Reform police, now

Re: “RTP rift probe ‘will find truth’”, ( BP, March 22), “Ex-police chief indicted for role in Red Bull heir case”, ( BP, Feb 27) and “Vicha report hopes dim”, ( BP, 5 Oct, 2020).

The latest RTP scandal, resulting in both our top cop and his immediate report being moved to inactive posts, vividly proves that the Thai police force must be decisively reformed — and immediately.

This Herculean task has been put off time and again despite a steady stream of RTP scandals. The 2006-2007 Police Reform Committee, chaired by Pol Gen Vasit Dejkunjorn, found that the RTP was a feudal empire, “constantly criticised for negligence, bias, abuse of power and brutality”. A decade later, Transparency International found that the “RTP is one of the least trusted institutions of the

Thai state’”.

In 2024, ex-top cop Somyot Poompunmuang and ex-deputy attorney-general were indicted for helping Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya evade criminal charges after a deadly hit-and-run in 2012. Now, national police chief Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate have been shunted over alleged involvement in an online gambling network.

In 2020, ex-graft buster Vicha Mahakun submitted a report on reforming the RTP and Office of the Attorney-General. Then-PM Prayut and now PM Srettha buried it deep — meaning it must have been substantive and decisive.

Parliament, and especially the reformist MFP, must work with the media to force Mr Srettha to release Khun Vicha’s report to parliament so that thorough reform may start. Make us proud of you, RTP.

BURIN KANTABUTRA