Patong Named 'Safety Zone' In Phuket Model For Public Safety

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Patong named 'Safety Zone' in Phuket model for public safety

Phuket Gazette

After the meeting on public safety, Gen Pansiri Prapawat inspected Patong. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Deputy Police Chief Pansiri Prapawat said all police departments must coordinate to fight crime. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Patong has been nominated a “Safety Zone” by Deputy Police Chief Pansiri Prapawat as part of the “Phuket model” for public safety.

Speaking at a meeting yesterday that focused on establishing tourism safety measures for the island, Gen Pansiri said, “Phuket is one of the most attractive vacation places in Thailand. However, illegal taxis, jet-ski operators and issues with public safety are all concerns.”

Gen Pansiri explained that the central government planned to earn 2 trillion baht from tourism between 2011 and 2015, with one third of that expected to come from Phuket.

“There are four steps to the plan, which is designed to identify dangerous areas and secure them. The plan will also tackle the issue of illegal taxi drivers, jet-ski operators and others who are assaulting tourists,” he said.

Once the “danger areas” have been identified, all police forces – Provincial Police, local police, Tourist Police, Marine Police, Immigration Police – will need to cooperate and coordinate their efforts in fighting crime, Gen Pansiri explained.

The general made it clear that the use of CCTV and information-technology systems would be a necessary part of the plan in order to identify risk areas.

“The last step of the plan – once we’ve identified dangerous areas, implemented the necessary technology and coordinated our efforts – is to strictly enforce the law in accordance with the wishes of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, ” said Gen Pansiri.

“The risk areas must be identified and plans established to resolve the issues within 30 days,” he said.

Later yesterday afternoon, Gen Pansiri inspected Patong and concluded that the private operators were more than willing to cooperate with the police in establishing Patong as a 'Safety Zone'.

“However, the true indicator of whether or not Patong has become a ‘Safety Zone’ will be a statistical reduction in crimes and an increase in the satisfaction of tourists,” Gen Pansiri said.

“I know that the problems with illegal taxis and jet-ski operators cannot be solved over night. But I do believe that we will have the results we want within three months,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16352.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-05

[Alexpho]

I've been to Phuket once. And from I've heard and read about the explosion in crime there..... never again.

[KhunMoo]

The word "Patong" and "Safety Zone" in the same sentence!

Haha..that dude has humor, have to give him that

[Jimi007]

Once the “danger areas” have been identified, all police forces – Provincial Police, local police, Tourist Police, Marine Police, Immigration Police – will need to cooperate and coordinate their efforts in fighting crime, Gen Pansiri explained.

Good luck General...

[upena]

"“The risk areas must be identified and plans established to resolve the issues within 30 days,” he said."

If he doesn't know where the jet-ski scams are by now, this will never work. But, of course,we will all be told that crime is down and tourism is up and after 90 days, everything will go back to the way it was.

[RogueLeader]

Phuket is one of the most attractive vacation places in Thailand

Has he been to Patong? Has he been anywhere else in Thailand?

[Captor]

And what about the roads and the traffic? That is much more dangerous. In fact deadly dangerous...

[Wiggy]

“The risk areas must be identified", he said.

That's easy: Phuket!

[firestar]

Who knows if we'll see results but a step in the right direction.

Edited July 5, 2012 by firestar

[phantomfiddler]

The word "Patong" and "Safety Zone" in the same sentence!

Haha..that dude has humor, have to give him that

In a similar vein, I once saw a plaque on Pattaya Beach saying it had been awarded "Cleanest Beach in S.E. Asia". I think it,s called denial

[madmitch]

I don't know how many police from all over Thailand attended this jolly but this morning ten VIP buses and a convoy of minibuses went past me, driving dangerously fast to keep up with the police driver leading them, in the pouring rain.

And is paragraph 3 above correct? That's not what was reported the other day, or am I mistaken?

[bigbamboo]

Once the “danger areas” have been identified, all police forces – Provincial Police, local police, Tourist Police, Marine Police, Immigration Police – will need to cooperate and coordinate their efforts in fighting crime, Gen Pansiri explained.

Good luck General...

You need luck to win the lottery.

The General needs one of those Thai miracles we hear so much about.

[Cardiff1963]

good luck, look forward to same announcement next year

[Dararasmi]

It probably won't amount to anything, but at least it's being talked about. Lip service is better than silence/denial.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Dararasmi

[drdoom6996]

I've been to Phuket once. And from I've heard and read about the explosion in crime there..... never again.

I resemble that remark.

[LeeThayer]

When an airport taxi can run over you while you are stopped while they are making a u-turn on a one way road, the police find the car and let them go, and when you go later to the police station and the sergeant there says nothing in the log, "it didn't happen" kind of makes you wonder.

[eddie61]

"once we’ve identified dangerous areas, implemented the necessary technology and coordinated our efforts – is to strictly enforce the law in accordance with the wishes of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung"

It is wonderful that it depends on the wishes of a tainted interior minister to strictly enforce the law, rather than on duty, and probably a sworn oath to the sovereign

[Jimi007]

“The risk areas must be identified", he said.

That's easy: Phuket!

Phuket is a provence, although there is a Phuket Town. This article is about Patong though, not Phuket...

[mrfill]

Contrasts nicely with another article in the same digest from TV..

PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai Police have ordered a “media blackout” for Phuket, with only the local police superintendent authorized to release information to the media, the Phuket Gazette has learned.

This following the attempted abduction of a Japanese tourist.

Solves the problem though - don't report it and it hasn't happened!

[monty1412]

How cynical we all are...

Here we have Patong being proclaimed a safety zone and a model for Public Safety on the same day that

- Adolf Hitler is being honored by the Jewish socisty,

- Greece has just been awarded European economy of the year,

- Yingluck stated in government that her brother is a convicted criminal and needs to come back and serve his time and

- Thai bus drivers being told to speed up a bit after numerous complaints about driving too slow and being way too fastidious about safety.

whats wrong with all of you.

[Muggi1968]

Question: Is it better to do nothing ?

[Muggi1968]

How cynical we all are...

Here we have Patong being proclaimed a safety zone and a model for Public Safety on the same day that

- Adolf Hitler is being honored by the Jewish socisty,

- Greece has just been awarded European economy of the year,

- Yingluck stated in government that her brother is a convicted criminal and needs to come back and serve his time and

- Thai bus drivers being told to speed up a bit after numerous complaints about driving too slow and being way too fastidious about safety.

whats wrong with all of you.

I like your humor

[GeorgeO]

Contrasts nicely with another article in the same digest from TV..

PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai Police have ordered a “media blackout” for Phuket, with only the local police superintendent authorized to release information to the media, the Phuket Gazette has learned.

This following the attempted abduction of a Japanese tourist.

Solves the problem though - don't report it and it hasn't happened!

The report was actually of the attempted abduction of an Australian woman, which was foiled by a Japanese 'good samaritan'.

I personally believe everyone should do what I did. When I started to recognise that Phuket was getting quite dangerous, about six years ago, I stopped my biannual visits there and started focusing on much nicer places like Kanchanaburi, Soi Dao, etc.

So nice to still see people who welcome foreigners without seeing them as potential targets for illegal, and often brutally acquired, gains!

[horsewell]

Tourists are easy to see. They stick out and they don't know how to negotiate or defend themselves. When they have a problem sometimes they don't even know who to contact. There should be a booklet or video given to everyone when they enter to tell them about the dangers that surround them on the island. I thought a few murders, rapes and muggings would shake things up but it seems that it will probably take something even more extreme.

[chiangmaicharlies]

And what about the roads and the traffic? That is much more dangerous. In fact deadly dangerous...

I've never thought roads and traffic were much of an issue in Phuket - now if it had been Pattaya.......

[PingManDan]

LOL How can they say this Bull_shit, when in the same breath as trying calm the tourists down, there are murders, muggings, rapes, purse snatchings, etc. etc. etc., happening there, what a bunch of c_rap, who the H_ell are they trying to fool. SAFETY ZONE MY A_SS

Edited July 5, 2012 by PingManDan

[Captor]

Well, there is the roat TO Phuket and FROM Phuket:-) And to the airport and....

[travelmann]

I can save them Trillions of baht in bribes.....................I have identified the danger zones as ?????? .........................................Thailand

Job done!!

[Udox]

Quote"“I know that the problems with illegal taxis and jet-ski operators cannot be solved over night. But I do believe that we will have the results we want within three months,” Unquote

Actually they could be solved overnight

If there is no fear of the law and those who supposedly uphold that law - then it cannot and will not change - not ever.

Nice to see that now (in)famous 3 months/90 days timescale which Thailand loves dearly. All problems will be gone in 90 days (and resurface on day 91)

[fxe1200]

I have never heard about a "media blackout", but an information ban. But this surely secures the extra income of the local police.