Special Branch Bureau Explained

Agencyname:Special Branch Bureau
Nativenamea:Thai: [[:th:กองบัญชาการตำรวจสันติบาล|กองบัญชาการตำรวจสันติบาล]]
Abbreviation:SBB
Logocaption:Official Seal
Formedyear:17 November 1932
Country:Thailand
National:Yes
Police:Yes
Local:Yes
Headquarters:Royal Thai Police Headquarters, Pathum Wan, Bangkok, Thailand
Chief1name:Apichart Petchprasit
Chief1position:Commissioner
Parentagency:Royal Thai Police
Website:http://www.sbpolice.go.th/

The Special Branch Bureau or SBB is a Law enforcement agency under the Royal Thai Police Headquarters. Special Branch Bureau has major security functions to the king, queen and all the royal family along with the action on the intelligence of the person or group that acts as a threat to national security. The agency was established on 17 November 1932 (Thai solar calendar year 2475) by Royal Decree of His Majesty King Prajadhipok's by the advice of The House of Representatives. As a result, the department is divided into four divisions. Sometimes referred to by critics as the "political police", it is responsible for controlling subversive activities and serves as the Thai Police's major intelligence organization, as well as the unit responsible for VIP protection.

History

A Special Branch Bureau (SBB) division exists in the Royal Thai Police as part of its Crime Prevention and Suppression Support Group.[1] Aside from intelligence gathering, they provide protection to VIPs[2] alongside the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and Armed Forces Security Centre.[3] They handle matters that have to do with citizenship, such as the renunciation of Thai nationality.[4] Foreign nationals living in Thailand go to the Special Branch office to secure a Thai police clearance certificate.[5] [6] Other cases such as lèse majesté, terrorism, and anything that endangers Thai national security are also handled by the Thai SBB.[7] [8] [9]

The SBB worked with the Malaysian Special Branch during the Cold War.[10] During that time, SBB officers were involved in the Red Drum killings, in which 3,008 accused of being pro-communist were burned to death from 200L red drums alive or semi-conscious and incinerated during the administration of Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn.[11]

The SBB was accused of human rights violations toward Falun Gong practitioners.[12] They have been promoted as a means of routing political opposition to the government.[13] The division stirred controversy in the run-up to the 2007 general election when media revealed that the SBB had conducted its own opinion poll to assess the probable electoral outcome.[14] In response to similar stories before the 2011 general election, the SB characterised its gathering of data as a study rather than a poll.[15]

A special police unit called the "Black Tiger" is under the control of the Special Branch. It handles VIP protection operations.[16]

Mission

Organization

Royal Thai Police Special Branch Bureau Headquarters

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Interpol's Thailand Page. 21 January 2013. Interpol.
  2. News: Special Branch to guard judges after death threats claimed . The Nation. 23 October 2010.
  3. Female bodyguards for Thailand's next prime minister . 14 August 2011 . The Nation . 16 July 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140309032344/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/Female-bodyguards-for-Thailands-next-prime-ministe-30160378.html . 9 March 2014 .
  4. Web site: Thai Citizenship Requirements. 14 August 2011.
  5. Web site: Living in Thailand. British Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand. 14 August 2011.
  6. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions. 14 August 2011. Royal Thai Consulate General. Toronto.
  7. Web site: Thailand: Solidarity with Giles Ungpakorn. February 2009. 14 August 2011. Socialist Review.
  8. Web site: Security tightened at Norwegian Embassy. 24 July 2011. 14 August 2011. The Nation. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130313032517/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07/24/national/Security-tightened-at-Norwegian-Embassy-30161040.html. 13 March 2013. dmy-all.
  9. Web site: Thai authorities order arrest of 14 people after protests. 14 April 2009. 14 August 2011. CNN. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918101652/http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-14/world/thailand.political.chaos_1_protesters-prime-minister-abhisit-vejjajiva-demonstrators?_s=PM%3AWORLD. 18 September 2011. dmy-all.
  10. Comber. Leon. Malaya's Secret Police 1945–60. The Role of the Special Branch in the Malayan Emergency. 2006. ISEAS (Institute of SE Asian Affairs, Singapore) and MAI (Monash Asia Institute. Singapore. 257. PhD.
  11. Web site: The Red Drum massacres of 30 years ago. 6 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150909023150/http://jfmxl.sdf.org/Thailand/RedDrums.pdf. 9 September 2015. dead. dmy-all.
  12. Web site: Thailand: Update on the Situation of Five Falun Gong Practitioners Held in the Immigration Detention Centre . 14 August 2011. Clearharmony. 21 December 2005.
  13. Web site: TJA condemns Special Branch Police for misuse of press law. 9 August 2001. 14 August 2011. International Freedom of Expression Exchange.
  14. Web site: Thailand: Restoring Democracy, Report of International Election Observation Mission December 2007 . March 2008 . The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) . 21 December 2015 . "27 November 2007: The National Police Commissioner is questioned by the Prime Minister's Office on why the Special Branch Police Bureau conducted an election opinion poll." . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151221161925/http://anfrel.org/download/2007_thailand.pdf . 21 December 2015 . dmy-all .
  15. News: Police deny making election survey . 13 June 2011 . Bangkok Post . 20 December 2015 . subscription . Special Branch had gathered information about the coming [July 3 election] for a report sent directly to the police chief, but that was not an opinion survey in the form the media reported..
  16. http://www.student-weekly.com/180411/educate1.html{{Dead link|date=September 2015}}

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