Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police service for all of the Thai kingdom. Organized on military lines, almost all of the personnel are ex-servicemen, and the force exists almost as a fourth branch of the military, taking part in actions against southern insurgents in the Yala-Narrathiwat areas.
Thailand has a reputation for law enforcement that is “flexible” depending on the situation, and the financial aspects involved. Don’t ever take this for granted, or imagine that you can buy your way out of everything. You could wind up on the wrong end of the wrath of an honest cop.
The Thai Tourist Police are a special branch of the RTP who deal exclusively with foreign tourists. Most of them speak English and can be fount in and around popular tourist areas. Always go to these guys first as they are more likely to understand, and tolerate you.
Foreign Tourist Police Volunteers are expatriates and retirees living in Thailand who work as liasons between the Thai Police and the tourist and expat communities. While their powers are limited mostly to that of advisers, it’s best to be nice to them as they can be very helpful when you are in a crisis.
