Problem with bribery not confined to traffic cops

The Metropolitan Police Bureau has come under fire for its decision to extend a Bt10,000 reward to traffic policemen who arrest anyone proffering bribes in a bid to escape punishment. Two Bangkok policemen were the first to receive the reward this week when a motorist caught on camera breaking road laws offered them money to drop the charges.
The reward has since been suspended following widespread public uproar and concern over possible rights violations, since police officers were reportedly using hidden “button cameras” to get proof of bribery.
Senior officers have given conflicting messages about the issue. Some have suggested that the controversial campaign should be terminated, while others say the reward should continue and even be extended to any motorist who reports getting squeezed for a bribe by a cop.
Deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak, who initiated the campaign, said he was waiting for a decision from supervisors on whether the project should resume. National police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmoung voiced support for extending the reward to motorists as well.
Critics of the plan have argued that police should not be offered rewards just for doing their job. Outspoken retired Police Maj-General Wisut Wanitchabutr said the campaign would only fuel people’s dislike of the police and would widen the gap between the force and the public. He too said officers should not be rewarded for performing their normal duties.
It is widely acknowledged that graft is especially serious in the police force. Most Thais have encountered corrupt cops, either directly or via accounts from family and friends. Traffic police are often accused of demanding bribes and there have many been many cases in which they’ve been caught on camera demanding or accepting bribes from motorists.
The problem needs to be tackled before it gets even worse.
The idea of rewarding both policemen for arresting those who offer bribes and motorists who have proof of bribe-taking policemen could help tackle the problem, but only if it is carried out with rigour and sincerity. Another obstacle is the size of the budget needed to fund the rewards.
But fear of getting caught red-handed on camera demanding or offering bribes would likely be a deterrent to both sides. More traffic police would turn down bribes and more motorists would refuse to pay them. The end result should be a reduced problem and, perhaps, more law-abiding motorists, leading to safer roads.
However, the reality is that the problem of bribery extends beyond traffic police into many other sectors of law enforcement. Illegal gambling dens and nightspots pay police regular “tea money” to stay open beyond permitted hours.
If Royal Thai Police commissioners are sincere about reducing corruption in law enforcement, they need to broaden their focus to the millions of baht in bribes that are being paid and pocketed every day across the whole force.