Rent Seeking Behavior Case Study: Police Officers working in Police Station, Metropolitan Police Bureau, Royal Thai Police

Abstract

This research has studied the rent seeking behavior of police officers, who work in police station under the Royal Thai Police by collecting data from interviewed officers at the level of performing duty and in administration for 32 persons and people including those in business who had encounter with the rent seeking behavior about 9 persons.  The study had also considered the secondary documents involved during the month of March 2014 to May 2017. The study had found the level of authority has 5 type lines of works as 1) administration 2) prevention and suppression 3) investigation 4) interrogation and 5) traffics. There have different authorities and responsibilities, level of positions, number of manpower, compensation according to the regulations. This including the context of areas and level of positions that affected the rent seeking behavior of police officers in two kinds of behavior as 1) invested in monopoly of authority, this kind of behavior rely on bosses or supervisors by giving property or benefits or helping and including requesting position according to the regulation and 2) in using authority for rent seeking behavior we found that in each of the line of work there are various types and level of behavior according to the authorities and responsibilities. The behavior may depend on the individual and the overall authority. The recommendation to improve can be proceed by improve the overall compensation, improve checking and counter checking, improve authority in exercising judgments, adjusting appointment guidelines and implant attitude, and building understanding of duty of police officers.