24 Arrests Made As 30 Day Pattaya Crime Crackdown Continues

[Rimmer]

24 arrests made as 30 day Pattaya crime crackdown continues

PATTAYA:--Police Major General Katcha, the Chonburi Provincial Police Commander, continues to lead officers from Pattaya Police on nightly tours of the city looking for anyone concerned in the use or sale of illegal drugs, which has been identified as the root cause of crime in Pattaya.

Following a parade held in front of Pattaya Police Station, in the early hours of Friday, officers began their sweep of the city and visited entertainment venues, mostly in the South Pattaya area looking for anyone and anything suspicious.

Full story:http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/69999/24-arrests-30-day-pattaya-crime-crackdown-continues/

-- Pattaya One 2013-01-12

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[twix38]

Even if arrests are made they will pay a bribe or else absconded whilst on bail to re-offend another day for the lot of them. Either Pattaya has 10 times the criminal element for the size of the City or far too many of them are put right back on the street time and time again.

A new slogan for the BIB: Make crime pay. Charge and return.

All as usual here - another show of action. Follow it up 6 months later and see the statistics - if you ever can!

Edited January 12, 2013 by twix38

[Jingthing]

A police parade? I feel safer already!

[Jingthing]

Somewhat more seriously, there ARE ways for governments to clean up crime against foreigners in major tourism areas. I know because I've seen it action before. I am talking about the years I used to regularly travel to Puerto Vallarta Mexico (not sure about now). During that time large groups of Mexican soldiers both in trucks and on foot were highly visible. They were armed with serious large GUNS. It was known they were mainly there to protect the tourist industry in that limited area. Not saying I would welcome that in Pattaya or not, but my perception is that during that time crime against tourists was low. The locals crims WERE deterred.

The police action show here: it has a very limited TIME limit. Why? Because it's just a show.

In PV during that time, I went high season, low season, middle season, at all times I saw the soldiers with big guns.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[dudeinthailand]

Looks like the regime is looking to get rid of the competition...

[wabear]

There was a time in Puerta Vallarta when they had a very visible tourist police, no guns, but dressed in white and spoke English. The last couple of years the men in black with the big guns are starting a bigger presence, and the tourist police are gone. I don't feel safer.

Hong Kong was another place that used to have very visible tourist police. There was no place I felt unsafe.

The one time I went to Mexico city, I have never seen so many guns and guys with earplugs. I did not feel safe.

[dudeinthailand]

Interesting...23 arrests out of 24 traffic stops...now THAT is a good ratio.. I don't think I have ever seen such a high success rate.

[Jingthing]

There was a time in Puerta Vallarta when they had a very visible tourist police, no guns, but dressed in white and spoke English. The last couple of years the men in black with the big guns are starting a bigger presence, and the tourist police are gone. I don't feel safer.

Hong Kong was another place that used to have very visible tourist police. There was no place I felt unsafe.

The one time I went to Mexico city, I have never seen so many guns and guys with earplugs. I did not feel safe.

Mexico City is very unsafe. Vallarta is a manageable size area to isolate.

[prestburypark]

Why not a permanent crackdown on crime?

Some exemplary sentences for hurting/robbing/raping tourists /falang residents would not go amiss either.

The justice system is fast enough to impose ultra severe sentences on foreigners making bad decisions re drugs, but not maiming or murdering or hurting anyone but themselves in the process. A message that violence will result in a long prison term should be made loud and clear, and implemented.

Otherwise foreigners here are really just livestock to be exploited and culled by whim, seems like that now anyway.

[JeremyBowskill]

24 arrests in a month top job welll done.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Rimmer

[Semper]

The police action show here: it has a very limited TIME limit. Why? Because it's just a show.

I think it's because it's "high season".

[fakename]

24 bikes and 23 arrest! Where did they find that many bikes with only one rider? As far as the police doing some sweeping, thats progress, but they still dont know where to dump the garbage.

[o2eZy]

in Ipswich Queensland AU they have CCTV everywhere and in the last 12 months crime has been cut in half ...or more ...

as soon as something goes down the cops are there in seconds

should be the same in thailand tourist spots

[Semper]

in Ipswich Queensland AU they have CCTV everywhere

Note to self: Don't visit Ipswich.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

So how many of those arrest were for horrible crimes like Smoking in public or drunk and disorderly ?

[wans]

drugs are a big problem, but theres too much money being made from it, same as the jet ski scams which are still happening continuously opposite mikes despite this so called crackdown

[Xonax]

Amazing Thailand. May I suggest a 365 day crime crackdown?

Edited January 12, 2013 by Xonax

[netcyberg]

...at all times I saw the soldiers with big guns.

Yeah yeah, this is a feature of Latin America/Caribbean’s - people with big guns and barbed wire everywhere. IMHO this looks scary and depressing.

And I don't really want to see that here in SE Asia...!! even if they are in temporary need of that.

>365 day crime crackdown

+1, they really need that, and not only in a crime fields but also in civil law, tourism industry, business and other areas!

Edited January 12, 2013 by netcyberg

[Konini]

In my humble opinion, this will be a short-term operation to make everyone feel 'safer' then it will be back to business as usual.

The only way to clean everything up is to start with the police. If the police are corrupt, there is no possible way that crime will be reduced long term. The problem is that it's so ingrained into society here it would be really difficult to succeed. Many Thai's hand over tea money and think nothing to it. They think it's normal.

I have a friend in Vietnam, lovely young lady, and I was helping her to budget her salary so she could save up. I did the spreadsheet then she added an extra approximately $10 (in dong). As I'd been striking out any unnecessary expense I wanted rid of this. $10 a month is $120 a year. She wouldn't let me strike this one out. It was for tea money. She actually included in her monthly budget for being stopped by police and 'fined'. She just accepted it and budgeted it the same way as she accepted that water and electricity were budgeted for. This attitude is so ingrained I don't know how it will be overcome. Until people stop paying tea money, it is always going to be there. Not only be there, but accepted as normal. Even children learn this at school. Another friend has a child in primary school. The teacher is pretty much useless in class, but she makes herself available for private lessons after school. A good way to supplement what is probably a poor salary for the teacher, but it is learning the children from a very young age that by handing over money you can get things you otherwise couldn't.

I really don't think it can ever be solved. I wish it could be, but being realistic it just isn't going to happen.

[Jingthing]

...at all times I saw the soldiers with big guns.

Yeah yeah, this is a feature of Latin America/Caribbean’s - people with big guns and barbed wire everywhere. IMHO this looks scary and depressing.

And I don't really want to see that here in SE Asia...!! even if they are in temporary need of that.

>365 day crime crackdown

+1, they really need that, and not only in a crime fields but also in civil law, tourism industry, business and other areas!

Took my comment out of context which is OK but the meaning is changed. I wasn't endorsing the guns. I WAS endorsing the YEAR ROUND greater visibility of a strong deterrent force against crime against foreign tourists. Yes, I think that would be welcome in Pattaya as well as a fleet of Bangkok style taxi meters so that tourists have a much better choice on how to get home late at night SAFELY.

[netcyberg]

Jingthing, yes I agree, a lot of improvements must be taken under some supervision. And decent taxi/public transport is a nice thing to have.

And they should start with the police force rearrangement as a lot of foreigners suggest here. We don’t feel safe and secured even when the police is on a scene. The jet ski scam is one of a very colorful examples.

[Ohio]

They are guilty because we have the POINTING Photo.......Yahoooooooooooo !

Arresting drug users are easy , in any town in any country.

Arresting & Convicting Major Drug Dealers is a vastly different story

I know there are several dozen cops on the street in Singapore in tourist areas & airports at all times that you never see

They are PROFESSIONAL Law Enforcement though, not photo op ,temporary crackdown, Foreign Embassy pressured.

"Organised crime cannot exist without Corruption"

I was taught & I totally believe it , I pass that on in my classes also

[siam2007]

no matter how many crackdowns on whatever (a crackdown on crackdowns, anyone ?), things will NEVER change in Thailand. Never ever in a Thousand years. why ? well, because THIS IS THAILAND.

does it need any further explanation ? don't think so

we have to bear with it, or stay away. If we stay away, others will come and replace us (the transformation process is already visible).

But things will never change. it is that easy

[Jingthing]

There is another thing I find funny about this current crackdown show.

They claim they will bring crime down to ZERO in Pattaya. Maybe that's a Thai/Asian cultural thing, based on Thaksinista rhetoric it seems so, end everything bad in one year ... make everyone rich in one year ... whatever ... what RATIONAL person could ever go for that?

Their audience is international tourists to make them feel safe and tell the folks back home how safe Pattaya is, or at least say OK there was crime but the Thais called in the calvary and fixed it for good, or at least not talk trash.

If they bothered to question a few ACTUAL international people, they would find that these claims of ZERO crime sound totally ridiculous and rather than believe them, motivates a feeling of lack of credibility towards to authorities making such an unreal claim.

That is so basic really -- tailor your message and actions towards to the target audience. They don't do even that. So it's both pathetic (crime not only won't be zero, the show ends in less than a month) and funny. So in the end this big show supposedly tailored for international people is in reality in a weird way basically another INTERNAL Thai game that has nothing to do with the international tourists.

The Police General has told local Police that crime must be reduced to “zero” within the 30 day period to improve the image of Pattaya.

http://www.pattayaon...taya-city-hall/

Given all this silliness, people will still come in their masses to Pattaya, and there will still be lots of crime against tourists. Isn't Australia called the Lucky Country? Maybe Thailand should get that name. No matter what, the tourists still come ...

Edited January 13, 2013 by Jingthing

[Ohio]

Don't want to appear cynical but, if there is to be a Crime Reduction to Zero wouldn't that see a major part of the Enforcement Personnel charged ???????

Just asking

[maturebrit]

Somewhat more seriously, there ARE ways for governments to clean up crime against foreigners in major tourism areas. I know because I've seen it action before. I am talking about the years I used to regularly travel to Puerto Vallarta Mexico (not sure about now). During that time large groups of Mexican soldiers both in trucks and on foot were highly visible. They were armed with serious large GUNS. It was known they were mainly there to protect the tourist industry in that limited area. Not saying I would welcome that in Pattaya or not, but my perception is that during that time crime against tourists was low. The locals crims WERE deterred.

The police action show here: it has a very limited TIME limit. Why? Because it's just a show.

In PV during that time, I went high season, low season, middle season, at all times I saw the soldiers with big guns.

granted..there are quite a few farangs guilty of crimes but the majority are Thai. ...lets not lose focus on the reality.... the BIB will only take a bigger slice of tea money so nothing will change

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[PoodMaiDai]

Can't wait for this 30 day crackdown to wrap up so we can get back to getting away with breaking the law again. These cops are cramping everyone's style.