A prominent police academy in Thailand has banned women from enrolling - raising alarm for female rape victims as Thai law dictates women must be interviewed by female officers.
The academy refused to explain why it decided to introduce the ban and simply said it was “policy”.
The Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA) – on the western fringes of Bangkok – takes in around 300 applicants a year. However, from 2019 onwards the new rules will mean it only admits male applicants.
“It’s policy. We’re not allowed to give any more information than that,” RPCA Captain Worawut Sripakhon said.
Human rights activists have voiced concerns that having a male-only police could endanger women because under Thai law female rape victims have to be interviewed by female officers.
Nevertheless, even with women police officers, around 90 per cent of rapes go unreported, according to the UN Women organisation.
“This is a very backward move for women’s rights and women’s safety in Thailand,” Jadet Chaowilai, director of rights group Women and Men Progressive Movement, told Reuters.
“Victims may be embarrassed or reluctant to speak to male officers.”
The director of the Foundation for Women organization, Usa Lerdsrisuntad, argued the move contradicted gender discrimination laws in Thailand.
“It is gender discrimination. There are already too few female police officers, and now this rule will further reduce those numbers,” she said. “It is a big setback for sexual assault and domestic violence cases, which are hugely under-reported in the country.”
According to World Bank data, women constitute about 45 per cent of the labour force in Thailand. This is one of the highest fractions in Asia.
Women were only allowed to work in office and support roles in Thailand’s police force until 2009 when they were permitted to train as officers for the first time ever.
Around 700 females have graduated as officers from the RPCA which is more than a century old.
Thailand currently employs approximately 230,000 police officers – around eight per cent are female.
Earlier in 2018, the Royal Thai Police prohibited women from "inquiry official" roles, arguing women are held back by domestic responsibilities.
