Steep Fall In Pattaya Crime

You wouldn't know it by reading this forum, but the new Chonburi Governor, Khun Pracha Taerat claims Pattaya crime is down by 60%.

Here's the report from Pattaya Today. I'm sorry about the absence of paragraphs, this is a direct copy and paste from Pattaya Today and they don't use them.

Steep fall in Pattaya crime

Up to 60% says governor The new Chonburi governor, Khun Pracha Taerat, told a packed meeting of local expats that recent measures have had a dramatic effect on recorded crime levels. Speaking to a Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats club at Henry J. Bean’s restaurant, the governor - in post for less than three months - claimed that police reports of illegal activity in the resort have fallen by well over a half. He added that the intention was to increase that welcome downturn to 80%. Khun Pracha mentioned the measures which, he claimed, were responsible for the success. In particular, he explained that police had drafted in uniformed members of the army, including navy recruits from Sattahip, to assist in day and night Pattaya patrols and to act as a deterrent to street crime because of their high visibility. He did not give any statistical breakdown to back up the reduction claims. The governor explained that he was well aware that the safety of tourists and of foreign residents was the most important task facing his administration, city hall and the police. He explained that the new Pattaya information, assistance and emergency English language hotline is now operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week by phoning 1337. The newly organised hotline has direct access to the police and, if necessary, the telephonists can act as translators with officers on duty. Local mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn, also present at the meeting, agreed that the hotline had had early teething troubles but now had a high-tech data base with information on any and all subjects of interest to tourists. Around 22,000 calls a month were now being logged on every subject imaginable. Khun Pracha invited questions on subjects of general concern from the floor. He received some tough nuts including why the traffic lights at the Carrefour junction on Central Road are not in operation and whether it would be feasible to ban all noisy construction work in the city after 6 p.m. Officials of the club rushed to the rescue pointing out that too many traffic lights arguably make snarl-ups worse and rightly observing that Pattaya could never have expanded as it has without night time shifts on building sites. The meeting was also attended by the superintendent of Pattaya police, the nai amphur (administration head) of Banglamung and top regional army and navy personnel. Such a distinguished turnout was unprecedented in club history, said host Roger Fox. The Chonburi governor agreed that expats could write to him personally about their general concerns by addressing polite emails to [email protected]

Steep fall in Pattaya crime