PHUKET: Phuket's honorary consuls are to meet with Phuket's only woman police officer as she becomes the key person in a new approach to allegations of sexual assaults.
Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad told a meeting of the honorary consuls today that although Lieutenant Nutchari Rongkaew was based at Phuket City, she would be deployed to question women who made complaints of rape wherever they occurred on the island.
Phuket's honorary consul for Ireland, Helene Fallon-Wood, made the suggestion that the consuls meet with Lieutenant Nutchari before they have cases that will require contact with her.
Female officers are a relatively new addition to Thailand's police force and the appointment of Lieutenant Nutchari to Phuket came about after regular requests from the British embassy and Phuket honorary consul Martin Carpenter.
Major General Pekad, who chaired today's meeting after Governor Tri Augkaradacha excused himself to supervise the vote-counting for members of Phuket's Islamic Society, thanked the honorary consuls for their suggestions.
Mr Carpenter made the point that Thai women as well as expats would benefit from being able to relate their accounts to a properly trained female officer.
In the past, said Australian honorary consul, Larry Cunningham, women who had allegedly been raped sometimes opted to fly off Phuket rather than have to tell their account to male officers.
Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad told a meeting of the honorary consuls today that although Lieutenant Nutchari Rongkaew was based at Phuket City, she would be deployed to question women who made complaints of rape wherever they occurred on the island.
Phuket's honorary consul for Ireland, Helene Fallon-Wood, made the suggestion that the consuls meet with Lieutenant Nutchari before they have cases that will require contact with her.
Female officers are a relatively new addition to Thailand's police force and the appointment of Lieutenant Nutchari to Phuket came about after regular requests from the British embassy and Phuket honorary consul Martin Carpenter.
Major General Pekad, who chaired today's meeting after Governor Tri Augkaradacha excused himself to supervise the vote-counting for members of Phuket's Islamic Society, thanked the honorary consuls for their suggestions.
Mr Carpenter made the point that Thai women as well as expats would benefit from being able to relate their accounts to a properly trained female officer.
In the past, said Australian honorary consul, Larry Cunningham, women who had allegedly been raped sometimes opted to fly off Phuket rather than have to tell their account to male officers.
Congratulations Mr. Carpenter. Well done. Thank you also to General Pekad for listening. Phuket just took a step up the ladder.
Posted by James on November 25, 2011 15:27