Police 'trained on checkpoint searches, interception'
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POLICE say they have received training on how to intercept and search suspects at a checkpoint, and use procedures on a par with international standards.
Pol Maj-General Amornwit Muntong, chief of the Police Education Bureau’s Tactical Training Centre, spoke about the training after a police team in Thalang district in Phuket was accused of using excessive force when chasing two young drug suspects on Saturday.
The suspects died after a road accident while trying to escape.
Their deaths enraged hundreds of local people, who turned up at Thalang Police Station and rioted later that night. The havoc continued until the wee hours of Sunday.
“Police will observe people they have asked to stop at checkpoints. People in general will usually cooperate,” Amornwit said.
He said that if any person tried to resist operations at the checkpoint, police would realise that there must be something wrong.
“If some people try to run away from a checkpoint, police will take further action. In some cases, big vehicles like trucks and buses may be used to block their escape route.”
He said police would then surround suspects and try to arrest them.
“If the situation is serious, a reinforcement from the Arintaraj 26 will be called,” Amornwit continued.
He said all police non-commissioned-officer students learned how to man a checkpoint during their one-year programme. “For those who have already served in the police force, we have also provide tactical training every year.”
The Nong Sarai Training Centre has 20 training courses – with places for about 2,200 police each year. But Amornwit admitted the centre’s capacity was far from meeting the needs of the 210,000-member police force.
