Female Police Officers in Thailand: Gender Inequality And
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PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(2): 2428-2452 ISSN: 00333077 Female Police Officers In Thailand: Gender Inequality And Organisational Transformation From A Cultural Perspective Buabuttri Siriwat* Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Suan Suanandha Rajabhat University, Thailand *Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT This research studies the extent to which Thai cultural factors appear to play a crucial role in influencing and/or determining the experiences of female officers in the Royal Thai Police (RTP); the extent and prevalence of gender inequality, and how it can affect recruitment, retention, performance, promotion, and the wider work environment for those officers. Ultimately, the research seeks to determine and address factors leading to gender inequality within a largely male dominated organisation, as well as suggesting pathways that could be initiated for organisational transformation. The research concludes that gender inequality is present and marked within the organisation. This finding is broadly consistent with research carried out in Australia, India, Nigeria and the USA, and clearly shows that the Royal Thai Police treats female officers quite differently i.e. as a second-class gender. Interestingly, results arising from this study directly contradict research by the Royal Thai Police conducted in 2014, which found that both female and male officers have equal career opportunities. Perhaps alarmingly, this study also demonstrated that verbally abusive, sex-based harassment is common, and widely accepted as the norm in the Royal Thai Police when communicated in a seemingly or apparently jocular manner. Worse, verbally abusive, sex-based harassment was also viewed as a relationship building technique! Within a broader context, Royal Thai Police executives apparently fail to see the importance of equity and gender balance within the organisation, nor do they comprehend the extent to which female officers face persistent discrimination. Keywords: Gender equality, Royal Thai Police, female police officers, cultural factors, gender reform Article Received: 18 October 2020, Revised: 3 November 2020, Accepted: 24 December 2020 Introduction Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Gender inequality is one of several inequities that against Women; but it was only in 2014, that the persist in Thai society, particularly in the public Thai cabinet passed a resolution for all public sector, which includes the Royal Thai Police, the organisations to be equipped with sex-based subject of this particular study. This is illustrated harassment prevention and resolution guidelines by the fact that even quite recently, Thailand was in the workplace. In Thai policing, one of the ranked 76th on Gender Inequality Index (Casella, keys to reform besides ‘public involvement’ and 2016). It is widely understood and appreciated ‘de-centralisation’ appears to be the elimination that gender inequality can create hostile work of gender bias in ‘police transfers’ and environments, which means in turn that gender ‘promotions’ (Bohwongprasert, 2019). It can be reform programmes are needed to help alleviate argued that promoting gender equality in policing and remove workplace gender inequality. will not only benefit female officers who wish to Denham (2008) revealed that gender reform in enjoy a successful career path, but it will also the public sector can promote a non- help create gender diversity, and the workforce discriminatory culture and a more productive will achieve more of the balance contemporary work environment (Denham, 2008, p.4 ed. policing needs according to studies cited later. United Kingdom Home Office). For example, research by the University of San Diego shows that having female police officers at Thailand’s first formal commitment to gender work can help ease tension in sexual assault equality only began about 30 years ago, when the investigations which examine crimes committed country participated in the Convention on the against women (2019). Moreover, more 2428 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(2): 2428-2452 ISSN: 00333077 extensive studies show that female police officers Thailand is often seen as highly regulated are less authoritarian and more compassionate, (although regulations are far less likely to be that they are good at stress management, and implemented), and workplaces usually governed because of their ‘natural’ empathy they are better paternally, where more lowly ranked employees equipped to handle diverse personalities and are often given forms of protection in exchange deliver effective two-way communication for their loyalty. There is also a widespread (Crowson, 2019). Other research suggests expectation that more lowly ranked employees female police officers are less likely to use should be submissive to those who appear above physical force, hence, they are generally “better them in the chain of command. This means such at defusing and de-escalating potentially violent employees are also highly collective (IDV), confrontations with citizens, and are less likely to where decision making often depends on become involved in problems with use of acceptance from extended family and social excessive force” (Resetnikova, 2006). members. It is also apparent that in general terms, Thai workers do not believe in confronting Literature review issues or behaviours head on, therefore, Viewing ‘gender’ from cultural perspective workplace culture tends to revolve around According to Risman (2004, p.437), ‘gender’, subservient roles, and the presence of hidden must be viewed as a social structure. By conflicts, which may make gossip and scandal contemplating gender as social structure, we are more prevalent. With a score of 34 Thailand better able to determine its criteria as: a scores the lowest masculinity (MAS) level of all characteristic of groups; persistence over time Asian countries which may go some way to and space; legitimating ideology; changes explaining how Thais are generally less assertive incessantly; organised and permeated with power and not overly competitive. Hofstede’s theory (Lober, 1994 ed. Risman, 2004, p. 431). In other also indicates this is a reason why traditional words, ‘gender’ is an ‘identity’ that may change male and female roles in Thailand are more continuously over time and place, and like other highly preserved than in many other countries. social aspects, it is subject to the mediation of Typically, Thais have a very low score on ‘long power. ‘Gender’ is clearly shaped by cultural term orientation’ (LTO), and tend to value the values which help determine what appears past and the present more than the future, which desirable in a society (Williams 1970 ed. Siddiqi goes some way to explaining how the country and Shafiq 2017, p. 32). places high importance on traditions, while at the same time, formulating ad-hoc policies. On the Hofstede (2011, p.7) states that cultural values last dimension, Thailand has an intermediate are the by-product of individual and social values score on ‘indulgence’ which is neither ‘indulged’ of different communities and identifies six main (IND) nor ‘restrained’, hence, the result on this aspects of cultural value dimensions. Like many area is remains ambiguous. other Asian countries, Thailand is seen as high in power distance (PDI) and uncertainty avoidance Erin Meyer (2014) has worked extensively on (UAI) (Hofstede Insights n.d.). With the score of cultural differences in the workplace and 64, Thailand seems willing to accept the notion describes these on an eight-scale spectrum. In of ‘inequalities’ as a central part of its culture. this domain, Thailand is labelled a culture with Thailand more widely has a stricter chain of high-context communication which means verbal command structure, a clearly discernible and non-verbal communication are complex as hierarchy, and many privileges associated with messages are often delivered between the lines, rank, status and the like. Because the idea of the sometimes remaining unspoken and implied ‘unknown’ future is not generally acceptable, (GWOPA, n.d.). Because Thai culture is 2429 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(2): 2428-2452 ISSN: 00333077 essentially non-confrontational, ‘evaluation’ may that most people in their reference network be given and used as indirect negative feedback: conform to it” (Bicchieri, 2016, pp. 25-30). often quite softly, subtly, privately, and Applying Bicchieri’s rationale, if leaders and implicitly. On the concept of ‘leading’, Thai policy makers wish to implement a counter- culture is classed as very hierarchical, and so the active stance opposing and/or reducing gender distance between supervisors and subordinates is inequality within organisations, their first priority high (Hofstede labelled this as high power must be to create, attribute and implement distance), “status is important”, “organisational innovative norms which engender a new set of structures are multi-layered and fixed”, and behaviours amongst the community, which in “communication follows set hierarchical lines” turn has the potential to create significant social (GWOPA, n.d.). Thailand might be seen as a change.In some instances, research has found polar opposite of countries which are more that there is a ‘major disconnect’ between what is egalitarian, where there is far less emphasis on actually happening in a society (prevalence) and differences in apparent power and status. ‘Trust’ evident individual beliefs