BANGKOK, 7 October 2015 – The Metropolitan Police Bureau has pledged to improve the image of police following motorists’ complaints about unscrupulous police.
Acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Maj Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, announced today that superintendents across the capital city had been told to bar their subordinates from setting up improvised checkpoints to impose fines on drivers.
The order was announced shortly after a group of activists submitted a letter containing 35,000 signatures to the National Police Office, calling for an end to makeshift checkpoints and random fines. The group said motorcycle drivers, most of whom are low wage earners, were the main victims of rogue police.
To improve the image of the police, Pol Maj Gen Sanit disclosed that patrol police would be given the additional task of offering assistance to people. Meanwhile, traffic police have been instructed to give a warning to motorists over minor faults in the first instance instead of imposing fines right away, so as not to worsen conflicts between the public and authorities.
Nevertheless, the acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner confirmed those flouting traffic rules would still face appropriate punitive measures.
