Thailand needs 9,000 new police officers: Somyot

Commenting on the Cabinet’s approval on Tuesday of the National Police Act, which would create “drafted policemen” whose status would be equivalent to military conscripts, Somyot said this matter was awaiting clear policy from the government. 

The policy would be implemented gradually because recruiting manpower required budget and welfare, so if the government deemed it necessary to have such “drafted policemen”, it would proceed accordingly, he said. He went on the say that the Metropolitan Police Bureau needed 5,000 additional officers, while up to 9,000 officers were needed nationwide.