We wrote a few weeks ago we thought the Pattaya news channels should stop showing dead people on Television. Now one of the most prominent leaders of the Pattaya media has been caught stopping someone from filming him.
A letter was also sent with a video to local media
Here is the video from the tube alone with the letter from the man doing the video.
To the Editor, Pattaya Daily news.
I wish to inform you of an encounter I had with 2 members of the Foreign Police Assistants on the evening of 3rd March 2009 in Walking Street, Pattaya.
I’d observed a lot of police activity that night, some of which I had filmed, so curiosity got the better of me and I decided to have a drink at a bar near the Tourist Police “station†to try and see what was going on. I recognised one of the foreign guys in uniform as Howard Miller so I thought I’d get some footage of him and his comrades in their working environment, as were many of the tourists passing by.
The next thing I know, completely out of the blue, I’m pounced on by Howard Miller and another guy who wasn’t wearing a uniform. (I later managed to identify him as Paul Harrison, recently featured in a story on your web-site)
I was told, in no uncertain terms, that I wasn’t allowed to take video. Miller also asked me why I was filming “covertlyâ€. I was holding my camera (which is a large size for a video camera) on my lap for comfort. It was obvious for everyone to see that I was filming. I was hiding nothing – and it certainly wasn’t “covertâ€. I like to take video of people unaffected by the lens – not performing or playing to the camera.
This is the first time in 15 years I have been told to stop taking a video in Thailand.
The tone of Miller and his accomplice was arrogant, authoritative and intimidating. I was also very embarrassed and humiliated by the attention this drew from the other people in the bar and the bystanders who began to gather.
Miller went on to explain that the media had been writing bad things about them and for all they knew I may be from the BBC or CNN. ( I thought at the time, “Don’t flatter yourself!â€). If I was connected to such an organisation then apparently I would have to have authorisation.
I told Miller he was acting paranoid and pointed out the fact that several tourists had been taking video of his team while I was sitting doing the same.
When I asked Miller’s sidekick who he was, he replied, “Tourist Police†and attempted to search for some ID, which never materialised.
I was previously under the impression these guys were civilian volunteers whose mandate was to assist foreign tourists. And here I was being interrogated by two guys acting as if they were police. Not volunteers – not assistants, but enforcers of the law.
I tried to remain calm, but inside I was raging as I finally realised why these people have generated so much concern among the local community. If they were like this in full public view, how on earth did they behave in a more controlled environment. Ironically I did have some sympathy for their plight, and the maybe unjustified criticism they’ve been subject to in the media. That is definitely no longer the case.
The Tourist Police “headquarters†is set up in a dominant position in an open public area free for all to see. What exactly is Mr. Miller afraid of?
I would like to ask Mr. Miller the following:
1. On what authority was I being questioned by you and your assistant?
2. Is there a law in Thailand against taking video in Walking Street?
3. Is there a law against taking video of a group of foreigners in uniform?
4. If there is why didn’t you ask one of your Thai police superiors to speak to me?
5. Mr. Harrison was out of uniform and presumably off-duty so in what capacity was he assisting you in your interrogation?
Finally I’d just like to point out that Mr. Miller himself makes a living from the broadcast of video footage featuring victims in hapless and stressful situations, in their homes, workplace and in public areas, and I would hazard a guess that neither he, nor his staff, obtained permission from his subjects prior to filming nor to publication. The hypocrisy here is blatant, and I think it’s a bit much that he should react when the cameras are finally turned on him.
I include a link to a video on Youtube, to help your readers draw their own conclusions.
Mindstream
we need the story 🙂
edward
not, hes still with them, they are concerned but not enough to double check what I have told them
Mindstream
So he got fired? Well can you not tell just the story you giving us small bits of a story.
edward
the girl might back up the story because she doesnt think what he did is wrong, the law is whatever the nice policeman says, and so may the guy that was blackmailed, but yes, sitting down opposite soi 13/1 looking for a new girl most evenings, not in uniform tho
Mindstream
Well that can get you in problems because that it slander in Thailand. You can never prove it and the girl will never backup your story. But please tell us the story and make the people guess who the person is.
edward
I have personally witnessed one of these guys working for a beach girl in return for favors. This included entering and searching a room while the occupant was out and when the farang returned threatening to arrest him on a false charge if he didnt give money. Im happy to name him if allowed.
Dan
yeah stuff like that needs to be changed. they have to respect peoples privacy, its not right unless of course the person says its okay to film, which i doubt that would happen very often.
Mindstream
Well since Howard work a Police as well i think they target him, you can see him on TV everyday and also as a Police. They should really stop showing ID cards, house numbers and plates. I mean really who care what house number or ID card have it is not news. My friend had an accident and he got a camera in his face by a what he thought was a Police officer. The next day he was all over the news saying stuff in shock he probaly would not say if he know the guy was a reporter.
Dan
That makes sence now, as i didnt know that, as far as i was aware he was just tourist police. But yes i get your point of having the camera stuck in your face after something happening like that, but i know people that work for the media in thailand and thats just how it is. the papers and news take pictures and record before the police or paramedics can do anything.
its something that needs to be changed, but its not just these guys that do it, its the same all over thailand. although these guys did make a tv series about it.
Mindstream
I did not make the film i have other things to do at that time of night so i am not offended. My point is still that it was the Media who was the target here is putting up his camera crew in all kinds of places. Nobody ask them to film innocent people that probably do not want their names and house number on film. If you just got robbed by two lady boys do you want to have a camera stuck up your face with your ID and Passport number shown to the world? If you just came out from a car accident and your wife died do you want a camera next to you when you trying make sense of it all? Howard is a Police but he also working for / owner of a Media company.
If i was in a crime and someone came with a camera to my house or crime scene i probably punch them in the face for invading my personal space. (late Christmas rime)
Dan
If thats the point of the movie then why are the tourist police being filmed? its nothing to do with them or the Thai police, its the thai media that film all that stuff.
The tourist police are there to help tourists in trouble with thai locals and other situations they may get in like bar fights and what not. They help out the local police because they can speak to the farang in their own language with no confusion.
From what i can see in that video, they only asked why were they being filmed and nothing else. He even said they dont mind being filmed as long as they’re asked first, which makes the point, why weren’t they asked after they mentioned that instead of kicking up a fuss about it?
Not at one point in that clip did they seem to be interrogating anyone, simply asking why was they being filmed. I would do exactly the same in his situation, if some ones pointing a camera at me without asking before hand then i will want to know why.
This whole thing is a waste of time, youve probably just heard stuff about them you dont like, so by doing this you’re trying to make a bad name for them. Which is stupid, because theyre there for the safety of tourists and farang alike, nothing else.
And before you say anything about “if its such a waste of time why did you make so much effort to type all that out” its 4.52am and i have nothing better to do, thats why.
Sorry if I’ve offended you in anyway but that’s just my point on the situation, it just looks like you’ve over reacted about the whole situation.
admin
The point with the movie is that the “police” always sticks up the cam in dead people houses or other victims. But when someone film him he got angry.
Neal
I think seeing the rest of the video might help, especially the preceeding footage of walking street, and the target being filmed, all I could identify were police officers. One might ask what were you actually filming?
Also in the cold light of day you may see this differently, not being in your shoes, I didn’t see anything to get so upset about.
Unless there’s more to this video than is being let on?