News Forum - Police officers seen dining in restaurant despite Covid-19 rules

[Bob20]

Last week in Chiang Mai similar. 9 police officers inside a coffee shop around the corner from three kings monument without masks having coffee at one big table. Once finished they went outside to put up the barriers to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the monument.

Yes, it sets a bad example. And its not just in Thailand. But to be fair, lots of civilians ignore the rules too.

And you shouldn't comply because someone else does it. You should comply because it's the right thing to do, to protect others AND yourself.

Edited August 21, 2021 by King Cotton
Minor typo fixed ('do' for 'you')

[Rain]

6 hours ago, Pompies said:

555! The restaurant owner knew they were friendly & gave them a free meal. Give me a break, we all know that they were there to collect their protection money. Their income must have dropped a lot due to Covid, and when restrictions are eased they will find that many of their tea money sources will not reopen. My heart bleeds for them. Not!

Business is business.

[Paco]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

Well said @Paco, but it may depend if they were “on duty”! I recall some years ago in Rayong sitting in a cafe watching a group of police stopping people who were on motorbikes not wearing helmets. I spent a happy 45 mins watching them leap out in to the road, blowing whistles and even occasionally chasing them a short distance. There must have been 10 police involved at the junction and they caught many. Shortly afterwards I paid the bill and got on to my own motorbike being careful to wear my helmet, as I turned left, two of the police pulled out in front of me on their bikes and we drove 100 metres to the next set of traffic lights. At the lights were three young boys on two bikes with no helmet!  Oh dear I thought to myself. Those youngsters are in trouble now!  The police pulled along side them. Never even looked at the boys. Lights turned to green and we all drove on. Amazing Thailand. 

Yeah I know these things but mostly is because they not assigned at that moment for that.. if they not on duty, they should not wear the uniform

[Paco]

52 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Last week in Chiang Mai similar. 9 police officers inside a coffee shop around the corner from three kings monument without masks having coffee at one big table. Once finished they went outside to put up the barriers to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the monument.

Yes, it sets a bad example. And its not just in Thailand. But to be fair, lots of civilians ignore the rules too.

And you shouldn't comply because someone else does it. You should comply because it's the right thing to do, to protect others AND yourself.

Well I also do not wear a mask when I drink a coffee how to drink it otherwise????

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Paco said:

Well I also do not wear a mask when I drink a coffee how to drink it otherwise????

I presume you don't sit shoulder to shoulder around one table with 9 men...

[Soidog]

30 minutes ago, Paco said:

Yeah I know these things but mostly is because they not assigned at that moment for that.. if they not on duty, they should not wear the uniform

I agree. Police in my own country are never truly “off duty”. In Thailand it seems once the clock strikes the right time they are off duty. I’ve seen 6 police in full uniform playing pool in a bar, guns on hips and swigging free whiskey. Madness 

[Donald]

It's one rule for us and one for them. Not just in Thailand, but all over.

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Paco said:

Yeah I know these things but mostly is because they not assigned at that moment for that.. if they not on duty, they should not wear the uniform

Yet, aren't cops considered to be always be on duty? Off time or not. 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Rain

[Soidog]

21 minutes ago, Donald said:

It's one rule for us and one for them. Not just in Thailand, but all over.

I must admit it certainly feels that way. Celebrities seem to be hoping around the world without a problem. Flying in and out of countries as if life was normal. I guess that’s always been the way of the world and no sign of it changing anytime soon

[DiJoDavO]

You could just walk in and sit there too. And if they say something, while recording, you ask them what they are doing. 

[Miblish]

"Hello, Officer! Please come in and smoke some crack with me."

"I'm sorry, we can't That would be illegal."

"But I insist. In fact, I am adamant."

"Well, if you put it that way, then we have no choice. Fire up that pipe!"

[AussieBob]

12 hours ago, Stonker said:

In the queue you're wearing a mask you don't take off.

Sitting at a table feeding your face, you're not.

I'm neither defending it nor complaining about it, but I would have thought the logic was obvious.

Maybe a bit of that, but more likely it is because Thais dont usually eat alone and quietly - they always want to get a group together - and they always talk talk talk - and they also like to sneak a drink or two as well.

 

[HiuMak]

Or will it become the restaurants problem for breaking the law by allowing police officers to dine in. A twist of plot could be either ways.

[Leeshard]

These things happen because people  know that lockdowns are complete nonsense to protect against a virus that 99.8% of people aren’t particularly affected by even if they do catch it. I have to attend Chulalongkorn hospital in the centre of Bangkok every week for post operative care on a carcinoma. It’s a sprawling place with hundreds of people milling around and no social distancing in the lifts. A super spreader if ever there was one but life has to go on and people have other urgent medical problems apart from covid. Furthermore the last part of my journey involves catching a sometimes crowded BTS train. So when, after returning to Pattaya, my local coffee shop offers me a seat to sit down and drink my cappuccino I gratefully accept. Perhaps I should turn myself in to Beach Road police station and admit my horrendous crime. 

[Paco]

17 hours ago, Rain said:

Yet, aren't cops considered to be always be on duty? Off time or not. 

Well I do not agree they also have a private life, however they are if they can make a buck or want to shown i have authority.. what I think is a joke, when they step over the line. However many good cops out there depends where you are

[Paco]

18 hours ago, Soidog said:

I agree. Police in my own country are never truly “off duty”. In Thailand it seems once the clock strikes the right time they are off duty. I’ve seen 6 police in full uniform playing pool in a bar, guns on hips and swigging free whiskey. Madness 

That is pretty bad, because they should show an example, u you see that i will not take them serious, I would also stay away, if they drunk and have a gun with them

[Paco]

18 hours ago, Bob20 said:

I presume you don't sit shoulder to shoulder around one table with 9 men...

Nope I sit alone, but even if you sit with people you have to take it off sooner or later to drink the coffee unless you use a straw 555, what I saw 1 time

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Paco said:

Nope I sit alone, but even if you sit with people you have to take it off sooner or later to drink the coffee unless you use a straw 555, what I saw 1 time

Yup, so those 9 could simply sit further apart and use several tables