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Phuket Commander MG Pachara Boonyasit speaks at today's meeting

ATV Police Patrols for Beaches, Bobbies on Bicycles: New Phuket Commander Notes New Safety Impact

Monday, October 27, 2014
PHUKET: Phuket will soon have mobile police in ATVs patrolling the beaches and more officers on bicycles protecting foreshores, Phuket's Police Commander, Major General Pachara Boonyasit, told a meeting today.

The ATVs are to be funded by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation - along with 29 million baht for more security cameras around the island and an extra 32 million baht for 80 powerful light stands to illuminate dark area at beaches and at crash blackspots on Phuket's roads.

The new commander was rolling out his plan to safeguard the whole island more thoroughly.

Phuket had just one police officer for every 640 residents and tourists, so there was a need to be alert and proactive.

''We want to make everything as secure and perfect as we can this coming high season,'' he told the meeting at Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters.

It was important in the light of problems with the Koh Tao murders and ebola to have just one spokesperson responding on big issues, he said.

''On most big issues,'' he said, ''that job belongs to the governor. If it's a matter involving security, ask me.''

He said he had been to all municipal councils asking them to spend emergency funds on security cameras now, not to wait until next year.

''Phuket's Safety Zone concept has worked well and will be expanded to 30 more areas on the island,'' the commander added.

An additional mobile team would be part of that expansion, he said.

The new ATV and bicycles concept for patrolling the beaches would be launched on November 11, he said.

''Officers in those patrols will become skilled in rescue work and resuscitation too,'' he said.

As part of its big spend, the PPAO would add 70 security cameras in Patong, and 19 each in Karon and Phuket City.

The 191 emergency number now worked around the clock on Phuket and callers would not find anyone on the other end diverting them to local police stations, he said.

The comment that ''Phuket has police but they are not working'' cut to his heart, the commander added.

''Anyone who finds a police officer not working, call me straight away,'' he said.

Comments

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So as ATVs cannot legally be road registered is the good commander going to explain how these ATVs will move from place to place without breaking the very laws they are supposed to enforce ??

Posted by LivinLOS on October 27, 2014 17:47

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How about setting up a police/emergency number for Phuket where officers actually speak English ?

More often than not this is not the case with Tourist police and regardless their response usually is to call the regular police anyway. Useless.

Posted by Herbert on October 27, 2014 18:07

Editor Comment:

Most visitors are Chinese or Russians, so those should be the priority languages, along with English.

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Fascinating the interest LivinLOS takes in Phuket, given that he decided to leave these shores many moons ago. Maybe the positive side of this initiative should be appreciated, not pedantic moaning from someone who dislikes the place anyway.

If the ATVs were on the beaches, not on the road it would negate his comment anyway. In Patong they could be parked by the western Bangla Police Box, in Kamala the beach can be accessed from the police station, etc.

There were a number of ATVs supplied to the police after the tsunami (IIRC they were donated by the US Navy) but they seem to have disappeared.

Posted by Mister Ree on October 27, 2014 18:53

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I hope the ATV's will be battery power. Who the hell wants them noisy contraptions driving up and down the beach while you are trying to relax.

I think they need a western approach to some of their problems, ones which have a bit more thought and substance.

Posted by Tbs on October 27, 2014 20:45

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Thai Police from Phuket on bicycle all day ?, If they can or want that`s be good thing missed this for loooog time.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 28, 2014 05:21

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I always feel safe here with all this talk about more Police every where am I missing something? You don't get the fights like you do in the West? Considering the amount of alcohol consumed even more surprising it is so safe.

Posted by Feisty Farang on October 28, 2014 18:31


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