Michael Moerman

Police on the law.

December 19, 1968. The opinion of the officer who was acting as Executive Director of the Suppression Division. One of the significant deficiencies in the Thai police investigation was the lack of witness testimony. Because the evidence was limited, as a result, the accused were often released.

visit to central police station of 14 January.

14 January ?. The clerk provided information about the statistical increase in crime every year due to the increase of the population. He also commented on the ability of the police to arrest the culprits. Most locals were afraid of the police. In some cases, the accused was from outside the area of residence.

Judges on the police.

(Date ?) Information was collected in the early May. According to Tanin, Thai police also lacked an awareness of responsibility, consequently there was no progress in Thai justice.

Nai Roj Tri Caren at police station.

January14. Moerman interviewed Police Captain Chareon on various topics such as 1) most of highlanders and rural dwellers considered the police as enemies. Because they only collected taxes and misused of their own authority. As a result, the Communists interfered in the villages and incited the villagers against the government. 2) The “good” police had to be friendly to people and spoke skillfully for negotiations to resolve disputes. 3) The police took good care of the witnesses, so that they consented to testify.

March 20 ?. A captain at the police station in District Sarapee found two suspicious points in the case of a son that was shot by his father. (1) The father testified that the son was holding a knife in his left hand despite the fact that he was right-handed. (2) Considering the shot, it came out too wide, and the trace that was submitted for evidence was proven by the Institute of Forensic Science. It was the first time that the captain was required to use scientific evidence in a case. Most of the time the cases in the provinces mainly relied on witnesses.

Interview with deputy chief of scientific crime investigation divistion, Lam pang.

June 16, 1969. Moerman interviewed the Chief of the Scientific Investigation Division (now Office of Police Forensic Science - Information by the translator) on various topics such as 1) Moerman asked for the reproduction of the cases which had occurred in the North. (2) The differences between Thailand and the United States in scientific evidence used for a lawsuit. The Thai court would focus on testimony and scientific evidence that was only the component of the trial. (3) The use of forensic evidence required skillful authorities. They should be able to explain in an understandable way the evidence to the court. (4) If the scientific evidence and the penalty for the accused at court were less dependable, the court would give the benefit of the doubt to the defendant 5) Stages of the work of the Division of Scientific Investigation and the Central Authority.

Interview with Suchart, deputy superintendant of police, northern district.

June 16, 1969. Moerman interviewed the interim director on various topics such as (1) the situation of fighting in the mountains. (?) There were two police dead. (2) Since the police department was a large organization, there were both the good and the bad. But there were number more of the good, and the Police Department was currently under organizational reengineering. (3) Every year the Inspector General of the Police Department was monitoring the actions of local police. (4) Steps to submit complaints of alleged. (5) Although the investigation and case filing were orderly patterned, the police who had greater experiences could always find ways to receive graft. (6) A commando was set up for reinforcement in the case of the local police being incapable to cope with serious situations (like the fight against Hmong people in the mountains)

police carreers.

June 10, 1969. The Police Department planned to send police to test for English-language in Bangkok. Those who pass would be sent to visit the U.S. for 6 months.

Interview with police suprintendant, Changwat Nan.

June 18, 1969. Thung Chang district, Nan province, was an important and dangerous border zone; so the police, courts and prosecutors should cooperate.