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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Bangkok Post: Boys in Brown...

Boys in tight brown set to loosen up


Bangkok Post


National police chief Pol Gen Seripisuth Temiyavej has floated the idea of changing the country's famously tight police uniforms to better suit the hot climate.

The police chief expressed concern that the tight khaki uniforms may pose long-term health risks for officers, particularly traffic policemen.


He said traffic police wearing tight outfits must be sweltering in the scorching heat while on duty and could experience health problems.


Officers working in police stations and other buildings also depend heavily on air-conditioners on hot days, Pol Gen Seripisuth said after a meeting to consider adjusting the police uniform.


The heavy use of air-conditioners wastes energy and contributes to global warming, he added.


The police chief said two types of new uniforms were being drawn up. The first is made up of a light brown, short-sleeved shirt and a pair of black slacks. The second uniform has a light brown, short-sleeved shirt and a pair of khaki trousers.


Metal pin-on badges may be changed to cloth badges sewn to the shirts, he said.


Pol Gen Seripisuth added that police officers could move more freely and quickly in a pair of rubber shoes than in their heavy combat boots.


He said all the proposals will be presented to the police commission for approval.


First Hello Kitty, then the ubiquitous Seripisuth billboards, now dumping the brown polyester, the Thai police are on the reform bandwagon this year.

1 comment:

Thai Observer said...

The tight brown uniforms are an interesting insight into how the police chiefs would like to see policemen, and indirectly, of course, themselves. Same as the pseudo-military ranks and the tall caps they wear. Alas, the eessential narcissism of Thais is very difficult to understand.