BANGKOK, 5 August 2015 – Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Somyot Pumpanmuang has expressed his continued support for the move to use drafted soldiers as police officers despite the associated draft bill having been rejected by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
The NLA earlier rejected the draft bill stipulating that 10,000 drafted soldiers be turned over to the Royal Thai Police each year to fill positions of police officers. After serving two years, the draftees are to be retired from the police force without retaining their police rank. In turning away the draft bill, NLA members voiced their concern over how the draftee scheme and the use of young draftees as police officers would diminish the credibility and stringency of law enforcement.
Police General Somyot indicated that to address the NLA’s concern over potentially immature police officers being used to serve the public and enforce the law, the Royal Thai Police could increase the duration of training for the draftees. The draftees could also be kept from serving in law enforcement positions during the pilot phase of the scheme. He said that he personally believed that drafted policemen would be able to function effectively if they were given adequate training.
