Police scandal shows dire need for reform, public tells Dusit Poll
Play
Most people surveyed by Dusit Poll believe that the gigantic scale of alleged corruption in the "Pongpat" case showed that the Royal Thai Police was in dire need of reform.
More than 80 per cent said the country’s former Central Investigation Bureau commander Pol LtGeneral Pongpat Chayapan must be punished if found guilty of extorting kickback payments.
Another 95 per cent said it was time to reform the police service because officers were meant to enforce the law not break it. People should be able to depend on police not to take advantage of them or harass them.
They said getting rid of bad cops would be a moral support for good cops. Reforming the service would restore public faith and trust in police.
Eighty per cent said they felt reports about the scandal raised more questions than they answered while 59 per cent said the scandal had attracted huge public interest because it concerned highranking police.
Fifty per cent said the assets confiscated from Pongpat and his group, such as priceless artifacts, must be returned to the state.
Another 78 per cent said the scandal showed bureaucratic corruption to be extensive and deeprooted while 67 per cent said bad officials were in every sector and the public must join hands to expose bad cops.
Sixty-two per cent said the scandal showed humanity’s greed for power and money.
Meanwhile, a factfinding committee’s probe into three Department of Special Investigation officials alleged to have received bribes in relation to the contraband petrol trade will commence in coming days.
The illegal trade could have helped insurgents in the deep South.
DSI director-general Suwana Suwannajutha yesterday urged the committee to quickly complete the probe and ensure justice for the accused, noting that the alleged bribetakers were only identified by nicknames.
The DSI is part of the Justice Ministry. But the DSI chief declined to reveal the names of the officials pending the investigation.
She said the investigation would firstly determine if the officials, who were involved in investigations in the South, were on the list before deciding if the accusation had grounds and then possibly launch a disciplinary probe.
The probe would not yet be linked to an ongoing investigation into Pattani-based businessman Sahachai Jiansermsin’s escape from police custody in October, she said. Sahachai is the alleged mastermind behind the contraband petrol trade.
Justice Ministry permanent secretary Pol General Chatchawal Suksomjit said the DSI was investigating Sahachai’s alleged tax evasion and that while he was DSI chief he didn’t get any report about bribetaking in the illegal fuel trade.
