Understaffed, overworked and generally loathed by the public for their infamous corruption scandals, the Royal Thai Police force is facing one of its worst periods in history.
The graft scandal of a high-ranking police officer, coupled with rising suicide rates among officers has once again put them in the hot seat.
"If a police officer has not broken the law, there is no reason for him to be under such a high amount of stress that he kills himself," said Lt Col *Toeang, a veteran officer with the Hua Mark police station.
He said it was a tragedy to hear that more than 170 Thai police officers have taken their own lives between 2008-2013, a rate believed to be higher than in previous years. Work and family issues are stress factors he believes could be behind this high rate of suicides.
Law enforcement is reportedly the occupation with the highest suicide rates. Statistics from the Royal Thai Police reveal an average of around 30 officers ended their lives each year from 2001-2013. And with the recent case of high-ranking police officers held in custody on various criminal charges ranging from bribery to abuse of power, and the earlier suicide of Pol Col Akkharawut Limrat, one such suspect, this raises an important question as to what is the actual cause of pressure and stress that Thai police have to deal with.
Lt Col Toeang, who has been in uniform for 27 year, shares his opinion on why officers end their life prematurely.
"If it's work-related stress that drives them to suicide, I would say 80% of the time they have indulged in some form of corruption.
"The individual is under enormous pressure to hide it from his superiors and when you bottle in such feelings, I believe you can snap one day," said the 54-year-old, who recently sacked two of his deputies for taking bribes from drug dealers.
"If a police officer has broken the law, there is always fear and trepidation of being caught. Being anxious and not being able to share it with anyone can take a toll on one's emotions. Even if you want to come clean, it is not easy to trust co-workers, let alone their supervisor.
"The fact that we carry guns only makes it easier for depressed officers to use it on themselves.
"However, if a police officer handles a case according to the book, there might be normal stress that comes with work overload. Here you can talk to your supervisor, colleagues and family, to let off steam. There is no reason to take drastic measures."
A low pay scales only exacerbates financial problems at home for lower-ranked officers, and this encourages them to commit their first offence, he said.
Once they get used to the easy way of life, their transgressions get bolder.
From having managed hundreds of officers to date, Lt Col Toeang is of the opinion that condoning corruption is a gradual process, blaming addiction to vices and loopholes in our legal system as reasons to why police officers go astray. To combat corruption in the police force he said officers needed to be paid a decent salary and given perks so they could look towards a bright future. But all they hear is a lot of talk, and no action.
"I always instil in my subordinates the need to live within their means," said the decorated police officer.
"From what I have observed, many go astray because of their desire for material goods and emulating wealthy neighbours and colleagues. I tell them that this is unnecessary stress and temptation which they can do without.
"Greed and envy is disruptive. Addiction to gambling, drinking and being in the company of financially well-heeled police officers will only create tension and strife. I tell them to live a frugal and self-sufficient life."
Family problems can also exacerbate the already fragile state of mind of an officer. Police work around the clock, he said. The families of lower-ranked officers, in particular, often live a hand-to-mouth existence. Family conflict might arise due to misunderstanding between the breadwinner and his wife and children.
Current suicide prevention methods holding the superior responsible for his subordinate's death and a counselling centre for them is all good, he said, but that does not address the root problem. Nothing could better improve the morale of the police force than tangibly making sure that their standard of living has improved.
"I always advise my subordinates to keep a check on their mental health, especially when we hear news of fellow policemen committing suicide. I remind them to always think of their wife and children, and what is to become of them if they decide to take their life. I also press home the fact that there is always someone worse off than them, so they should hope for a better tomorrow."
As for his role in taking responsibility for his subordinates' actions, he said: "As a boss, I would feel responsibility and guilt if one of my subordinates decided to end their life. It is not my style to put pressure on people I work with to the point that they would snap.
"As long as they don't break the law, they can come to me with any problem, and I will support them."
Meanwhile, traffic officer Sen Supt *Kaek, 50, said a friend in the force committed suicide last year.
"I heard that he took this drastic step because he was in debt. While I manage my stress playing sports, like a lot of officers, there are others that take to drinking and gambling to let off steam, which adds to their stress," he said.
Attached to the Min Buri police station, the cool, calm and collected officer has been in law enforcement for 24 years. He said traffic police are more open to physical ailments than emotional ones, so suicide is rather low in his department.
Sen Supt Kaek agrees that law enforcement can benefit from having access to a counselling centre. As a suicide prevention measure, this can help officers that need someone to show them how they can manage their stress properly, he said. Work and family issues create the most emotional stress among law enforcement officers, he said.
"I make myself as accessible as possible to anyone who works with me. They should feel comfortable to confide in me, and know that I am a fair person.
"Taking me to task if my subordinate decides to end his life, however, is not the way to go to decrease the number of suicide cases in the force. "We have to improve their standard of living, and give them more time for their family and themselves. I believe this is the way out of this conundrum."
The root of all evil is money, he said, so it was important to deal with corruption head on. In his opinion, the public also has to play its role by becoming law abiding citizens.
"It takes two to tango, no one can twist your arm to pay a bribe if you are in the clean. If the public gets into the practice of paying traffic fines at the station instead of paying a bribe to buy convenience, would help nip corruption in the bud."
Both officers declined to use their real names for this article.
Suicide rates within the police force are among the highest in any profession.
