PHUKET: The tourist hub of Patong will be divided into six community policing zones as authorities create the ''Phuket model'' to improve protection of tourists and residents throughout Thailand.
A meeting looking at ''Patong Safety'' drew about 1000 people to the Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa on Patong's beach road yesterday.
Phuket Police Commander Major General Chonsit Wadhnawarangkun pointed out the kind of scurrilous misinformation being spread online about Phuket, particularly a report headed ''Phuket, Thailand: Crime capital of Asia'' supposedly written by a fund manager with a PhD in economics.
Commander Chonsit pointed out - as Phuketwan has done - that to link a series of random incidents going back several years was mischievous and deceitful.
Police were looking at what action could be taken against those reponsible for spreading malicious, untrue reports about Phuket, he said.
When events happened on Phuket, information was impossible to control and reports were published almost immediately, Commander Chonsit said.
He listed four areas that needed to be addressed to improve Patong's safety and reputation: transport (quality, fares, rip-offs); accommodation (security from theft); touts (time share, copy goods); and tourist activities (snorkelling, diving, road safety, nightclubs).
Phuket did have some narrow, poorly lit areas that could be unsafe but crime on Phuket had risen just a small amount, Commander Chonsit said.
Most of the 3000 outstanding arrest warrants on Phuket were for people wanted for drug-related offences, he said.
With the new push for community involvement, Commander Chonsit said, speedy improvements should be made.
''The police will do what they can but efforts will be far more effective with the local Patong community helping us,'' he said.
Police and locals would work to compile data noting everybody in each zone, including Burmese and tourists, he said.
Commander Chonsit said he had donated two scanning computers that could be used to quickly check Thai IDs to ascertain whether a person has a police record.
He proposed a six-point plan to improve security and safety in Patong:
Establish the safety zones; make police checkpoints more thorough and not just for helmets but serious matters; establish more checkpoints; engage more patrol police; use new technology and create links between security camera networks; co-operate with residents in each zone.
Assistant Commissioner General Chalermkiet Sriworakan from Bangkok said that the Patong model would be exptended to all of Phuket and later to other parts of Thailand.
''We are here to help people understand the importance of the project,'' he said.
Patong businessman Preechavude ''Prab'' Keesin showed Phuketwan how he could now call up security camera footage on his mobile telephone.
He added that Patong businesspeople had already donated 400,000 baht and that it would be spent on the first of many quality security cameras that could scan 360 degrees if necessary.
A meeting looking at ''Patong Safety'' drew about 1000 people to the Phuket Graceland Resort and Spa on Patong's beach road yesterday.
Phuket Police Commander Major General Chonsit Wadhnawarangkun pointed out the kind of scurrilous misinformation being spread online about Phuket, particularly a report headed ''Phuket, Thailand: Crime capital of Asia'' supposedly written by a fund manager with a PhD in economics.
Commander Chonsit pointed out - as Phuketwan has done - that to link a series of random incidents going back several years was mischievous and deceitful.
Police were looking at what action could be taken against those reponsible for spreading malicious, untrue reports about Phuket, he said.
When events happened on Phuket, information was impossible to control and reports were published almost immediately, Commander Chonsit said.
He listed four areas that needed to be addressed to improve Patong's safety and reputation: transport (quality, fares, rip-offs); accommodation (security from theft); touts (time share, copy goods); and tourist activities (snorkelling, diving, road safety, nightclubs).
Phuket did have some narrow, poorly lit areas that could be unsafe but crime on Phuket had risen just a small amount, Commander Chonsit said.
Most of the 3000 outstanding arrest warrants on Phuket were for people wanted for drug-related offences, he said.
With the new push for community involvement, Commander Chonsit said, speedy improvements should be made.
''The police will do what they can but efforts will be far more effective with the local Patong community helping us,'' he said.
Police and locals would work to compile data noting everybody in each zone, including Burmese and tourists, he said.
Commander Chonsit said he had donated two scanning computers that could be used to quickly check Thai IDs to ascertain whether a person has a police record.
He proposed a six-point plan to improve security and safety in Patong:
Establish the safety zones; make police checkpoints more thorough and not just for helmets but serious matters; establish more checkpoints; engage more patrol police; use new technology and create links between security camera networks; co-operate with residents in each zone.
Assistant Commissioner General Chalermkiet Sriworakan from Bangkok said that the Patong model would be exptended to all of Phuket and later to other parts of Thailand.
''We are here to help people understand the importance of the project,'' he said.
Patong businessman Preechavude ''Prab'' Keesin showed Phuketwan how he could now call up security camera footage on his mobile telephone.
He added that Patong businesspeople had already donated 400,000 baht and that it would be spent on the first of many quality security cameras that could scan 360 degrees if necessary.
Interesting, they focusing on the roads with lots of red, yellow and blue crime bases. But I guess, that is only a coincidence and has nothing to do, with the 'real reputation problems'. Also good to know, that Nanai area is probably the safest part in Patong, no zone needed!
Posted by ??? on July 22, 2012 15:26