Rogue Army sergeant just tip of the iceberg

There was uproar on the social media recently after an Army sergeant in Surin was stopped by a traffic policeman for riding a motorcycle without a helmet and for refusing to produce a driver’s licence. The sergeant simply drove off, as if to mock the authority of the police – and the law. Fortunately the incident was caught on video for all to share online. 

The resulting outcry drew the attention of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, who duly ordered the Army to punish the non-commissioned officer for presuming to be above the law of the land. He also instructed military commanders to be strict with their subordinates about following the regulations.

On Monday the sergeant – accompanied by his commanding officer – faced the police and was fined Bt400 for not wearing a helmet and driving without a licence. Taking the premier’s words to heed, the Surin Military District then ordered the sergeant detained for 15 days for violating Army discipline.

As well as being another good example of the power of social networks, the case highlights the fact that so many citizens of this country, in and out of uniform, routinely expect to be exempted from the law if they cite their status or mention influential people they know.

And here we have a prime reason why law enforcement is so lax. There is good cause to believe you can get away with breaking the law if you happen to be a powerful person or know someone who is. Thanks to traditional Thai rules of hierarchy, those further up the social scale know they can get out of legal trouble and help others to do so.

Encountering difficulties with the law, wealthy citizens regularly flaunt their assets, or at least maintain close ties with politicians and other people in positions of authority. The aim is to ensure they can count on favourable treatment if called to task when they break the law, such as building homes and commercial enterprises on public land. 

Due to the inequitable enforcement of the law, selfish businesspeople who are “well connected” manage to benefit from their crimes almost invariably.

There is always, of course, the danger of losing their protective shield when the politicians with whom they are allied must cede power. At that point, the authorities can finally move in to enforce the law, as they are themselves required to do by law. Since the last change of government, an operation to “reclaim the national forests” has seen more than 100,000 rai of encroached state land seized, mainly in the Northeast.

The government must always ensure that the law is strictly enforced, without exception. It’s heartening to see the prime minister step in and have the wayward sergeant punished in the recent case, but surely it is his administration’s sworn duty to make sure the same rules apply to all lawbreakers and not just junior officers and other small-time law violators. 

Swift action must also be taken against even the highest-ranking military officers and any person of wealth and influence accused of wrongdoing.

Ultimately, it must be stressed once again, it is not just the government and other authorities who should be taking action. It is the responsibility of all citizens to help stem abuse of the law by condemning such practices and, when the times comes, voting with their conscience. 

We should all strive to make fair enforcement of the law common practice. It can only be for the betterment of all.