Angry 'land sharks' to cruise streets again

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Angry 'land sharks' to cruise streets again
Published: 10/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News  

Police are relaunching the "Chalarm Bok" (Land Sharks) patrol car unit from 14 years ago.

They hope the new unit will inspire just as much fear among criminals as did its predecessor.

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) is relaunching the fleet of signature blue and white vehicles, once a familiar sight on city streets, after one of its officers decided they might help deter crime.

Torsak Sukkavimol, head of the CSD's patrol vehicle unit, said more than 20 patrol cars will be done up in the original blue and white livery, with the CSD logo on the side doors.

He said the original series comprised Nissan Cedric vehicles, which were owned by the patrol officers who drove them.

They first hit the streets of Bangkok 50 years ago.

Criminals feared the vehicles, as the police who turned up tended to mean business, he said.

"Notorious gangsters and mafia figures ruled parts of Bangkok more than 50 years ago. But they fled on seeing the Chalarm Bok cars equipped with their tall radio transmission antennas."

The idea of reviving the "land sharks" came to him when he found one of the old Cedrics at auction. He bought it with 30,000 baht of his own money, and did it up.

The car's battery was dead, and nothing else much worked either. He replaced the engine with a spirited Toyota Lexus V8 and spruced up the interior.

Before long, the 30-year-old four-door was back in working order. The repairs set Pol Lt Col Torsak back 200,000 baht.

The Cedric which turned up at auction was among the original Chalarm Bok vehicles decommissioned 14 years ago and sold to private buyers.

Pol Lt Col Torsak said that by resurrecting the Cedric, he was able to show his colleagues what can be done to bring back the Chalarm Bok.

"I believe that bringing the Chalarm Bok back to life back has psychological merit," he said.

"It will boost the confidence of our crime suppression officers. We look different on the road from other police units," Pol Lt Col Torsak said.

The CSD chooses leased Toyota Camry and Toyota Altis vehicles for its patrols. Its ordinary patrol vehicles are silver, with the CSD logo on the side doors.

The patrol cars which will join the Chalerm Bok unit will be painted over with blue and white using a technique that allows the paint to be peeled off easily. A private company is sponsoring the 20,000 baht colour change for each car.

Pol Lt Col Torsak's refurbished Nissan Cedric will take part in land shark patrols, though mainly on public relations drives.

He said he planned to use the old Cedric mainly to educate the public about the Chalarm Bok.

"We want to attract people's attention and by doing so, we hope to get closer to communities," he said.

Police will take the Chalarm Bok cars on patrol in busy areas such as the Victory Monument and the Maboonkrong shopping centre.

The idea is to familiarise people with the patrol unit's revived appearance and give criminals something to be nervous about, Pol Lt Col Torsak said.