"Happy Zone" is the answer to resort's woes says top cop at Pattaya crisis meeting on crime and tourism

[webfact]

"Happy Zone" is the answer to resort's woes says top cop at Pattaya crisis meeting on crime and tourism

 

Picture: Siamchonnews

 

PATTAYA: -- A top policeman at a crisis meeting to discuss Pattaya's crime and image has announced that "Happy Zones" will be set up in the resort to protect tourists and their possessions.

 

The "Happy Zone" idea comes from national police HQ and will be introduced in tourist towns nationwide but trialed in Pattaya first where the need has been deemed as urgent, reported Siamchonnews.

 

Yesterday operators on Walking Street were invited to Pattaya town hall to meet with regional chiefs, local cops, district officials and immigration forces to hear the plans.

 

Somprasong Yenthuam, a Chonburi police spokesman chairing the gathering, said that tourism revenue was very important in Thailand and the safety of tourists and their possessions was paramount.

 

He said he had been ordered by the national police HQ to stop crime against tourists.

 

He acknowledged that Pattaya has some of the worst crime statistics in Thailand and recent foreign media coverage saying the resort was the sex capital of the world exacerbated the problems.

 

"So we have decided to set up 'Happy Zones'", said Somprasong. "These \will be in tourist towns throughout the country but the project will start in Pattaya first".

 

The project will initially center on Walking Street then will be expanded to 35 different points throughout the resort.

 

"The key is to have crime prevention measures," he continued. "We want the operators in the area to be the eyes and ears for the authorities so that we can work together to solve the problem of crime".

 

Specifically he asked for all establishments to set up their own CCTV. Each venue and shop is to have their own liaison officer to work closely with police, military and the municipal authority.

 

He implored the businesses to keep a close watch on their areas to help stop necklace robbery and bag snatching that have become commonplace in the resort recently.

 

He also elaborated to say that the problem of drugs needs special attention and he implored venues in the area not to employ under 20s in the sex trade saying: "Help us out on this - let's shake hands on this one".

 

The Happy Zone project is set to be inaugurated by Region 2 chief Chalermkiat Sriworakhan shortly.

 

Source: Siamchonnews

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-02-22

[Thaiwrath]

They are trying to eradicate the places where you can get a 'happy ending', so where, exactly, will the 'happy zones' be ? 

[craigt3365]

How about have the police do their jobs?  Roving patrols, arrest those who break the law, and don't let them go with a 500B under the table fine! LOL

[clockman]

The golden goose is dying. Due to greed. corruption. And a completely lawless society.

[z42]

Pattaya already has enough happy zones for pretty much any type of person who likes any type of sin.

Just try and police it better, do it by the book and stop the randomly awful and ineffective crackdowns.

Also would be a good idea to dish out heavy penalties to those who rob and attack tourists be it in a subtle or very public way.

I read in the BP today that a man was sentenced to 23 years for robbery and assault (and is almost certainly innocent). If I remember correctly a couple of ladyboys attacked a foreign expat with a brick last year, robbed him also and when caught did only get a 500 baht fine.

As always, some kind of standardization is desperately needed.  And that goes for police misconduct too as there are many reports of that every month.

I won't hold my breath though....

[brewsterbudgen]

Good to see that the nonsense about eliminating the adult orientated aspect of the Pattaya scene is not part of their plans.  (Although maybe disappointing for the puritans!).

[LennyW]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

How about have the police do their jobs?  Roving patrols, arrest those who break the law, and don't let them go with a 500B under the table fine! LOL

This is exactly what it needs, no fancy zones or schemes or meetings - just get the police to get off their lazy asses and do their job properly!!!

[PatOngo]

The "Happy Zone" should be located at Pattaya police station, then the useless clowns will be where they are required.

[WhizBang]

Happy Zones?   Seriously?  

 

And this from 'a top policeman'?   If this is the best they can come up with, god help us all.  Sadly, I think this IS the best they can come up with. 

 

It NEVER seems to occur to any of these numnuts that they should be out doing their job, policing.  They should be visible and be out enforcing, and seen to enforce, the law.   Forget about trying to track, or harrass, tourists, just go out and enforce the law, for both Thais and foreigners.   And put an end to all those tea money traffic stops.  All they do is make traffic worse and make people hate the cops even more.

[WhizBang]

17 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Good to see that the nonsense about eliminating the adult orientated aspect of the Pattaya scene is not part of their plans.  (Although maybe disappointing for the puritans!).

 

There are puritans in Pattaya?  Who knew?  

[johng]

2 minutes ago, WhizBang said:

There are puritans in Pattaya? 

puritans,presbyterians,catholics,christians,jews,muslims,hindus,sikhs,budhists,orthordox,Jehovah's Witnesses,evangelists and some CIA and SAS for good measure found at the beer bars of Pattaya

[farang1979]

Another grandiose scheme that will peter out in a matter of  months.

[saakura]

Happy Happy 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

They are trying to eradicate the places where you can get a 'happy ending', so where, exactly, will the 'happy zones' be ? 

I  think only Ben  Knows that...............Ben Dover

[kannot]

2 hours ago, clockman said:

The golden goose is dying. Due to greed. corruption. And a completely lawless society.

surprised they havent  just eaten it, they eat everything else that moves round here

[johng]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Specifically he asked for all establishments to set up their own CCTV. Each venue and shop is to have their own liaison officer to work closely with police, military and the municipal authority.

 

More costs passed onto the shop owners.

No doubt the very expensive city wide CCTV system is fully functioning too.

[Katipo]

Who thinks up these daft names? "Happy Zones", really???

[onemorechang]

Maybe it's  a good idea.

 

I vote for Soi 6 to be the first Happy Zone.

These are  a few of the  improvements I propose.

 

Keep it open 24/7

Remove all street vendors.

Remove all Lady boys hassling honest mongers in the Soi,  they can stay in the bars but not on the street.

Remove all family tourists.

Remove all Chinese / India sight seers  from the soi

Remove all western women.

Remove all fat ladies sat outside stuffing there gobs all day long.

Recruit more sexy ladies to replace the fat ones.

Remove all knob heads guys  sitting out side the bars staring at customers walking down the street.

Replace all bar front with the old blacked out glass.

Ban all smart phones from ladies whilst at work.

Remove anyone from Norway not enjoying themselves .

 

Carry on Soi 6  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2017 by onemorechang

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

How about have the police do their jobs?  Roving patrols, arrest those who break the law, and don't let them go with a 500B under the table fine! LOL

 

Nice idea, but that would require a real police force. Not feasible.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Try Active and Vigilant Law enforcement, then try Rule of Law, then set the penalties and actually enforce the laws. This is just another diversion to promote safe tourism.  Sorry and Sadly...it will only get worse.  

 

I feel safe already.  Can you feel me?

[williamgeorgeallen]

cops raided a happy zone in one of the rooms above the windmill gogo where an elderly gentleman was indulging in some happiness. they seem to be sending out conflicting messages.

[johng]

Happy hours in Happy zones with Happy endings  

[MaxLee]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"Happy Zone" is the answer to resort's woes says top cop at Pattaya crisis meeting on crime and tourism

[dotpoom]

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

They are trying to eradicate the places where you can get a 'happy ending', so where, exactly, will the 'happy zones' be ? 

Don't know why you say that when he asked venues to employ sex workers over the age of 20.

[Daryle]

Happy Brownies, Happy Pizzas, Happy Shakes... maybe they could be onto something.

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

[mark01]

I think someone's been on the "happy cigarettes"

[Lupatria]

I haven't been to Pattaya for many years but I think they already got a happy zone for decades at Beach Road. At least for all the necklace and hand bag snatching lady boys right under the eyes of the BIB. 

[paulinbkk111]

So if you are not in the happy zone, you will be in the unhappy zone? Which is the rest of the place?

 

What a great time to be in the LOS

[cyberfarang]

3 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

How about have the police do their jobs?  Roving patrols, arrest those who break the law, and don't let them go with a 500B under the table fine! LOL

This cannot work in practice because the sprawling crime and corruption within the city is out of control, it makes common sense to compress these entertainments into a zone where their activities can be observed and controlled, as is organised in the entertainment zones of cities like Amsterdam and Hamburg and even what the UK is trying to accomplish now.

 

I am not sure what they mean by happy zone? Do they mean red light district or just drinking establishments?

[chrisinth]

How many necklace grabs have been made in Walking Street? Or for that matter, in any of the Sois with bars and go-gos during normal hours? Don't forget, we are talking about tourist safety here and not those of the 'residents'.

 

Almost guaranteed that these areas will be the targeted 'happy zones'. 

 

Meanwhile, the highly mobile thieves can enjoy unhindered business where ever they please.

 

This is not a static problem, if they are going to impose additional rules to society, make sure they cover the entire area and stop talking nonsense about zones.