Thailand's tradition of
buying positions in the police force
The tragic
consequences...
By Jon Fernquest 
The tragic death of a veteran police officer without the
wealth or influence to buy a better position for
himself out of the
line of fire
in southern Thailand last week has sparked a
debate
over Thailand's
longstanding tradition
of buying positions in the police force. Today's article begins after the vocabulary:
tragic - causing or
involving great sadness
consequences of Y - things that result from or are caused by Y
veteran - very experienced and skilled in an activity
influence - power to control events, the effect a person has over decisions, opinions, or behaviour or on the way an event happens
the line of fire - the path bullets take after they leave a gun
out of the line of fire - away from where the bullets are flying as people shoot guns
debate - a discussion in which people state different and opposing opinions about a subject
sparked a debate - started a debate
longstanding - existing for a long time
consequences of Y - things that result from or are caused by Y
veteran - very experienced and skilled in an activity
influence - power to control events, the effect a person has over decisions, opinions, or behaviour or on the way an event happens
the line of fire - the path bullets take after they leave a gun
out of the line of fire - away from where the bullets are flying as people shoot guns
debate - a discussion in which people state different and opposing opinions about a subject
sparked a debate - started a debate
longstanding - existing for a long time
Opinion
EDITORIAL
Deadly graft in police force
15/03/2010The death of Pol Col Sompien Eksomya by a bomb in Yala province last week was a sad and serious murder. The officer was in the last months of a long, dedicated career. He had served his country and people in far-flung regions in a truly heroic manner. But the emerging story behind this tragic death casts an appalling shadow over the Royal Thai Police, its commanders and the government ministers in charge. Indeed, to put it bluntly, it appears that Pol Col Sompien died because he had neither the personal influence nor the money to buy the post he deserved, out of the line of fire.
graft
- corruption, using political power and authority to get money
illegally (take bribes) การฉ้อโกง
police force - all the people who work as police
murder - the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรม
officer - a high level person in an organisation with special responsibilities (a government officer, a police officer, an army officer)
dedicated - spending much time and effort on something อุทิศให้ (a dedicated teacher ทรงเป็นพระอาจารย์ซึ่งทรงอุทิศพระวรกายในการให้ความรู้กับนักเรียน)
career - work (job, profession) that a person does for a long period of life (See Wikipedia and glossary and Bangkok Post article about becoming a chef as a career)
far-flung - far away in different parts of the country, remote
heroic - deserving admiration because very brave or done with great determination against great obstacles
manner - way วิธีการ
tragic - causing or involving great sadness, because someone suffers or dies
casts shadow over - makes them look bad
appalling - bad and shocking
in charge - manage and control the situation or group
blunt - saying what you think is true, even it is offensive to other people
to put it bluntly - to say something true but offensive
influence - the power to have an effect on people or things อิทธิพล
deserved - describes something that you earn or are given because of your behavior or qualities สมควรได้รับ
the line of fire - the path bullets take after they leave a gun
out of the line of fire - move away from where the bullets are flying as people shoot guns
police force - all the people who work as police
murder - the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรม
officer - a high level person in an organisation with special responsibilities (a government officer, a police officer, an army officer)
dedicated - spending much time and effort on something อุทิศให้ (a dedicated teacher ทรงเป็นพระอาจารย์ซึ่งทรงอุทิศพระวรกายในการให้ความรู้กับนักเรียน)
career - work (job, profession) that a person does for a long period of life (See Wikipedia and glossary and Bangkok Post article about becoming a chef as a career)
far-flung - far away in different parts of the country, remote
heroic - deserving admiration because very brave or done with great determination against great obstacles
manner - way วิธีการ
tragic - causing or involving great sadness, because someone suffers or dies
casts shadow over - makes them look bad
appalling - bad and shocking
in charge - manage and control the situation or group
blunt - saying what you think is true, even it is offensive to other people
to put it bluntly - to say something true but offensive
influence - the power to have an effect on people or things อิทธิพล
deserved - describes something that you earn or are given because of your behavior or qualities สมควรได้รับ
the line of fire - the path bullets take after they leave a gun
out of the line of fire - move away from where the bullets are flying as people shoot guns
The death of the brave police colonel by an insurgent's bomb in the deep South should emphasise the credibility and urgency of similar, serious allegations by senior officers just a month ago. That was when three policemen halted the annual police reshuffle by lodging complaints that they failed to get assignments they had apparently earned. Two police colonels and a lieutenant colonel lodged complaints with the office of the chief that they were assigned to "second class police stations" despite stellar performance reports. In other words, like the late Pol Col Sompien, they were shunted aside because they lacked the cash needed to buy an assignment.
insurgent - a
member of a group fighting to take control of the country by force (See
Wikipedia)
emphasise - to stress something such as an idea, fact or detail; to explain why something is important เน้น
credibility - believability, the degree to which something can be believed or trusted ความน่าเชื่อถือ,ความน่าไว้วางใจ
urgency - the need to deal with something quickly ความจำเป็นเร่งด่วน
allegations - accusations, claim wrongdoing by someone, but not proven yet proven ข้อกล่าวหา
officers - high ranking managers in an organisation
halted - stopped
annual - happening once a year ประจำปี
reshuffle - the process of changing the jobs or responsibilities of people in a particular group or organisation การปรับหรือโยกย้ายตำแหน่งคนในองค์กร
lodging complaints - making complaints
complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed
apparently - based only on what you have heard or think, not on what you are certain is true; seemingly ตามที่ได้รู้มา
performance - how well or badly something works (or whether an investment provides a reasonable return)
stellar performance reports - very good performance reports, their boss said they did a very good job at work
shunted aside - moved aside (not included in the good work assignments)
cash - money เงินสด
emphasise - to stress something such as an idea, fact or detail; to explain why something is important เน้น
credibility - believability, the degree to which something can be believed or trusted ความน่าเชื่อถือ,ความน่าไว้วางใจ
urgency - the need to deal with something quickly ความจำเป็นเร่งด่วน
allegations - accusations, claim wrongdoing by someone, but not proven yet proven ข้อกล่าวหา
officers - high ranking managers in an organisation
halted - stopped
annual - happening once a year ประจำปี
reshuffle - the process of changing the jobs or responsibilities of people in a particular group or organisation การปรับหรือโยกย้ายตำแหน่งคนในองค์กร
lodging complaints - making complaints
complaints - when people say there is something wrong and they want it changed
apparently - based only on what you have heard or think, not on what you are certain is true; seemingly ตามที่ได้รู้มา
performance - how well or badly something works (or whether an investment provides a reasonable return)
stellar performance reports - very good performance reports, their boss said they did a very good job at work
shunted aside - moved aside (not included in the good work assignments)
cash - money เงินสด
There were predictable reactions from the police hierarchy at the complaints. Pol Gen Pateep Tanprasert and other top officers insisted on keeping the problem "in house" where they could control it, and recommended setting up a committee to investigate the allegations. The first step would be to determine if the charges of demands for graft in exchange for promotions and assignments were true. Well, of course, every adult Thai can guess the truth. This allegedly has long been part of the culture of the police department, under many chiefs and governments. If the top police generals appear to be shocked at such charges, they are better actors than commanders.
predictable - happens
in the way that you would expect
reaction - the way you feel or act after some event happens
hierarchy - a system of many levels that organises the people in an organisation
insisted - say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change mind
in house - done within an organisation
allegations - bad things that people say they did
determine - to officially find out or decide something ตัดสินใจ ชี้ขาด
charges - bring a criminal case against a person
demands - the things that someone is asking you to do
exchange - give one thing and receiving another in return
X in exchange for Y - X is given and Y is received in return
promotion - moving to a higher position in an organisation
allegedly - claimed but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
reaction - the way you feel or act after some event happens
hierarchy - a system of many levels that organises the people in an organisation
insisted - say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change mind
in house - done within an organisation
allegations - bad things that people say they did
determine - to officially find out or decide something ตัดสินใจ ชี้ขาด
charges - bring a criminal case against a person
demands - the things that someone is asking you to do
exchange - give one thing and receiving another in return
X in exchange for Y - X is given and Y is received in return
promotion - moving to a higher position in an organisation
allegedly - claimed but not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
The grim reality within the police department is that subordinates reputedly pay superiors for the necessary backing which brings promotions and attractive or meaningful assignments. There are certainly many exceptions - honest police officers who refuse to play this dirty game. But the practice is said to be widespread.
grim
- unpleasant and making you feel upset and worried ที่โหดร้าย
reality - actually happening ความเป็นจริง
reputedly - people say that this is the way it is
superiors - people with higher positions in an organisation, people who are senior (having a higher position) to you in an organisation ผู้บังคับบัญชา
subordinates - people with lower positions in an organisation
backing - support, help สนับสนุน
attractive - interesting and pleasant to look, worth having or doing at น่าสนใจ
meaningful - serious, useful, and important มีความหมาย สลักสำคัญ
exceptions - people or cases that are treated differently from normal
honest - telling the truth and not doing dishonest things
refuse - will not do something (will not participate in corruption even though they are supposed to)
practice - a way of doing something การปฏิบัติ
widespread - happening or existing in many places, or affecting many people อย่างแพร่หลาย
reality - actually happening ความเป็นจริง
reputedly - people say that this is the way it is
superiors - people with higher positions in an organisation, people who are senior (having a higher position) to you in an organisation ผู้บังคับบัญชา
subordinates - people with lower positions in an organisation
backing - support, help สนับสนุน
attractive - interesting and pleasant to look, worth having or doing at น่าสนใจ
meaningful - serious, useful, and important มีความหมาย สลักสำคัญ
exceptions - people or cases that are treated differently from normal
honest - telling the truth and not doing dishonest things
refuse - will not do something (will not participate in corruption even though they are supposed to)
practice - a way of doing something การปฏิบัติ
widespread - happening or existing in many places, or affecting many people อย่างแพร่หลาย
The case of Pol Col Sompien is clearly as tragic as it was heroic. And there is no doubt of the officer's heroism. His entire career was in hardship positions, mostly in the South. "The fighter at Budo mountain", a Songkhla native, had asked superiors, then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for a compassionate reassignment from dangerous Banang Sata district. After 40 years, he wanted to transfer to his home province of Trang and work until his official retirement on Oct 1. He was turned down, and an insurgent bomb took his life.
tragic - causing or
involving great sadness
heroic - deserving admiration because very brave or done with great determination against great obstacles
doubt - not know for sure if something is true or false, uncertain
doubt - a feeling of not being sure about something
no doubt - being sure of something
hardship - when life is difficult and unpleasant
hardship positions - positions in an organisation that people do not want because they have difficult working and living conditions
native - someone who was born in a particular place ชาวพื้นเมือง
compassion (noun) - a feeling of sympathy for someone who is in a bad situation because you understand and care about them
compassionate (adjective) - having sympathy for people in a bad situation
transfer - to move someone or something from one place, vehicle, person or group to another ย้าย
official - approved by the government or some authority ที่เป็นทางการ
retirement - the time when you stop working, especially because of old age การเกษียรอายุ
turned down - did not get what he requested, refused
insurgent - someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country or area by force กลุ่มกบฏ
heroic - deserving admiration because very brave or done with great determination against great obstacles
doubt - not know for sure if something is true or false, uncertain
doubt - a feeling of not being sure about something
no doubt - being sure of something
hardship - when life is difficult and unpleasant
hardship positions - positions in an organisation that people do not want because they have difficult working and living conditions
native - someone who was born in a particular place ชาวพื้นเมือง
compassion (noun) - a feeling of sympathy for someone who is in a bad situation because you understand and care about them
compassionate (adjective) - having sympathy for people in a bad situation
transfer - to move someone or something from one place, vehicle, person or group to another ย้าย
official - approved by the government or some authority ที่เป็นทางการ
retirement - the time when you stop working, especially because of old age การเกษียรอายุ
turned down - did not get what he requested, refused
insurgent - someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country or area by force กลุ่มกบฏ
Investigative reporting by a journalist at Isra Institute of the Thai Press Development Foundation revealed that Pol Col Sompien openly believed he was given dangerous assignments because he lacked the tea money necessary for a less stressful post. He was one of 10 officers who applied for the position in Trang, and told friends in and off the force that he had neither the connections nor cash to "buy" the position.
journalist
- a person who
specialises in gathering and publishing information about news and
current events, trends, issues, and people, striving for balance and a
variety of viewpoints
revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
openly - doing in way that everyone can see, not hiding
tea money - bribes, money or favours given to government officials in return for them doing what you want
stress (noun) - a feeling of worry or nervousness (caused by things like personal or financial problems or problems at work)
stressful (adjective) - causing worry
connections - people you know who are able to help you by using their power and influence over others
revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
openly - doing in way that everyone can see, not hiding
tea money - bribes, money or favours given to government officials in return for them doing what you want
stress (noun) - a feeling of worry or nervousness (caused by things like personal or financial problems or problems at work)
stressful (adjective) - causing worry
connections - people you know who are able to help you by using their power and influence over others
There is a way to honour the tragic death of this undoubtedly brave and honest policemen. That is to begin immediately a serious, independent investigation to uncover the depth of the corrupt practice of buying positions within the police force. Then, it will be necessary to purge the senior officers involved, cut ties with corrupt, enabling politicians, and make the Royal Thai Police an honest organisation. Prime Minister Abhisit should start this action by explaining his role in the events that led to the death of Pol Col Sompien.
honour
(verb) - to show respect and admire a person, especially by
giving them a prize or a title, or by praising them publicly
undoubtedly - certainly อย่างไม่น่าสงสัย
immediately - happening with no delay; right away ทันที
independent - free from outside influence เป็นอิสระ
investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง, การสอบสวน
uncover - to discover something secret or hidden ค้นพบข้อเท็จจริง
depth - the distance down either from the top of something to the bottom, or to a distance below the top surface of something ความลึก
purge - get rid of people, remove them from an organisation
ties - relations; connections ความสัมพันธ์
cut ties - stop relations and connections with some person or organisation
ties - connections
role - the purpose or influence of someone or something in a particular situation; function or job บทบาท
undoubtedly - certainly อย่างไม่น่าสงสัย
immediately - happening with no delay; right away ทันที
independent - free from outside influence เป็นอิสระ
investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง, การสอบสวน
uncover - to discover something secret or hidden ค้นพบข้อเท็จจริง
depth - the distance down either from the top of something to the bottom, or to a distance below the top surface of something ความลึก
purge - get rid of people, remove them from an organisation
ties - relations; connections ความสัมพันธ์
cut ties - stop relations and connections with some person or organisation
ties - connections
role - the purpose or influence of someone or something in a particular situation; function or job บทบาท
(Source: Opinion, EDITORIAL, Deadly graft in police force, 15/03/2010, link)
