People in Thailand are scared of the police. The men in brown might be small, but they do not hesitate to show off their power. Thai and farang alike are helpless in their grasp.
“Best you tell the truth.” A Bangkok police officer advised during my arrest procedure in 2008.
I did so and he rewarded my acceptance of guilt with a helping hand. My fin for trafficking in counterfeit goods was only $100. Truth or consequences. I chose truth.
Only one thing pisses off the police more than someone lying to them and that a fugitive on the run. Pursuit is too much work in the tropical heat and the hours spent tracking a fugitive mean that the tam-luat’ can chase ‘sin-bon’ or tea money for the common cause of the brotherhood of cops.
Only one man scares the police and that is the army’s special killer.
These soldiers in black helmets can seen riding on the back of motorcycles. My friends have said that these men have the right to execute justice with a gun without any repercussions as long as their victim doesn’t come from ‘kân sŏong sùt’ or the elite. Poor people are their favorite target. There is no court of appeal from these wandering minstrels of death. If they catch you then there’s only on ecourse of action and that’s to eat crow or ‘kin gaa’. The life you save might be your own.