When politicians control the police force

When politicians decide who gets the good jobs, police investigation teams get disrupted & crime fighting suffers.

Photo above of  well-known crime investigator Police General Aswin Kwanmuang at his retirement.   

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Factors behind our failing cops

ANALYSIS: Exam scandal, political meddling deal twin blows to the police force
2/07/2012
Wassayos Ngamkham

Rising crime statistics nationwide and the scandal involving a gang helping police applicants cheat on their entrance exams have tarnished the reputation of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), critics say.

One of the most notorious crimes in recent months was the June 20 murder of an Australian woman in Phuket.

Michelle Smith, 60, was fatally stabbed in a bag-snatching attempt by two men. Her friend was also injured in the attack.

The same day, British tourist Mohamad Zubair Edwa was also stabbed on the island.

Critics say these attacks took place because the police have failed to take appropriate prevention measures.

Public confidence in the police has also been badly compromised by the exam cheating scam.

Dozens of applicants in the June 10 national police entrance exams were found to be carrying radio devices which transmitted answers to the multiple-choice questions through a series of vibrations.

The transmitters were supplied by a gang who were paid by applicants for help in the exams.

On top of this, the overall reported crime rate nationwide is on the up. Critics say this is because of political interference in the police force.

They say the RTP has never been free of political intervention, and this explains why many police officials suddenly climb the career ladder without apparent merit.

The prematurely promoted officers lack the experience to properly prevent and solve crime, according to critics.

They are also believed to be more interested in the benefits of the role than in working for the public good.

The presence of two senior figures in the RTP may go some way in explaining how the force has come under the control of politicians.

The first is national police chief Priewpan Damapong himself. Although Pol Gen Priewpan is regarded as a good cop, earning a good reputation during his role as an operational officer in the fight against drug-trafficking gangs, it is conspicuous that he is an older brother of Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The second figure is Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who has been assigned by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to oversee police affairs.

Not only does he have close ties with Thaksin, but Mr Chalerm is well-connected in police circles thanks to a stint at the Crime Suppression Division.

Adding to the RTP's vulnerability to political interference is the retirement of several renowned investigators whose police teams were automatically dissolved upon the resignations of their bosses.

A good example of this was the retirement of Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang, a former RTP adviser who was well-respected and had several capable investigators in his team.

Among police investigators, Pol Gen Aswin was not only a respected figure but also an extremely powerful one.

He had efficient investigative networks all over the country. To maintain quality, he never let a dishonest cop join his clique, known as the "Aswin camp".

But upon Pol Gen Aswin's retirement, that powerful clique of decent police investigators faded away.

The former Aswin camp members were forced to look for a new head, such as Pol Lt Gen Winai Thongsong, the former Bangkok police chief who was recently transferred to the Provincial Police Region 1 commander's post, or his successor Pol Maj Gen Khamronwit Thoopkrachang.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya also had one of the most successful networks of police investigators in the country, but this group too has been dissolved even before his retirement this October.

Pol Gen Panupong was moved to an inactive post following rumours he had secretly travelled to Hong Kong to meet Thaksin and had returned home with a promise that he would become national police chief in his last six months of service.

The rumours upset the current national police chief.

And, as Khunying Potjaman's brother Pol Gen Priewpan was rumoured to receive a political position to make way for the promotion, the chief decided to put an end to all the hearsay by transferring his potential successor to an inactive post, effectively dissolving Pol Gen Panupong's group of investigators.

Efficient police investigators are now being sucked into Pol Lt Gen Winai's or Pol Maj Gen Khamronwit's camps. Less capable officers are left with only one choice if their careers are to move forward - to receive the backing of politicians.

Police officers who are taken under a politician's wing may later be used as a tool by them, something that is happening more and more frequently as the number of reputable police bosses dwindles.

Pol Gen Achirawit Suphanphesat, a former deputy police chief and now a member of the Police Commission, said he could not deny there was political interference in the RTP.

But in Pol Gen Achirawit's view, if the national police chief and his deputies are strong enough, the RTP would definitely be shielded from interference.

The reputation of Thailand and its police force depends on this.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Factors behind our failing cops, ANALYSIS: Exam scandal, political meddling deal twin blows to the police force, 2/07/2012, Wassayos Ngamkham, link) 


Police Force Vocabulary

factors - the different things that affect the outcome of a situation, event, or decision ปัจจัย
factors behind

factors behind our failing cops

scandal - a situation in which important people behave in a dishonest or immoral way that shocks people เรื่องอื้อฉาว (See Wikipedia)
exam scandal

meddling - to be involved in a situation that you should not be involved in (in an annoying way)
political meddling

blow - something that damages and hurts something
twin - two of something

twin blows - two things that damage and hurt
deal twin blows to the police force

exam scandal, political meddling deal twin blows to the police force

statistics - facts about something, described by counting them สถิติ
crime statistics

nationwide - throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
rising crime statistics nationwide - more crime reported in the country

application - making a request to be chosen for something (a job, to be a student at a school, etc)
applicants - people who make an application for something
police applicants

cheat - gain or get something from someone by lieing and being dishonest to them
cheat on exam

tarnished - spoiled; making people have a worse opinion of you than they did before เสียหาย ด่างพร้อย

reputation - what people believe about something (good reputation, bad reputation); being famons and remembered or known by the public for something (for example, a reputation among his friends for working quickly); the opinion that people have about how good or how bad someone or something is ที่มีชื่อเสียง ที่เป็นที่รู้จัก ความนับหน้าถือตา  

tarnish reputation - make your reputation into a bad reputation

critics - people who don't like something and who state their opinion about it นักวิจารณ์

Rising crime statistics nationwide and the scandal involving a gang helping police applicants cheat on their entrance exams have tarnished the reputation of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), critics say.

notorious - famous in a bad sort of way ซึ่งมีชื่อเสียงในทางที่ไม่ดี ที่มีชื่อฉาวโฉ่
notorious crime

murder - the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรม

One of the most notorious crimes in recent months was the June 20 murder of an Australian woman in Phuket.

fatal (adjective) - killing; causing someone to die
fatally (adverb)

stab - push a knife into a person's body
fatally stabbed

bag snatching - when a thief grabs a woman's bag and runs away quickly
bag-snatching attempt

prevention - the act of preventing something, or things that people do in order to prevent something
measures - actions taken to deal with a problem มาตราการ
prevention measures

take appropriate prevention measures

compromised - when something is hurt, damaged and does not work anymore
badly compromised

confidence -  feel sure and certain about something; trusting and believing in something ความมั่นใจ ความเชื่อมั่น
confidence has been badly compromised - meaning: many people lose confidence in it; don't believe in it anymore

scam - a dishonest plan, especially for getting money; an illegal or immoral trick used to get money from people กลโกง, แผนร้าย
exam cheating scam

Michelle Smith, 60, was fatally stabbed in a bag-snatching attempt by two men. Her friend was also injured in the attack. The same day, British tourist Mohamad Zubair Edwa was also stabbed on the island. Critics say these attacks took place because the police have failed to take appropriate prevention measures. Public confidence in the police has also been badly compromised by the exam cheating scam.

national police entrance exams

transmitted - sent
radio devices transmitted answers

answers to the multiple-choice questions
a series of vibrations 

Dozens of applicants in the June 10 national police entrance exams were found to be carrying radio devices which transmitted answers to the multiple-choice questions through a series of vibrations. The transmitters were supplied by a gang who were paid by applicants for help in the exams.

on the up - increasing
crime rate is on the up  - crime is increasing

interference - the process of deliberately becoming involved in a situation and trying to influence the way that it develops การเข้าแทรกแซง

political interference
political interference in the police force

On top of this, the overall reported crime rate nationwide is on the up. Critics say this is because of political interference in the police force.

intervention - becoming involved in a situation, activity or decision you are not normally involved in and trying to change or influence it การแทรกแซง
political intervention

free of - not have something

free of political intervention
never been free of political intervention

career - work (job, profession) that a person does for a long period of life (See glossary) (See Wikipedia)
climb career ladder - to have a series of better jobs with greater pay and responsibilities during your career

merit - to be excellent and good at something (so you deserve job or some benefit you get) ควรได้รับ
without merit

climb career ladder without apparent merit

apparent - that can be seen; noticeable; easy to see, clear and obvious ซึ่งเห็นได้ชัดว่า
apparent merit  - being good at doing something (and people easily why they deserve a job or position) 
without apparent merit

climb the career ladder without apparent merit

They say the RTP has never been free of political intervention, and this explains why many police officials suddenly climb the career ladder without apparent merit.

promoted - moved to a higher position in the organization
premature - happening before it should happen

officer - 1. police officers; 2. a high level person in an organisation with special responsibilities (a government officer, a police officer, an army officer)

prematurely promoted - given a higher level job or position (before the time they would normally get the job)
prematurely promoted officers

lack - does not have ขาดแคลน
lack experience

prematurely promoted officers lack experience
the experience needed to properly prevent and solve crime

benefits - goods things that can happen from an activity ผลประโยชน์
role - the position, function or purpose that someone or something has in a situation, organisation, society or relationship บทบาท
benefits of the role - meaning: being a high ranking means you have a high income and are powerful

working for the public good
presence - when someone or something is in a place การอยู่ในสถานที่หนึ่ง (ของบุคคล)

figure - someone who is important in some way บุคคลสำคัญ
senior figures

The prematurely promoted officers lack the experience to properly prevent and solve crime, according to critics. They are also believed to be more interested in the benefits of the role than in working for the public good. The presence of two senior figures in the RTP may go some way in explaining how the force has come under the control of politicians.

cop - (informal) a police officer ตำรวจ (คำสแลง)

earning a good reputation

operational - working and doing what was planned  ที่สามารถใช้งานได้
operational officer

drug trafficking gangs
conspicuous

ousted - removed from power ที่ถูกขับจากอำนาจ forced out of a position of power ขับออกจากอำนาจ
ousted prime minister

The first is national police chief Priewpan Damapong himself. Although Pol Gen Priewpan is regarded as a good cop, earning a good reputation during his role as an operational officer in the fight against drug-trafficking gangs, it is conspicuous that he is an older brother of Potjaman na Pombejra, the ex-wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ

oversee - to watch or organise a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly คุมงาน,ควบคุม ตรวจตรา ควบคุม จัดการ ดูแล
oversee police affairs

ties - relations; connections ความสัมพันธ์
close ties  

have close ties with Thaksin

police circles - among groups of police who know each other and are friends

well-connected - having powerful friends (who can help you in your business or career)
well-connected in police circles

a stint at - working for a company or organization for a short period of time

The second figure is Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who has been assigned by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to oversee police affairs. Not only does he have close ties with Thaksin, but Mr Chalerm is well-connected in police circles thanks to a stint at the Crime Suppression Division.

vulnerability - weak and easily harmed
vulnerability to political interference

retirement - the period of time later in life when you stop working and relax around age 60 after many years of work การเกษียรอายุ
retirement of several renowned investigators

dissolved - (of a group) officially ended ยุบ (พรรค) no longer existing;  to disappear and stop existing ที่ถูกยุบ
police teams were automatically dissolved upon the resignations of their bosses

respected - admired by many people for your qualities or achievements ที่เคารพ
well-respected

capable - able to do something; very good at a job มีความสามารถ
capable investigators

respected figure
powerful figure

Adding to the RTP's vulnerability to political interference is the retirement of several renowned investigators whose police teams were automatically dissolved upon the resignations of their bosses. A good example of this was the retirement of Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang, a former RTP adviser who was well-respected and had several capable investigators in his team. Among police investigators, Pol Gen Aswin was not only a respected figure but also an extremely powerful one.

investigative - involving the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened เกี่ยวกับการสืบสวน, เกี่ยวกับการตรวจสอบหาความจริง

efficient - doing a task with no waste of time, money or energy
efficient investigative networks all over the country

maintain - to keep; keep in good condition รักษา
maintain quality

dishonest cop

clique - a group of people who help each other 
join clique

camp - a group of people who help each other 
the Aswin camp

decent - has acceptable standard or quality
powerful clique of decent police investigators
faded away

transferred - moved; changed someone's job or responsibilities โยกย้ายตำแหน่ง
transferred to the Provincial Police Region 1 commander's position

successor - someone who has an important position after someone else ผู้สืบทอดตำแหน่ง

He had efficient investigative networks all over the country. To maintain quality, he never let a dishonest cop join his clique, known as the "Aswin camp". But upon Pol Gen Aswin's retirement, that powerful clique of decent police investigators faded away. The former Aswin camp members were forced to look for a new head, such as Pol Lt Gen Winai Thongsong, the former Bangkok police chief who was recently transferred to the Provincial Police Region 1 commander's post, or his successor Pol Maj Gen Khamronwit Thoopkrachang. Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya also had one of the most successful networks of police investigators in the country, but this group too has been dissolved even before his retirement this October.

rumours - a story or piece of information that passes from person to person so that a lot of people are talking about it  (that may or may not be true, not proven yet)
upset - unhappy, disappointed, angry about something that happened ทำให้หงุดหงิด วิตก กังวล
current - of the present time ปัจจุบัน

Pol Gen Panupong was moved to an inactive post following rumours he had secretly travelled to Hong Kong to meet Thaksin and had returned home with a promise that he would become national police chief in his last six months of service. The rumours upset the current national police chief.

potential - possible or likely for event or situation to happen ที่เป็นไปได้
effectively - working well and producing the results that they wanted

receive a political position
promotion - giving an employee a higher position or job than they already have

hearsay
put an end to all the hearsay

potential - possible ความเป็นไปได้
potential successor

transferring his potential successor to an inactive post

effectively
effectively dissolving the group of investigators

And, as Khunying Potjaman's brother Pol Gen Priewpan was rumoured to receive a political position to make way for the promotion, the chief decided to put an end to all the hearsay by transferring his potential successor to an inactive post, effectively dissolving Pol Gen Panupong's group of investigators.

backing - support, help สนับสนุน ให้การสนับสนุน

Efficient police investigators are now being sucked into Pol Lt Gen Winai's or Pol Maj Gen Khamronwit's camps. Less capable officers are left with only one choice if their careers are to move forward - to receive the backing of politicians.

taken under a politician's wing - protected and help by a politician (given favours and must return favours)
used as a tool

reputable police bosses
dwindle - decrease in number

Police officers who are taken under a politician's wing may later be used as a tool by them, something that is happening more and more frequently as the number of reputable police bosses dwindles.

deputy - a person who is given the power to do something instead of another person, or the person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง, ตัวแทน,ผู้รักษาการแทน
deputy police chief

deny - to not allow someone to have or do something ไม่ยอมรับ, ปฏิเสธ
could not deny

shielded from interference

Pol Gen Achirawit Suphanphesat, a former deputy police chief and now a member of the Police Commission, said he could not deny there was political interference in the RTP. But in Pol Gen Achirawit's view, if the national police chief and his deputies are strong enough, the RTP would definitely be shielded from interference. The reputation of Thailand and its police force depends on this.