Tourist Police

Over the many trips I made to Thailand, I was always intrigued by a group called the Royal Thai Tourist Police. http://phuketdir.com/pkttouristpolice/ The name itself conjures up images of police that deal with tourists and by default tourists who get into trouble in Thailand. There are references to this group everywhere, in magazines, on billboards and most notably their presence on foot in most of the main events and attractions where tourists go. They even have a telephone number speed dial of 1155.



Over time I came to understand that they are here primarily to assist tourists. They are fully trained and legally mandated police officers, this is similar to a special branch of any police force in the world. But in this case, as there is a huge tourist flow and expat living here, they are geared to manage the issues that tourist face on vacation, and act as an interface for any police related matters you may have on vacation. They are connected to various foreign embassies and consulates and they have a huge range of language skills. They are very good at making what may be a horrific event in a foreign country, something that is less so.

I have been looking for something to occupy my time here a bit more constructively, and volunteering in Thailand has a whole host of issues associated with it. Initially we had planned to get out Teaching English as a Second (or first) Language (TESL/TEFL) and volunteering at various places. This however may be interpreted as working, and on our present visa, working is prohibited. Various other activities we investigated all also proved to be possibly interpreted as "work", even if you are not paid, and this then poses a risk of loosing your retirement visa and being asked to leave. My advise for people coming here is to fully investigate what you want to do and make sure you have the right ideas and the right visa's.

There is a group at the Immigration office called the Immigration Police Volunteer's, who are made up of expat's who offer assistance when you go to the Immigration office. They can provide the right forms, help you fill in the right information in the right places and this assist in a very smooth processing with the actual immigration officials. So a few months ago, I decided that perhaps this was an area I could do some volunteer work at. I tried, but was informed that the unit had been significantly downsized and they were not taking any applicants. It is sad, as they do a great job and being so few, what would normally be a retired persons few hours a week means more for fewer people to do the service. I am glad however that there was not a decision to get rid of the unit entirely!

By chance while working with one of the organizers of the GOMS car rally, in some casual conversation, he mentioned he was with the Tourist Police Volunteer's.http://www.phuket-tourist-police-volunteers.com/ Basically people performing services similar to the Immigration volunteer's but with the Tourist Police instead.

They patrol the streets of Patong, where there is a heavy tourist population, as well as the hospital, the airport and staff a walk-in office on the beach at Patong. They are at most of the major events that take places such as Songkran, Loy Krathong and the Vegetarian festival. They can also be seen at various high profile public events such music concerts.

I recalled seeing them one night and had at first thought that these were international police liaison officers assigned to Phuket. I also recalled thinking what a great assignment that must be. I was, as it turns out, completely wrong. These people are expat residents of Patong, who provide volunteer service for the Tourist Police. And so I found myself filling our an application , getting more photographs of myself and headed for an interview. I worked on my application, updated my CV and spent time responding to the question "Why do you want to volunteer?" I spent about an hour interviewed by three gentlemen, who diligently went through my application and documents, including a copy of my clean criminal record documents from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

I have now been told that I have been accepted into the program on a probationary basis, as is common for all applicants. Yesterday one of the men accompanied me to the "Police store", to get my gear. Unlike the police and prison guards in North America, nothing is given to you. You pay for all of your equipment, from the boots, pants and hat to the equipment belt, handcuffs and portable radio. I think that the reasoning is that if you have to pay for it, you will probably take better care of it, and if you break or loose it, then you replace it. It also makes a bit more of a commitment, if you have to shell out the money up front. I actually like this approach very much. My many years in public safety in Canada, and the amount of money spent on uniforms and equipment, much of it having to be replaced many times over, could have saved me countless thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. And in turn saved the tax payers money too! So I am now all fitted out with, as Clive calls it, my new police drag. I finished my first orientation patrol of the infamous Bangla road area of Patong beach. It looks different to me now, and I am sure it will look more different as time goes on. But I am happy to be able to provide some service to my new home community and the many tourists who visit here. It does not change my opinion about the behaviour, in fact I expect i will see more of the bad stuff, but it wil be balanced by the majority of people who come here and have great vacations. My hope is that my presence assists in making sure that stay is a safe and happy one.

As part of my interview process, I disclosed this blog and was reminded, as I had expected, that my duties cannot be shared. So poor reader, you cannot expect to get any details of my experiences, at least not specifically!

Lately there have been a series of newly appointed senior personnel to the police services in Thailand, from the National Police Chief to various provincial chiefs. And as it prone with all new appointments, there are pronouncements and listings of priorities. So it was with a slight inner glow, that I read my documents advising that as part of my involvement, I would be subject to random urinalysis for drug use. Almost simultaneously it seemed the media was full of coverage from the new provincial police chief, about his use of random drug testing for police officers and the publishing of his cell phone number, to report people who knew of any police involved with drugs or corruption. His rational, in my mind, is very sound. How can you have people on the front end of dealing with the issues around drugs, if they themselves are not clean and able to be able to prove they are clean. This is not a debate I am unfamiliar with. I just never saw the political will to tackle it so open before. I have heard countless arguments, ad nauseam, about "trust and respect", but I also saw my share of breaches of that same trust and respect, and the repercussions it brings. In my mind that outweighs any arguments. We test airline pilots, but not people we let loose with guns, the keys to the prisons, and a responsibility to model positive behaviour. I wish him much luck in his determined efforts.