Patrol police will wear western-style vests to be more visible and look friendlier to people, and some will carry stun guns for safety's sake, according to a deputy national police chief.
Pol Gen Torsak Sukwimol, deputy commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police, said on Sunday that at present patrol police wore reflective vests of different colours, including some from the same station, which lacked order and confused people.
"Existing vests have either gray, red or yellow reflective stripes. So, I think all patrol police should be given the same vest design by the end of 2023," he said.
Based on relevant local and international research, senior officers concluded that patrol police should wear black vests with yellowish green reflective stripes on them. The design would be based on patrol vests in Britain and the United States, Pol Gen Torsak said.
"Studies indicate that the yellowish-green reflective colour is visible from as far as 500 metres away in normal weather conditions and 300 metres in rain and mist. The colour also looks friendly to people. Police officers will not look like enemies or opponents," the deputy national police chief said.
New vests would be made from a fabric suitable for Thai weather and a survey was being conducted to determine the number of patrol officers at police stations around the country who would wear the new vests, Pol Gen Torsak said.
He also said national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas had assigned him to conduct a project to procure stun guns for patrol police.
"Stun guns will be safe for both police and others while officers are tackling criminals, including those under the influence of narcotics," Pol Gen Torsak said.
Each police station might have two stun guns for its patrol police and relevant officers were choosing their types and functions, the deputy police chief said.
