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Thailand Provincial Police
The Provincial Police formed the largest of the TNPD
operational components in both manpower and geographic
responsibility. It was headed by a commander, who reported to the
director general of the TNPD, and administered through four
police regions--geographic areas of responsibility similar to
those of the army regional commands. This force provided police
services to every town and village throughout the kingdom except
metropolitan Bangkok and border areas. The Provincial Police thus
handled law enforcement activities and in many cases was the
principal representative of the central government's authority in
much of the country.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, as the police assumed an
increasing role in counterinsurgency operations, a lack of
coordination among security forces operating in the rural areas
became apparent. Observers noted that the overall police effort
suffered because of conflicting organizational patterns and the
highly centralized control system that required decisions on most
matters to emanate from the various police bureaus of TNPD
headquarters in Bangkok.
A reorganization of the TNPD in 1978 and 1979 gave more
command authority to the four police lieutenant generals who
served as regional commissioners of the Provincial Police.
Thereafter, the senior officers of each region not only
controlled all provincial police assigned to their respective
geographic areas but also directed the railroad, highway, marine,
and forestry police units operating there, without going through
the chain of command to the Central Investigation Bureau in
Bangkok. Although this change increased the workload of the four
regional headquarters, it resulted in greater efficiency and
improved law enforcement.
Data as of September 1987
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