Police Hope Observation Tower Puts Teeth In Much-Touted Walking Street ' Safety Zone'

[Rimmer]

Police hope observation tower puts teeth in much-touted Walking Street 'safety zone'

Calling it a symbol of truly tighter security, Pattaya police are using their new observation tower to keep a better eye on tourists and crime on Walking Street.

Launched in September, the “safety zone” declared on Walking Street now has a more-prominent image, with a tower set up in the middle of the nightlife district from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Officers scout the street with binoculars, looking for transvestite pickpockets, child beggars and other threats to tourists’ wallets and Pattaya’s image. It also serves as the base for a larger squad of foot patrol officers and volunteers.

The observation tower has been erected at the north end of the street and volunteers from Pattaya’s 38 neighborhoods were recruited to join foot patrols from 6 p.m. onward each day.

Police also have begun to identify and register transvestites loitering on the street. Lt. Col. Kiattisak Srathongoil said information on more than 100 transvestites has been entered in a database officers can use when investigating crimes, such as druggings or pickpocketing.

Kiattisak said many of the light-fingered “women-of-the-second-category” would lurk in Walking Street’s darker southern end and, in the past, would commit crimes after foot-patrol officers had passed. With the observation tower, he claimed, someone is always keeping an eye on them and can dispatch officers immediately, if needed.

http://www.pattayama...fety-zone-19155

-- Pattaya Mail 2012-12-14

[slapout]

Did this fix all proposal come from the same person who proposed 2 police on motorcycle duty, with the passenger watch dog, seated facing from whense they have come?

[canopus1969]

Reminds me of a Punch and Judy show

[dibble]

Looks like a safer place to be to me, i d certainly visit walking street with more confidence now, its properbly better than cctv as there are police there 24/7

[keith101]

i think they will need more than one of these as they cant see every where at the same time . if used properly in conjunction with uniform and plain clothes police it will work otherwise just another show of a waste of time and resources .

[Ohio]

It's a start , but another is needed at the South end plus a few other small pieces of infrastructure but , None of my Biz just observing & watched outside & near Lucifers last night how the pros have it beat .

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down & stopped counting after the fourth drug deal .I'm a Tourist here

It also appeared to me that the Korean & other "herded" Tour groups don't have time to stop & spend. Must keep them for particular venues elsewhere ??

[stoneyboy]

Wow in a world of CCTV,number plate recognition,undercover police and numerous other crime prevention systems,they come up with an observation tower,talk about behind the times.

[Payboy]

Just need nice new uniforms to go with that.

[wans]

seen this many times but never seen anybody using it

[rgs2001uk]

They should put a cage round the whole area.

At 7pm charge everyone who enters 1,000 baht entry fee, then turn it into a Mad Max Thunderdome/UFC fight club free for all.

Christains against the lions type scenario, Brits against the ladyboys, Russians against the pickpockets, Aussies against security guards.

Sell off licenses to True Vision/Grammy Thailand for distrubution worldwide, heck set up a live web stream.

At 5am open the gates and come and pick up the survivors, split profits.

You could even lease space for hamburger joints, beer joints etc, official tour merchandise, call in Chang as sponsors, get the Jet ski mafia to act as security, cheaper and better prepared than your local HA chapter.

Wheres the local spirit of capitalism and free enterprise?

[manarak]

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down

what does this have to do with safety in Walking Street?

[RabC]

They should put a cage round the whole area.

At 7pm charge everyone who enters 1,000 baht entry fee, then turn it into a Mad Max Thunderdome/UFC fight club free for all.

Christains against the lions type scenario, Brits against the ladyboys, Russians against the pickpockets, Aussies against security guards.

Sell off licenses to True Vision/Grammy Thailand for distrubution worldwide, heck set up a live web stream.

At 5am open the gates and come and pick up the survivors, split profits.

You could even lease space for hamburger joints, beer joints etc, official tour merchandise, call in Chang as sponsors, get the Jet ski mafia to act as security, cheaper and better prepared than your local HA chapter.

Wheres the local spirit of capitalism and free enterprise?

A true visionary. I feel you should go far.

[meatballs]

1,000 entry fee? That'd scare off about 90% of the tourists there. Cheapos the lot of them(nationalities will not be named).

[Payboy]

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down

what does this have to do with safety in Walking Street?

There's significant risk of choking on food followed by a even higher risk of a heimlich maneuver administered by a ladyboy.

[fakename]

I wonder if the same people will man the tower, as the ones that man the lifeguard towers on Jomtien beach=== no one!

[Basil B]

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down

One reason I never dine down Waking St, can be a long wait for your meal if your waitress goes "Short time" with another customer.

[OMGImInPattaya]

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down

what does this have to do with safety in Walking Street?

There's significant risk of choking on food followed by a even higher risk of a heimlich maneuver administered by a ladyboy.

That sounds just the ticket

[Ohio]

While dining watched several Prostitue deals go down

what does this have to do with safety in Walking Street?

Proven world wide , take care of the small crime & violent crime dissipates

. Prostitution = black money = corruption = drugs =guns = violence =innocent victims. That's the way of the underworld

The nieve believe that prostitution is 'victimless' ask some of the drugged & mugged victims in Pattaya if that is the case.Got a heck of a lot to do with Safety

Hope that answers your question

[wans]

still never seen anyone up it, most of the farang police dont look like they could climb the ladder

[lonewolf99]

Binoculars - to spot a Ladyboy ?

I can spot a Ladyboy a mile off....wide shoulders, 6 foot, big feet, big hands, slim hips, mincing walk, nasal twang, ...but, are All Ladyboys criminals ? Is this not "profiling"?

Some industry standards require you wear a safety harness when working at height....

Put yourself on a pedestal, expect to be knocked off....

[sharecropper]

still never seen anyone up it, most of the farang police dont look like they could climb the ladder

You're right - it was built by City Hall, has nothing to do with the usual old codger tourist police lot, but another mob from City Hall, who can sometimes be seen skulking underneath it. One of my friends recently recognised one of his motorbike taxi drivers as one of the new safety mob underneath it (they wear white shirts), and no other safety organisation has any time for them down there.

Last time I spoke to them, nobody spoke English - and this is on the main tourist street in Pattaya.

What is their purpose. (Don't answer that, seriously!)

it might be a large, totally useless erection, but that's not the point. As one poster mentioned earlier, its closest relatives are the totally useless lifeguard scamtions on the beach - it's all about their book value.

The sycophantic rubbish written by the Mail about this makes me sick. Shame on them. Or are they really so out-of-touch?

[Tywais]

I had envisioned something like this.

[Ohio]

"Put Teeth int it??"

Falsies maybe

If they stopped posing around and the Farang volunteers stopped acting for cameras a lot more could be achieved.

This 'Observation' tower is as useful as a Leather Overcoat in the Sahara during a heat wave . This is policing of the 1600s & it didn't work well then

Edited December 18, 2012 by Ohio

[thenervoussurgeon]

Has a full health and safety check been done on this structure and will it be mandatory that all staff have been trained in ladder climbing and also be wearing hi vis jackets and hard hats as well as being attached to said tower by suitable safety harnesses ?

oh sorry, my mistake i thought i was reading about somewhere in Britain.

[marstons]

seen this many times but never seen anybody using it

Down there twice at the weekend and never saw it used at all. Cant wait to see the geratric wannabe cops trying to get up there.