"Now is the time to do something" - Police to act as crime wave overwhelms Hua Hin

[rooster59]

"Now is the time to do something" - Police to act as crime wave overwhelms Hua Hin

 

Image: Thairath

 

HUA HIN:-- A huge gathering of police in Hua Hin last night pledged to clear up the town as the "Protect Hua Hin" project began.

 

The town and province has been beset by serious crime and top brass say that now they intend to get their collective fingers out.

 

Some 358 officers from all levels of the provincial force and local authority gathered at the Hua Hin clock tower last night determined to bring confidence back to tourists visiting the city.

 

Leading the way was Thanayut Wuthijaratthamrong of Region 7 who spoke of the wave of crime that has hit the town. He was speaking at the epicenter of the problem - the clock tower where bombing outrages occurred last month.

 

He singled those outrages out first but mentioned specifically the street attacks against tourists in the province - a clear reference to the brutal violence against the Owen family from the UK that shocked the world in April.

 

Apart from this he spoke of convenience stores robberies and attacks on ATMs - all of this had amounted to a crime wave that had seriously affected confidence in the area.

 

"Now is the time to do something" , he said as he inaugurated the "Protect Hua Hin" campaign. "We need to bring back confidence for tourists after all the damage done".

 

And there is clearly some heat on the force to act - Deputy National Police Chief Wuthi Liptaphanlop is set to visit the area at the end of the month and will expect progress to have been made.

 

Meanwhile the force said that efforts to round up the suspects of the bombings named in three arrest warrants continue unabated.

 

Source: Thairath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-09-10

[canopus1969]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Now is the time to do something"

 

Because they have done sweet <deleted> up to now 

[craigt3365]

A one day photo op won't cut it.  Sadly, this is what the authorities are good at here.  After that, everything back to normal.

[ChrisY1]

No tourists.....no scams....no money.....crime is the only resort.......it's the same in Pattaya, Phuket and the islands....BKK......

[impulse]

14 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

No tourists.....no scams....no money.....crime is the only resort.......it's the same in Pattaya, Phuket and the islands....BKK......

 

I don't know if it's "no tourists" as much as unintended consequences from cracking down on illegal businesses on public land, kicking out the beach touts, chasing off street vendors, etc, etc.  Those people have to feed their families (and addictions) somehow.  And the frustrations of poverty and nothing to lose may also boil over a lot more often.

 

Sad thing is, the final unintended consequence may, in fact, be a collapse in tourist spending when the displaced workers turn to crime.  On the bright side, they also have an opportunity to improve the resource and upgrade the spending ability of the tourists they do attract.   But that requires a different mindset.

 

I suspect they'll look at the numbers, panic and blow it.  I hope I'm wrong.

 

[shirtless]

Its a great photo and  headline , but sadly the previous posts are right on the money in relation to Thailands Tourist industry and a crime wave just speeds up the downward spiral.

[bluemoon58]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

determined to bring confidence back to tourists visiting the city

What about the expat residents? Do we not count...???

[Lupatria]

May y'all never sit in front of a bottle as empty as their promises!

[Emster23]

"...358 officers from all levels of the provincial force and local authority gathered at the Hua Hin clock tower last night determined to bring confidence back to tourists visiting the city. "

 They are soooo clueless. So they all gather together, which means everywhere else has zero cops "working". Should have been a field day for felons. They seem to think this line up is like when some dignitary drops by to review. If anything, this kind of photo op would give me less confidence (if that is possible).

[Jools]

Start by putting the BIB behind bars.

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

 

Because they have done sweet FA up to now 

let us see the new action that will be taken and see how effective that is is going to be. tourists will not go  to places where their safety and security can possibly be compromised.

[emilymat]

Maybe they can have a rapid reaction force sent in by helicopter. After all, they are all accompished parachutists - as usual.

[sahibji]

17 minutes ago, Jools said:

Start by putting the BIB behind bars.

Jools

some more constructive suggestions please like have have more police patrols in touristy areas and above all enforcement of the laws equally and fairly.

[realenglish1]

Kind of reminds me of a Police Academy movie  when the are all around yelling HUTT HUTT HUTT HUTT and so on

 

Keystone cops is a hard moniker to shake off

[williamgeorgeallen]

they need some of the new 'smart police' with the PVC pipes. they can show the dumb police how to do their job.

 

[sahibji]

50 minutes ago, phartley58 said:

What about the expat residents? Do we not count...???

do you  have suggestions for action?

[sahibji]

30 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

May y'all never sit in front of a bottle as empty as their promises!

you never know. times can change for the better and we hope that will happen for the benefit of everybody.

[laocowboy2]

32 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

May y'all never sit in front of a bottle as empty as their promises!

Great one - I will steal it!

[elgordo38]

Bring the TAT lady back. She assured us all was well in Hua Hin

[aguy30]

Will this be a repeat of the not so successful crime clean up in Pattaya?

 

Sounds like more photo ops and BIB BS, but we all know little will happen. Tomorrow, Different Day - Same Sh!t. Nothing will change.

[lvr181]

18 minutes ago, emilymat said:

Maybe they can have a rapid reaction force sent in by helicopter. After all, they are all accompished parachutists - as usual.

 

Love your sense of humour.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Had I seen 358 police officers standing around the clock tower, I would have assumed there was some major bomb alert and have cleared off as quickly as possible, instead of visiting the shops or bars nearby.  Not exactly helpful to Hua Hin businesses, but a great but pointless photo opportunity for the police. 

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

No tourists.....no scams....no money.....crime is the only resort.......it's the same in Pattaya, Phuket and the islands....BKK......

If they are not in all these places,where is the missing tourist as they clearly arrive in Thailand.Do they all go to Chiang Mai or just hide in their hotel rooms.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I don't know if it's "no tourists" as much as unintended consequences from cracking down on illegal businesses on public land, kicking out the beach touts, chasing off street vendors, etc, etc.  Those people have to feed their families (and addictions) somehow.  And the frustrations of poverty and nothing to lose may also boil over a lot more often.

 

Sad thing is, the final unintended consequence may, in fact, be a collapse in tourist spending when the displaced workers turn to crime.  On the bright side, they also have an opportunity to improve the resource and upgrade the spending ability of the tourists they do attract.   But that requires a different mindset.

 

I suspect they'll look at the numbers, panic and blow it.  I hope I'm wrong.

 

On the bright side, they also have an opportunity to improve the resource and upgrade the spending ability of the tourists they do attract.

 

If Hua Hin, which has nothing to attract mongers or the budget crowd, can't attract the "right sort" ( ie rich ) of tourist, then nowhere in Thailand can.

[geisha]

I  spent two whole winter seasons in Hua Hin 5 years ago. Violent attacks against foreigners had already started, and I was constantly warned not to walk on certain soi s after dark, where a few of the usual favourites of farang restaurants were. 

[Falcon]

Gun crime has increased significantly here in the last year. Just two nights ago my wife and I were out on soi88, just up from the night food market and there were two groups of late teenagers dressed in boiler suits on motorbikes shooting at each other for reasons I don't have any idea of but all with no regard to who is walking on the street. It was only around 8:30pm and women, children and families were all around. Rediculous and probably all over nothing!

[BuaBS]

58 minutes ago, sahibji said:

let us see the new action that will be taken and see how effective that is is going to be. tourists will not go  to places where their safety and security can possibly be compromised.

Yes they will . Tourists still go to Koh Tao , no matter how many get murdered there.

[Sparkles]

2 hours ago, shirtless said:

Its a great photo and  headline , but sadly the previous posts are right on the money in relation to Thailands Tourist industry and a crime wave just speeds up the downward spiral.

Sadly it wont affect arrivals. Tourists dont read Thai Visa.

2 Burmese are still locked up,awaiting trial for the murder of 2 packpackers,thats going on 2 years now,even that did not slow tourists from the UK

[farcanell]

1 hour ago, Emster23 said:

"...358 officers from all levels of the provincial force and local authority gathered at the Hua Hin clock tower last night determined to bring confidence back to tourists visiting the city. "

 They are soooo clueless. So they all gather together, which means everywhere else has zero cops "working". Should have been a field day for felons. They seem to think this line up is like when some dignitary drops by to review. If anything, this kind of photo op would give me less confidence (if that is possible).

 

So... Not new smart police, then?

 I knew that story was too good to be true.

[ChrisY1]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I don't know if it's "no tourists" as much as unintended consequences from cracking down on illegal businesses on public land, kicking out the beach touts, chasing off street vendors, etc, etc.  Those people have to feed their families (and addictions) somehow.  And the frustrations of poverty and nothing to lose may also boil over a lot more often.

 

Sad thing is, the final unintended consequence may, in fact, be a collapse in tourist spending when the displaced workers turn to crime.  On the bright side, they also have an opportunity to improve the resource and upgrade the spending ability of the tourists they do attract.   But that requires a different mindset.

 

I suspect they'll look at the numbers, panic and blow it.  I hope I'm wrong.

 

1 hour ago, louse1953 said:

If they are not in all these places,where is the missing tourist as they clearly arrive in Thailand.Do they all go to Chiang Mai or just hide in their hotel rooms.

 

Maybe it's only the perception we are delivered that tourist numbers are booming.....clearly they're not in the major regions.....and I'm pretty sure they havn't all gone to Nakhon Nowhere!