Saraburi’s new police station faces scrutiny over service gaps

A newly constructed police station at Hin Kong, Nong Khae, Saraburi, despite having a 10 million baht (US$279,466) budget, faces criticism for not providing police services to residents. Police Colonel Surachet Saenwong Na Ayutthaya, the chief of Nong Khae Police Station, responded to the concerns, explaining the situation and the steps being taken towards a resolution.

Villagers in the Hin Kong area voiced their frustrations over the lack of police presence at the local substation, which was built with a significant budget. A sign posted at the station directs residents to seek services at the main Nong Khae Police Station, inconveniently located a considerable distance away. This has led to hardship for the community members, particularly in emergencies.

Surachet, who assumed his role on December 6, 2023, reviewed the workforce and found only eight investigation officers available, with one newly transferred officer required to undergo a month of mandatory training. This left the station critically understaffed, with each officer handling an average of 60-70 cases per year, reported KhaoSod.

The year-end statistics for 2023 revealed a spike in drug-related issues, delays in case handling, and public dissatisfaction with the justice received. Concerns were also raised about the substation’s operational issues, including negligence, reluctance to serve the public, and allegations of corruption involving fines not being remitted to the central administration for three to four months.

After consulting with superiors, Surachet decided to reorganize the T. Hin Kong substation into a traffic coordination and dispute resolution centre, assuring the public that it was not closing but simply undergoing management restructuring.

A meeting with the police board of Nong Khae is scheduled for February 7, during which further plans will be discussed, including the possibility of operating a mobile police unit at the substation two to three times a week to accommodate public complaints.

In related news, a Thai man accused a Hopalong cop with a prosthetic leg of torture and forced him into confessing to the murder of his wife.