Police like military, so can't break up & decentralise, says nationalpolice chief
26/08/2015
Online Reporters
POLICE DECENTRALISATION PROPOSED
A proposed police reform bill would grant the Royal Thai Police status equivalent to a ministry.
The new structure is aimed to decentralise administrative power from Bangkok to police officers in the provinces.
The bill seeks to reorganise the national police force's structure into 16 departments such as border patrol police, immigration police, drug suppression, central investigation bureau, metropolitan police and provincial police regions 1-9.
Each department director-general would be under the command of the police chief.
The National Legislative Assembly's (NLA's) committee on law, judicial process and police affairs, led by Admiral Sithawat Wongsuwan, visited the police today to inspectwork and talk to the police chief about police reform.
The committee plans to propose a new national police act to the NLA soon.
NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF OPPOSES REFORM PROPOSAL
The national police chief said the nature of police work is similar to that of themilitary.
National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang on Wednesday opposed the proposedpolice reform bill, saying it did not suit the nature of the police force’s work.
The police force is a security agency whose highest commanding power should be held by a national police chief, the national police chief said.
Giving command powers to heads of 16 departments would slow down police work, he argued.
The national police chief said that he would support reforms to keep the police forceaway from political meddling as long as proposals were "reasonable" .
WANTS TO ENSURE POLICE TRULY SERVE THE PEOPLE
The national police chief said he wanted to eradicate the belief that police were thetool of politicians and ensure that they truly served the people.
He said the police still lacked equipment to help in their work and did not receive enough pay. This was probably why some officers sought help from politicians and took bribes.