500 Pattaya Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Pledge Support...

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: May 23rd 2007

Motorbike Taxi drivers drafted in as Police Volunteers to help reduce street crime.

Khun Ronagit, Deputy Mayor of Pattaya who was joined by senior Pattaya Police and Traffic Police Officers, chaired this meeting.

Attended by 500 local motorbike taxi drivers who are being drafted in to assist the Police with spotting suspicious activities on the streets of Pattaya.

The drivers will effectively become Pattaya Police Volunteers and this one day seminar explained how they will be able to assist the Police.

And how to conduct themselves if they encounter a crime taking place or if they see anything out-of-the-ordinary which requires assistance from the Police.

[Phil Conners]

Hm, mo'bike taxi drivers as police volunteers? Does that sound a bit like having the fox watching the hens?

[cali4995]

Really, some of the motorbike taxi guys are half the problem. How about you give them a police check before you go and deputize them. I mean some of them are all of 18-20 years old. smart.

[larvidchr]

I am afraid some of the motor bike taxi drivers might percive this as a carte blanc to perpetrate more group assaults on lonely farangs behaving in a manner they dont like.

I am aware of the stupid things some of the farangs have done prior to these group beatings, but the punishment seem far to severe compared to the wrong they did, and in anycase should have been left to the proper police to deal with.

Kind regards

Edited May 25, 2007 by larvidchr

[gharknes]

This is not a bad idea, community police have been around for a long time, encouraging the public to help in this way can have quite an effect on people, it gives them sense of duty and pride which may have them clambering to catch a bad guy and may also improve their own interaction with us.

[jackmuu]

The best thing they could do to reduce crime in pattaya is go back to their villages.

They snatched a Thai friends bag a few weeks ago.

[Kerryd]

This is not a bad idea, community police have been around for a long time, encouraging the public to help in this way can have quite an effect on people, it gives them sense of duty and pride which may have them clambering to catch a bad guy and may also improve their own interaction with us.

Yeah, but they don't usually recruit community police volunteers from a segment of society that is just as likely to be the ones committing the crimes !

Remember, these are some of the same guys that almost killed a drunk tourist awhile ago, for urinating on a Buddhist shrine (I think it was one of those Spirit Houses ?). While getting this severe beating, the drunk guy also ended up losing his (5 baht ? 10 baht ?) gold necklace.

While I don't condone what the guy did, I think getting the <deleted> kicked out of you by a bunch of moto-taxi drivers (and having your jewellery swiped) was a little over the edge.

No doubt that some of the moto-taxi drivers will see this Police Volunteer gig as a way to squeeze some extra money out of unsuspecting people, as well as a licence to enforce a little street justice.

[DeputyDawg]

News Flash

Pattaya has no more Taxi Bikes today at 11.30 they all turned each other in to the police.

[BlackJack]

well most of the motor bike taxi (MBT) guys I know are very helpful and friendly.

When I walk past them they always ask if i would like to get drunk with them while they are waiting for a fare.

I ask them can they still ride the bike with a bottle of Sato in their gut and they say sure, sure, you no worries mister, can, no pom pom!

So i guess now that they are pseudo police I can feel safer.

Another good suggestion might be to allow them to show their concealed weapons. After all every MBT driver carries protection in case a rival MBT gang is invading their territory, or in case some farang wont pay the double charge for the ride because he is bigger and heavier than a Thai.

And when people ask me why i love Thailand so much, is it because of the woman, the food and drink or is it because its cheap? I tell them NO!

I say to them its because of good news stories like this that keep me going, give me hope that Pattaya will one day become a model city for families and businesses. A place where i can rest my hat and call home in my retirement. A place where i can feel safe in knowing that the best of the best are looking after my security and safety.

Well done boys - another drink anyone?

[opothai]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: May 23rd 2007

Motorbike Taxi drivers drafted in as Police Volunteers to help reduce street crime.

lol,

what is their to say