"If I can do it, other women can do it too"
Twice a week, Sirirat Thongthipa gets on a mountain bike to patrol the ancient city of Ayutthaya with colleagues. They drive a 12-kilometer route across the island of Koh Muang, sometimes zigzagging over narrow paths, where police cars cannot go. From morning to late afternoon.
If they see something that is not acceptable, Sirirat and her colleagues come into action, because they have had weapons training (photo homepage), tactical training (photo) and first aid lessons. But they are also stopped by tourists, young children and the elderly. Bicycles are seen as a friendly means of transport, Sirirat explains.
Sirirat decided four months ago to join the Bike Patrol Volunteer Group, eleven strong; she is the only woman. Although not a full-time officer, they do wear a police uniform and a belt with a flashlight, handcuffs, a walkie-talkie, baton, camera and mobile phone around their waist.
The members are businessmen or employees, who set aside one or two days a week for work. Sirirat, mother of two, owns a photo shop. She joined because she was the bad guys wants to quit and she wants to be a role model for other women. "If I can do it, other women can do it too."
The mountain bike held no secrets for her, as she has been riding it for a dozen years and can even show off a trophy. Her shooting practice is also going well, because the second time she already had the highest score of all. But she remains a woman through and through; she never forgets to apply light makeup and wear long sleeves to protect her skin from the sunlight. "It's a woman's thing," she laughs.
Two-wheelers are more suitable for the old part of town than cars and motorcycles
The bicycle brigade was reintroduced in 2003 by police sergeant Wakin Rushatathada. He considered two-wheelers best suited for a small area like the old city of Ayutthaya. The police had previously had a bicycle brigade, but the bicycles had been replaced by motorcycles. The advantage of the mountain bike is that it can reach places where a motorcycle or a car cannot go. This saves vital minutes, which can make the difference between an arrest and a fled suspect.
One of the places that has become safer as a result is the Bung Phraram park. The park was a popular meeting point for drug users and drunkards. The arrival of the bicycle brigade put an end to these practices. But the work includes more.
While on patrol recently, Sirirat came across a boy and a girl in school uniform in the park. You can guess what they were planning. The bicycle volunteers asked for their parents' telephone numbers and warned them. Lesson learned, but whether they have had their falie from their parents is not mentioned in the story.
Source: Bangkok Post