Royal Thai Police

In 1998, the Royal Thai Police was transferred from the Thai Ministry of the Interior directly under the control of the Prime Minister. The police received a new name in English: Royal Thai Police (RTP). The post of her commander was changed from “Director General of the Police” to “General Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police."

Thai police consists of several services, and each of them has its own powers.

Royal Police Headquarters

• Royal Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police

Thai Border Police

The Thai Border Police (Border Patrol Police, BPP) was created in the early 1950s with the assistance of the US CIA . This department has 40,000 employees. Along with fulfilling its main mission, the Border Police are also involved in the implementation of numerous social civil programs in the interest of residents of remote areas of Thailand and hill tribes. Border Police units participated in the construction of schools and office buildings, the operation of medical centers in rural areas, and the construction of runways at local airfields.

• Border Police Headquarters
  • Border Police Headquarters
• Tactics Training Unit
• Support department
• Hospital
• Airborne Unit
  • Counter-Terrorism Group Naresuan 261
• Scout Movement Center
• Regional offices 1, 2, 3, and 4.
• Rebel Training Center
• Sea and air rescue service

Central Bureau of Investigation

The jurisdiction of the National Coordination Headquarters extends throughout the country. The Central Bureau of Investigation was established to assist both the provincial and metropolitan units of the Royal Police in preventing and combating criminal activities and in minimizing threats to national security.

• Specialized units. Such as: railway, sea, automobile, technological police, police of economic crimes and police of forestry. These units use modern technical means, as well as undergo narrow, specialized training ^[3] .
• Five other departments:
  • The Crime Department ( Thai กอง บังคับการ ปราบปราม ) is one of the largest departments in the bureau. This department is responsible for most criminal investigations throughout the kingdom. The emergency unit handles social unrest, sabotage, fraud, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and organized crime. The department is also responsible for matters related to politics, in particular for elections.
  • A special service that critics sometimes call the "political police." The service is responsible for the prevention of sabotage, acts as the primary intelligence service of the Thai police, and is also responsible for protecting high-ranking officials.
  • The Criminal Division collects and maintains records necessary for police work, including dossiers and fingerprints of famous criminals. As well as persons suspected of committing crimes.
  • The department of forensic laboratories where technical experts conduct the necessary chemical and physical analyzes for investigations.
  • Licensing department. His responsibilities include the registration and licensing of firearms, vehicles, gambling establishments and other items and enterprises, as required by law.

Drug Enforcement Administration

The Bureau is the leading drug control agency in Thailand.

Logistics Management

Police Aviation Division

Fleet:

• 1 Fokker 50 aircraft
• 2 Casa CN - 235-200 M
• 2 helicopters Airbus Helicopters H175 ^[4]
• 5 Eurocopter EC155B-1 helicopters
• 2 Eurocopter AS365N3 + Dauphin helicopters
• 9 Bell 412 helicopters
• 15 Bell 212 helicopters
• 26 Bell 205 helicopters
• 16 Bell 206 helicopters
• 6 Bell 429 helicopters

Provincial Police Unit

The provincial police form the largest operational units of the Royal Thai Police, both in personnel and on a geographical scale. It is led by a commander who reports to the general commissar of the police. The department is managed through four police districts. The provincial police ensure the safety of every city and village throughout the kingdom, except for Bangkok and the border areas. Thus, the Provincial Police in most cases is the main representative of the central government in most of the country.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, when the police took an increasingly active role in rebel operations, the lack of coordination between security forces operating in rural areas became apparent. Observers noted that the general efforts of the police have been deteriorated due to a controversial organizational structure and a centralized control system that requires decisions on most issues by the leadership located in Bangkok.

The reorganization of the Provincial Police in 1978 and 1979 gave more power to the four police lieutenant generals who served as the provincial police regional commissars. Subsequently, the senior officers of each region not only controlled the entire provincial police existing in their region, but also sent the railway police, road and forest police there, without waiting for permission from Bangkok. Although such a change increased the burden on the regional headquarters, it led to increased efficiency and improved law enforcement.

The provincial police department is divided into 10 regions, covering 76 provinces of Thailand, with the exception of Bangkok and border areas:

• Region 1 - Ayutthaya
• Region 2 - Chonburi
• Region 3 - Nakhon Ratchasima
• Region 4 - Khon Kaen
• Region 5 - Chiang Mai
• Region 6 - Phitsanulok
• Region 7 - Nakhon Pathom
• Region 8 - Surat Thani
• Region 9 - Songkhla
• Southern Frontier Region - Yala
• Special units

Police Education Bureau

The Police Training Bureau is responsible for training officers on the latest law enforcement techniques and the use of modern weapons. The bureau runs the Royal Police Academy in Sam Fran, Nakhon Pathom province, the detective school in Bang Kaen, the capital police school in Bang Kaen, and the provincial police training centers in Nakhon Pathom, Lampang, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Yala. The Bureau also oversees a number of training grounds created and staffed for training their units in operational operations and fighting rebels.

Tourist Police

The tourist police is a service that does not have police powers and is largely responsible for reporting to insurance companies regarding victims of thefts and other crimes related to tourists. In more serious cases, the Tourist Police reports crime that is subsequently passed on to the regular police in Bangkok. Recently, foreign citizens residing in Thailand have been admitted to the Tourist Police.

According to Andrew Marshall, a Reuters correspondent: “In Thailand, the Tourist Police were created specifically so that foreigners have as little contact as possible with the regular police. Otherwise, this could scare away potential tourists who are so important for Thailand ” ^[5] .

There are 1,700 police officers in the Tourist Police ^[6] .

Migration Bureau

The Migration Bureau is responsible for issuing visas and managing immigration to Thailand. The bureau plans to secede from the Royal Police so that it becomes an independent body.

Metropolitan Police Department

Responsible for security and law enforcement in Bangkok and its suburbs, the metropolitan police are probably the most visible and well-known of all Thai police units. The metropolitan police are largely unified. Acts under the command of the commissioner, who has the rank of major general of the police. He is assisted by six deputy commissars. Organizationally, this department consists of three divisions, each of which serves in one of three urban areas: northern Bangkok, southern Bangkok and Ton Buri. Together, they comprise about forty police stations that operate around the clock. In addition to walking patrols, the Metropolitan Police uses motorized units serving dogs, building guards, and employees who specialize in working with minors. The Traffic Police Department also provides convoy and guard of honor for the king and dignitaries. It is responsible for preventing illegal demonstrations and dispersal of unrest in the capital.

Patrol and Special Operations Division (191 Special Police Service)

• Arintharat Special Operations Division 26

Traffic Police

The traffic police department began its work in 1927. Employees in this department are now responsible for patrolling roads. In addition to their direct duties, employees of this department are working to improve road safety, deal with crimes related to vehicles and criminal use of the road network. Often they support other units, as they constantly patrol roads within their area of ​​activity ^[7] .

Thai military as a police

On March 29, 2016, an order signed by the interim government gave the Royal Armed Forces broad police powers to suppress and arrest anyone they suspect of criminal activity without a warrant; and secretly detain them almost anywhere without charge for up to seven days. Bank accounts could be frozen, and documents and property confiscated. As a result, the military had more power than the police, and less control over their actions ^[8] .

The government noted that the purpose of this order is to enable the military “... to prevent crimes such as extortion, human trafficking, child rights violations, gambling, prostitution, and are not aimed at intimidating people who disagree with politics. Defendants in military affairs will go through a regular trial, with the police being the main investigator ... the trial will be held in civil courts, not in the military. In addition, this order does not deprive the right of the accused to file complaints against servicemen who abused their power ” ^[9] .

The National Council for Peace and Order , which was in force at the time, stated that the reason for such actions was that the police did not have enough staff, although the Royal Police served about 230,000 people, representing 344 police officers per 100,000 people in Thailand, which more than two times more than in Myanmar and the Philippines, one and a half times more than in Japan and Indonesia.

Despite such assurances, many human rights organizations criticized the Thai government’s decision ^[10] .

The Thai police force has approximately 230,000 employees. About eight percent (18,400 people) are women ^[11] . For comparison, in the Philippines, the proportion of female police officers is 20 percent, 18 percent in Malaysia and 30 percent in Sweden. ^[12] The Royal Police has approximately 400 female investigators. ^[13]

Women were first admitted to the Royal Police Cadet Academy in 2009. Since then, she graduated from about 700 female officers. ^[14] 280 seats previously reserved for women for 2019 will be canceled ^[15] . Previously, in 2018, the Royal Police forbade women to perform “official duties”. The rationale was that women were hindered by household chores, so they were less effective than men. Women will still be able to become police officers in other areas. For example, women with legal degrees will still be able to undergo training ^[14] .

Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda explained this decision by saying that police cadets must go through the initial training period at the Armed Forces Academy Preparatory School. And the latter does not accept women into its ranks. Critics, in turn, say the new policy violates the 2015 Gender Equality Act, Thailand’s constitution, 20-year-old national strategy, and international conventions prohibiting gender-based discrimination ^[16] .

Royal police, especially provincial forces, make extensive use of pickups and SUVs. Cars and motorbikes are also used to regulate traffic and patrol in cities. Patrol cars usually have speed radars, alcohol testers and emergency first aid kits. The police also use rickshaws minivans, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats and helicopters.

The colors of the Royal Police vehicles vary depending on the class, region, and type of duties performed. Bangkok metropolitan police cars black and white. Provincial police cars are painted in maroon and white. And the traffic police is maroon and yellow.

The Royal Thai Police do not have any standard firearms. Police officers must buy their own gun, which is available in Thailand, and which they can afford. If a policeman cannot afford a gun, he can buy it by taking installments from his police cooperative.

One of the most popular pistols is the M1911 , which can be easily found in Thailand. The Glock 19 Parabellum is another popular, albeit more expensive option. In mid-2015, the Royal Thai Police Commissioner initiated a program whereby police could purchase US-made SIG Sauer P320 pistols at a price of 18,000 baht. The market price for this gun in Thailand is several times higher. Such a price was made possible thanks to a special exemption from import quotas and duties. In December 2017, 150,000 SIG Sauer P320SP pistols became available for purchase at a price of 23,890 baht ^[17] . In addition, the Royal Police Directorate distributed 55,000 new pistols to police stations across the country. ^[18]

Although Thai police do not produce pistols, government bodies produce long-barreled weapons. The standard police are Heckler & Koch MP5 and FN P90 assault rifles, Remington 870 rifles, M4 carbine and M16 rifles .

• Toyota Hilux
• Toyota Camry
• Motor rickshaws

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  Toyota Hilux Police Car

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  Toyota Camry VVTi Patrol Police Car

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  Police used rickshaw

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  Police Toyota Corolla Altis

The uniform of the Royal Thai Police varies depending on the rank, region and type of duties performed. As a rule, it resembles a military uniform, not an ordinary police officer. Part of the uniform can be considered a rule regarding haircuts, which applies to male police officers. They need to shave their naps and pans, leaving short hair on top.

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  Royal police officer uniform

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  Unit commander uniform

Officers

• Thai Border Police
• Thailand Travel Police

• Royal Thai Police Official Website (Thai)