Harsher Sentencing The Best Approach To Violent Crime: Phuket Poll

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Harsher sentencing the best approach to violent crime: Phuket poll

Phuket Gazette

If readers had their way, inmates on violent crime convictions would be spending more time at Phuket Provincial Prison. Photo: Phuket Gazette file.

PHUKET: -- Readers see harsher sentences for convicted criminals as the best deterrent to violent crime in Phuket, the results of the latest Phuket Gazette online readers poll revealed.

The poll was launched in the wake of a particularly heinous crime that rocked the island last month: the slaying of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith in Kata.

Given these crimes and the subsequent focus on security issues on the island, the Gazette asked readers on June 23:

Given recent reports of violent crime on the island, which of the following do you think would be the best way to improve tourist safety in Phuket?

Of the six options, most respondents overall chose “harsher sentences for convicted criminals”, at 44.7%.

This was followed by:

Increased CCTV surveillance:15.5%

More police checkpoints: 13.4%

Neighborhood watches, backed by hotels and resorts: 10.5%

Better lighting on popular walking streets: 7.9%

Initiate the Internal Security Act: 7.9%

A breakdown by demographic shows 50% of those identifying themselves as local foreign residents chose harsher sentencing, making it a clear favorite to any other solution for that demographic. In a similar show of strength for harsher sentencing were tourist, with 42%.

This compared with just 11% of Thai respondents, who saw more police checkpoints (30%) and better lighting on walking streets like Bangla Road (29%) as the preferred options.

While Phuket Police and officialdom continue to push for ever-greater CCTV coverage of “risk areas”, only about 15% of readers in all three groups saw this as the most effective approach.

To view the complete results click here.

To vote in the new poll on a national police effort to specifically address problems of tuk-tuks, jet-skis and safety issues in Patong, click here.

To comment on the topic of tourist security and violent crime on the island, please post a message in the readers forum below. The Phuket Gazette welcomes all comments that comply with our house rules.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16422.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-16

[Hostile17]

wont help. for that you need to understand that actions have consequences which thai crimnals dont.

Only thing that would help is a police force that does their job and have a hotline 24/7 where they actually show up if you call them in urgent need and dont side with the criminal whos willing to give him 100baht

[stevenl]

Worldwide it has been proventime and time again that harsher sentencing does not work. It sounds nice but is not a solution.

[Mario2008]

Indeed, harsher sentences don't work. People commit a crime because they think they will not be caught (or simply don't think about the consequences)

The only thing that really works is a higher chance of getting caught. Improve that and the crime will reduce.

[hansgruber]

Public transport would stop crime because tuk tuk drivers would get less oppotunity to commit more.

[transam]

In LOS the most important thing should be that you cannot buy your way out of it.

Any sentence will not change an asshol_e BUT a long one takes them off the streets and for sure will save many folk a problem.

[Guest]

Yet another violent crime...

Two hurt in Nai Yang shooting

PHUKET: Tha Chat Chai police today (July 16) arrested Jatuporn Nooplod, 31, from Phang Nga province, suspected of shooting two Thais near Nai Yang Temple on Saturday morning (July 14) in a dispute over a woman.

http://www.thephuket...oting-32065.php

[Hostile17]

mai pen lai nah. dink wikey nah

quoted directly from a 12 year old drunk and still drinking at 11am at his parent's business yesterday

[NamKangMan]

mai pen lai nah. dink wikey nah

quoted directly from a 12 year old drunk and still drinking at 11am at his parent's business yesterday

Wait till he starts smoking "ice." He'll have to come up with the cash for that habit somehow.

[NamKangMan]

wont help. for that you need to understand that actions have consequences which thai crimnals dont.

Only thing that would help is a police force that does their job and have a hotline 24/7 where they actually show up if you call them in urgent need and dont side with the criminal whos willing to give him 100baht

I agree. Phuket just needs its police force to do some policing.

They need to proactive, not reactive, to make this a safer tourist destination.

This is most evident in the recent murder of the young Thai girl here. The offender had many outstanding warrants for his arrest. They arrested him shortly after he committed murder, but shouldn't he have been arrested on his warrants through simply police work, possibly saving a life?

[Hostile17]

well then i wouldnt have my neighbor policemen with their 10-20mil extra on their house. How doll would that be.

New police guy on the other side of my house started adding extras, cant wait to see how many mils he adds.

[transam]

well then i wouldnt have my neighbor policemen with their 10-20mil extra on their house. How doll would that be.

New police guy on the other side of my house started adding extras, cant wait to see how many mils he adds.

Yep, and really easy for ANY government in LOS to ASK, where the cash come from for THAT.

[Hostile17]

well any govt official can basically get as many loans for decently large amounts. Even govt school teachers, so obviously that helps but not to the tune of 20mil+ baht in 2 houses that cost 3.4 and 2.8mil