Thai RoboCop walking tall at Songkran

The most important news emerging from the recent Songkran activities is that Thailand finally has its own “RoboCop”.

- POSTSCRIPT Roger Crutchley

The kingdom’s first AI police robot was spotted on active duty in Nakhon Pathom province keeping an eagle eye on water-throwing activities. It has been given the name Pol Col Nakhon Pathom Plod Phai, which is admittedly bit of a mouthful but roughly translates as “Nakhon Pathom is safe”.

The robot is an impressive looking character and stands way taller than the average Thai cop. No doubt it has already suffered the same tired basketball jokes that tall people always have to put up with.

Although the robot cop appears to be quite amiable, you certainly wouldn't want to mess with it. It is unclear if anyone chucked water at the robot during the Songkran festivities but one suspects probably not. Some may have seen the film RoboCop whose main character didn’t stand for any nonsense.

Coincidentally in Britain the word Plod is slang for policeman. It has its origins in children’s author Enid Blyton. Her popular Noddy books which emerged in the 1950s included the Toyland policeman called Mr Plod or PC Plod. His catchphrase was an authoritative “stop, in the name of Plod” although it was often ignored.

Although he was portrayed as dull and “plodding”, for some reason PC Plod’s character caught on with the British public, leading to uniformed policemen being referred to as “Plod” usually in a friendly fashion.

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