John Schachnovsky is the author of the new book Beyond the Badge: Crime, Justice, and the FBI in Thailand. A former FBI legal attaché, he lives in Thailand.
Q: What inspired you to write Beyond the Badge?
A: My inspiration for writing the book was three-fold.
First, I wanted to shine a light on the work of FBI agents working overseas. While there are so many books, movies, and TV shows about the domestic work of the Bureau, the work in foreign countries is infrequently the focus.
Second, in my time in Thailand, the Royal Thai Police are never portrayed as the hero in pop culture. Added to this, the Thai police have a pretty bad reputation when you ask the average Thai citizen. My work with the Thai police showed them to be professional, knowledgeable, and some of the best partners I ever had.
Finally, I wrote it for my son. As he grew up in Thailand, he never really saw the work I did. The days he would come to my office, I would be sitting behind my desk, so that is what he thought I did.
Even though his friends thought having an FBI agent dad was cool, he would always say, "My dad just sits behind a desk all day." While he now knows that wasn't the case, I still want him to read about the things I did.
Q: Of the various experiences you recount in the book, are there one or two that especially stand out?
A: So many amazing experiences for sure. If I had to narrow it down to one, I would say my work on the 2018 case involving the arrest and deportation of a notorious Mozambican fugitive wanted for murder and a string of over 50 kidnappings for ransom.
As detailed in the book, it was a case that tested my ability to bridge cultural divides, use my investigative knowledge, and calculate how much I can, and should, push my police contacts, all while the pressure of a ticking clock was ever-present.
Q: What do you think of the current state of the FBI?
A: I am so proud of my career with the FBI. Nothing will ever diminish that pride.
The FBI has always been an institution with two stories. There is the story of the hard-working agents, analysts, and professional support employees who make the Bureau tick, and who make it the greatest law enforcement agency in the world.
The other story is that of the political side of the FBI. There is no denying that from as early as the Hoover days, politics has been part of the FBI story. Sometimes good, and unfortunately sometimes bad.
The trick is to try and keep your head down and do the important work of the FBI, and to not let the politics interfere. There are days that is harder to do, but that is the goal.
And FBI agents always want to make sure the public knows that when it comes to the mission of the FBI, the FBI will always be there to do our job and make the country safer. Leaders come and go, but the mission stays the same.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?
A: I really hope readers gain a better understanding of the work of the FBI overseas. There are close to 14,000 special agents in the FBI. And of those, only about 250 total personnel are overseas, covering close to 180 countries. That is a daunting task for a very small number of agents.
And if my story about my path to the FBI, the totality of my law enforcement career, and my time in Thailand bring some level of entertainment, excitement, or a newfound appreciation for the work of the FBI and the Royal Thai Police, that would be even better.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: The book writing, publishing, and now, launch process, have been busy and exciting. So that has taken up a lot of my time.
While I am retired from the FBI, I have stayed in "the business" since I retired. Currently, I serve on the board of directors and as an advisor for Lares Risk Management International.
We are a global security and risk consultancy that provides comprehensive solutions to help organizations identify, assess, mitigate, and manage a wide array of risks. LRM has offices in the Netherlands, Thailand, and India.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: As a 17-year resident of Thailand, I want to add a plug for this great country. If you have not visited, you must. If you have, but not for many years, come back. And if you want to learn more about this part of the world, do yourself a favor and pick up a book; mine would be great, but any book will do.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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