and corruption that's going on... That would force the police to be squeaky clean and thus imbue confidence in farangs who'd then expect and hopefully get a fair deal rather than police backing corrupt parties after being paid kick a backs... WHICH IS USUALLY THE NORM IN THAILAND.
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whatajoke
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Discussion 6 : 02/09/2011 at 09:31 AM6
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Here Here! Law enforcement(or lack of it) is the bedrock of a democracy's health, and to this end this is the elephant in the room hitherto ignored by all and sundry as they continually point fingers at Thaksin, the coup, the Amart, Red shirts et al. Only a radical and top down overhaul of the police and other justice organisations will clear the way for cleaning up this mess we find ourselves in.

Of course, politicians fighting for power need a manipulated police force so I doubt the Shinawatra govt, or any govt are interested in reform. What just happened this past week is ample proof this country is going nowhere with reconciling it's ills.
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phetpeter
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Discussion 5 : 02/09/2011 at 08:43 AM5
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newspapers use to act as the voice of the people, be at the forefront of asking/demanding change...now ? We all know the words that come from the print, we all know why and how much the Police force is bent! So why isn't the paper standing at the front voicing the peoples concerns and need for change! Leave the waffle for that gel'ed hair man on channel 3 who loves the sound of his own voice. and only reads what the newspaper write!
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Ian Wensor
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Discussion 4 : 02/09/2011 at 08:40 AM4
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It's a shameful and damning indictment that many police and senior officers, who've taken Oaths to uphold the law, often collude and act in tandem with criminals and mafia style thugs who they've swore to suppress... And while were about it, let's not forget the lone rort artists who patrol our highways on motor bikes and extract tea money from motorists for alleged and often trumped up traffic violations... CORRUPTION SEEMS THE ACCEPTED THING THESE DAYS.
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Police reform a pipe dream | Bangkok Post: opinion