(editor’s note: updated the pic below to show one of the volunteers that Phoenix refers to)
I saw them the first time on Phuket during my last visit in December 2007. A group of about six Farang in black uniforms strolling down Banghla Road. I smiled immidiately.
As I found out later on various forums in the internet this is a volunteer police unit set up in Phuket and Pattaya. Don’t know if they also have that in Bangkok itself. They don’t get paid, pay even their uniform themselves and have no more rights than me drinking my beer while grabbing a girl’s boobs.
Ok, so what’s the thrill for them? Playing cops? “To serve and protect” (who)? To feel important? To look for a chance to beat someone up? I have no idea. I didn’t feel safer when I saw them and found it rather ridiculous. I could imagine many Thais looking at them would also like to break out in laughter. If I saw Asians in Farangland playing police with no police rights in areas frequented by Asians I would also not take them serious.. not one second.
Until now I was always been able to take care of problems in Thailand myself and was either smart or lucky enough (or both) not to get into major trouble. If I had major trouble I would rather rely on the local police, my embassy, other Farang friends, my Thai girlfriend or simply my money.. but not on the tourist police volunteers.
Also seems to be a good way for the Thai government to save money: Instead of investing money to employ more policemen, give them a better education and English skills and really take measures against corruption, what better idea could someone have ( I bet it was some damn stupid Farang) than to stock up the uniform presence in the streets with some virtually untrained volunteers and all that for free! It’s a typical face giving method: It looks great on the outside and shall express “Hey, we are doing something for the tourists” but in the end it’s just useless nonsense.
I also don’t have high trust in the regular Thai police. But If I had real trouble in Thailand I would always call them to help me.. you know, a cop with real power and a gun, someone who can handle problems.. even if it means bribery. But no matter how, with a Thai cop I had the hope that a problem might really be solved. And the Farang fake-police would have to call in the Thai police anyway if I have a more important question than helping me to translate “Is your pussy wet already?” to get a more intimate connection with my new spinner.
So please, please, please, dear Thai government, get rid of those volunteer wimps, now.
-Phoenix
Just to make it clear: I am also a fan of the regular Thai Tourist Police. I am expicitly talking a about the Farang Volunteers.
View all comments by Phoenix
phoenix - i noticed the same thing over at the jungceylon mall in patong last october during some sort of public event. i thought it was a fkn joke.
of the three that i saw. one was over 60 and the other two were well into their 40s or 50s. it was clear that they didn’t have any more authority than the mall security guard.
no training, no power, no authority, no respect. they looked like a bunch of retired old farang mongers trying to find a new way to stay in thailand.
View all comments by anon
Anon, that’s exactly what I mean. I already thought I am the only one thinking it’s a joke. I originally sent in a picture of a Farang police volunteer together with this post. Don’t know why now there is the Pic of that Thai police man now. Might be misleading…
View all comments by Phoenix
I think I read somewhere that by being a volunteer cop, people are of the impression they can use that as a future “get outa jail free card”. But sounds and looks like a load of todge to me.
View all comments by Aussie Tom
It is all quite comical if you really think about it. The reasons for indulging in such behaviour generally revolve around a sense of belonging to a community(?) or a love of uniforms together with a degree of anal retentiveness. Either way I can’t imagine many people taking it seriously.
View all comments by Wombat
For a bottle of Geritol and a Kamagra they’ll generally look the other way and let you get back into your Mall perv
The cop groupies in the old country (some of them are young hotties though) are a little weird but these old coots are truly pathetic.
View all comments by thongsuk
Hmmm … I don’t know … black uniforms, you say? Big stompy boots? Handcuffs dangling from my belt? Where do I sign up? I’m sure m would give me an access all areas laminate if I dressed like that. Maybe yourmom will let me snap off her support hose and take her teeth out … no … these are idle fantasies. I’ll “stick to” (copyright m, 2008) spinners and the occasional fragrant kathoey.
View all comments by Pants Elk
You have got to be kin kidding me!
These guys have got to be the tie wearing bible bashers you see around Thailand during the day. I live out in Phatum Thani and I get a Morman bible basher, after fifteen minutes of wetting myself laughing I did invite the poor kid in for a Nam Som.
I wonder if they have to declare all earning? 400bht bribe when they stop you for being foreign and driving a car, 500bht for being foreign and riding a bike bribe or 500 bht for just being non Thai fine, a nice little earner.
Does it say “Bribe taking MF” on his work permit? God help us when a western heffer fits into one of the uniforms, they’ll get wrist ache from bashing in the heads of all the Vets like me they consider sex pests and Pido’s!!!!
Check out “Mike Strutter Thailand Ping Pong” on You Tube. Only just found this one, kin funny.
View all comments by The Vet
Allegedly they also have falang tourist police at “Sunnybum” airport to help us out. Never needed them hope I never have to.
Although the uniform thing…..
View all comments by KTBanker
I have never had any occasion to use farang volunteers and nor have they ever bothered me.
However if you look at most police forces in the world that have to patrol neighborhoods with a large ethnic population, then they will almost always recruit members of that ethnic community to asset in policing and community relationships. There is nothing innovative about the Thai police approach but at least they are following recognized international policing procedures.
So if these farang volunteers actually do manage to assist just one foreigner, maybe a tourist with no farang friend, no local girl friend, no money etc, then perhaps there is some value in them?
I have never seen any in Bangkok. Are they only in Phuket and Pattaya??
View all comments by MSB
The first one that I ever saw, was 2 years ago in Chiang Mai.
View all comments by hanuman
pathetic
View all comments by Orion
I disagree with the idea that they aren’t useful. They may not be the youngest guys, or the fittest guys or whatever, but they are supposed to be able to speak some Thai and can definitely get someone who needs help in touch with the right police or whomever. And if they enjoy helping out tourists who don’t have a lot of knowledge about Thailand or who get robbed or lose something, what is wrong with that? Surely there are other things to scrutinize in Thailand than a bunch of farangs volunteering to help.
I don’t think they have any real police rights, such as they cannot arrest people, but I don’t think that is the idea. And there are more in Phuket where the police force is supposedly severely undermanned, so maybe that is why you don’t see them so much in Bangkok.
I’m not saying I’m going to run out and join them, but I don’t have a problem with them doing their volunteer work!
Powers
View all comments by Powers
i think some people have problems with those farang police who might cop an attitude. sorry, i couldn’t resist
View all comments by go go groupie
I am sure this incident does not help the volunteer police rep any:
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000005120
View all comments by smitty
Hello,
I think that these once with a negative attitude to those Tourist police ,they may have a self conflict with this Country, and give it the big time in Thailand, why not as a Foreigner can assist some Tourist as well.
And if corruption is here at stage ,well you have it in your own country too,and guess what I believe that the most took somewhere some advantage of it .
Any how I believe it is a good set up,surely it may have to be inproved but a good start had been maid.
And just for the one with no conclusions ,a Volunteer can hold a person so long until Police arrive ,every Human Person have the right to do so if they believe been a victim in a crime scene.
So I have a question to the negative Peoples .
What is your Problem in Thailand that you cant be more positively, then such ballistic,cunning,selfish, is your Thai Girlfriend goes on your nerves or had the Country not given you enough attention
View all comments by booker