Thai organisation questioned over police training course for foreigners
Interior Ministry acts on post by MP alleging training for Chinese nationals and issuance of ID cards
A Thai state-registered organisation has been asked to clarify on its alleged involvement in holding volunteer police training courses for Chinese nationals.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul said on Friday that the Reserve Force for Protecting Thailand Association has been told to explain its role in the alleged activities.
The ministry’s action follows a social media post by People’s Party MP Sasinan Thamnithinan regarding a university course to train Chinese police volunteers and approving the issuance of ID cards bearing the police logo, while charging them 38,000 baht each.
The post garnered public attention earlier this week as many believed the course could facilitate illegal foreign operations in Thailand.
Trisulee said that the association, which the post claimed was a co-organiser of the course, was registered with the Department of Provincial Administration on March 3, 1980. Its head office was listed as No. 84/12 Moo 7, Soi Thong Pan 1, Samae Dam subdistrict, Bang Khun Thian district, Bangkok.
According to the registration documents, the association listed supporting the training of Thai nationals to become a reserve force as one of its objectives, Trisulee said.
She added that if the association was found to have operated in a manner that contradicts the law or public morality, or may pose a threat to public order or national security, it could be deregistered under Section 102 of the Civil and Commercial Code.
In addition, if any director of the association is conducting activities that are contrary to the association's objectives, and those activities pose a threat to public order or national security, they would face three years’ imprisonment or up to 60,000 baht fine, or both, Trisulee said.
