Keystone Kops -- western "police volunteers" in Chiang Mai Thailand

Keystone Kops may be a more accurate description

Re: Chiang Mai's farang cops", Sunday Style, March 5.

There are some inaccuracies in your report on Chiang Mai's farang tourist police. They are not required to have residency status or work permits, only to live here long term, which is not quite the same thing. Police visited condominiums on their recruitment drive and obviously were not too choosy in the selection process.

The result is a kind of "Dad's Army" reminiscent of the BBC television comedy series that portrayed a motley crew of mainly geriatric army reservists. Certainly, some of Chiang Mai's farang tourist policemen can hardly walk, and some could not run. Few can speak any Thai apart from ordering a beer.

The result of this is that the expat community doesn't trust or respect them. A country only gets a quality police service if it is willing to pay for it.

Thailand's police force is grossly underpaid, a situation that requires urgent rectification. Forget volunteers - the country deserves professionals.

Amused

Chiang Mai