The November 13 appointment by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont of a police-reform committee charged with changing the national police into an efficient law-enforcement agency has faced some furious responses.

Police spokesman Lt-General Ajiravid Subarnbhesaj said there would be chaos if the government split the force into smaller units to be supervised by civilian boards.

There have been previous attempts to improve the centralised police system, which has long been prone to interference by politicians. All efforts failed after strong opposition. The best that has been achieved was the transfer of the Police Department from the Interior Ministry to become the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO) under the PM's Office.

The police structure has remained the same - with commands, regional operational units 1-9 and the Metropolitan Police, along with specialist and technical-support units - all operated under the direct supervision of the national police chief.

The police-reform committee is to formulate an effective plan for the entire police system, against the background of a lack of transparency in police activities, rampant corruption, abuses of authority and human-rights violations.

Police operational styles have also been criticised. Many important cases remain unsolved - 2,500 extrajudicial killings during the so-called "war on drugs" for a start. People have filed complaints with the National Human Rights Commission, saying that many were innocent people killed during officers' attempts to boost achievement rates.

Cases yet to receive justice include that of nine-year-old Jakraphan "Nong Fluke" Srisa-ard who was killed in a police sting operation in 2003 while officers tried to arrest his alleged drug-dealing parents. Then there is the couple in Nakhon Ratchasima's Khon Buri district who won the lottery and were then killed, allegedly by police who assumed their sudden wealth was the proceeds of drug-dealing. The list of politically motivated cases that have been ignored by police is endless but all have several things in common - deliberate negligence, selective treatment and politics.

Police reform is an urgent issue. Police work and especially abuse of authority touch everyone, from the residents of Bangkok mansions to far-flung border villagers. It is the government agency with the power to do the most good for citizens - or the most harm. If the interim government does not solve the issue, it is going to be just as difficult for an elected one to do so.

Improvements to the justice system - especially the police, as they are the gateway to the whole justice system - were one of the first priorities Surayud reported to the National Legislative Assembly.

The police-reform committee comprises 28 experts from various fields, including retired Pol General Vasit Dejkunchorn as the panel's chairman, and NLA member Sangsit Piriyarangsan.

Sangsit said that many studies found most people were unhappy with their experiences with the police. "The existing police culture causes even well-intentioned recruits to eventually succumb to temptation," he said. He added that detecting corruption would be easier with smaller police units. "There are 240,000 officers but no one to check on them. As a law unto themselves they resemble a police state within a state," Sangsit said.

He said that while some departments, such as the Crime Suppression Division and the Central Investigation Bureau, would operate under the direct supervision of the RTPO, the Metropolitan Police should be supervised by the Bangkok governor and provincial police should be overseen by provincial governors.

Since not all governors are good, the participation of citizens' organisations and media representatives in the form of supervisory civilian boards should oversee all aspects of police efficiency and honesty, Sangsit added.

Justice Ministry Permanent Secretary Charan Phakdithanakul said the police force had a military-style structure when it should be a people-friendly unit.

Charan suggested the force be divided into 10 police offices comprising nine regional police commands and a central investigation command whose ten commanders would answer directly to the prime minister, the interior minister or the justice minister, or to provincial governors.

Former national police chief Prathin Santiprapop has suggested that provincial police be under provincial governors, the RTPO be turned into a central investigation unit like the FBI in the United States and also that there should be a pay increase for police officers.

Metropolitan Police chief Wiroj Chantharangsi gave no comment about structural reform. He simply urged all sides to think thoroughly on the matter for "community benefit" and he would not resist any necessary change. Even Prime Minister Surayud has held back from saying whether police-force decentralisation would solve the problems. He said he would listen to opinions from all sides, including the public, before commenting.

Anan Paengnoy

The Nation