The Impact of compensation practice on rent seeking behaviors case study: police officer at police station, metropolitan bureau

Abstract

This research examined the rent seeking behavior of police officers, who work in police stations under the Metropolitan Bureau, Royal Thai Police. The primary and secondary data were collected from March 2014 to May 2017. The primary data were collected by in-depth by interview of 32 police officers at the operational and administrative levels and 9 businessmen and people who had encountered the rent seeking behavior. The secondary data were gathered from the official records and other related documents. It was found there were 5 lines of work with different levels of authority as 1) Administration, 2) Prevention and Suppression, 3) Investigation, 4) Interrogation, and 5) Traffic Control. The levels of authority in each line of work were different, depending on responsibilities, position level, number of manpower in each line, compensation prescribed in the regulations, the surrounding context of the police station level.

Authority in turn affected the rent seeking behaviors of police officers. There were two kinds of rent-seeking behaviors which could be legally or illegally practiced: 1) investment in monopolizing authority. This kind of behavior was giving valuable things or benefits to the superiors or giving them services with the expectation of their support for promotion and transfer to position in return and requesting position according to regulations. and 2) use of the authority of one’s

position to seek rents. The rent-seeking behavior depended on the individual especially non-commissioned police officers and the line of work.

To reduce rent-seeking behaviors, recommended: the following were 1) the checking and counter-checking system should be improved to prevent rent-seeking behaviors. 2) the scope of authority should be clear defined to prevent the abuse of discretion. 3) criteria and procedures for promotion and transfer should be adjusted to be fair for all. 4) the police’s attitude toward rent-seeking behaviors as police culture should be eliminated. 5) the police should be trained to have a good understanding of their duties as police officers and 6) the remuneration system should be revised to be suitable for their work.