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  1. #1

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    dirtydog's Avatar
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    Phuket locals taught to fight crime for tourist safety project

    Phuket locals taught to fight crime for tourist safety project
    Phuket Gazette – Saturday, October 6, 2012 700 PM


    Pol Gen Chalermkiat Srivorakan reiterated the importance of tourist safety in Thailand to the officers and Patong locals that attended the two-day seminar on protecting the public. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

    PHUKET: About 150 employees in Patong, including rental car operators, motorbike taxi drivers and beach masseuses, attended a seminar this week designed to train them as active members of the Patong Safety Zone project, which has already been hailed as a success by police.

    “The Patong Safety Zone project has been running for awhile, and we have already noticed a decrease in the crime statistics here,” said Pol Gen Chalermkiat Srivorakan.

    The seminar taught locals how they can help police protect tourists, said Provincial Police Deputy Commander Peerayut Karajedee.

    With over 2 trillion baht of income expected from the tourism industry in 2015, the importance of tourist confidence in their safety is vital, said Pol Gen Chalermkiat after the opening ceremony of the seminar, which ended on Friday.

    “In three months, the project will be adopted by 353 police station across Thailand,” he announced.

    “When all 353 stations as part of the project, I believe there will be a decrease in the number of tourists being scammed and assaulted. These results will help us regain the tourists' confidence in their safety,” he added.

    Phuket NEWS: Phuket locals to fight crime for Patong Safety Zone c

  2. #2
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    that werent the criminals invited to a lecture on what in the future will be punishable?

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat
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    Fears over safety of tourists in Phuket
    14 Mar 2013

    The chief of police in Phuket, Thailand, has asked for help to reduce the number of serious crimes against visitors in the popular beach resort.


    Last year foreigners in Phuket were the victims of two rapes, 13 violent crimes and 13 attempted robberies

    Photo: AP

    While announcing new crime figures for the island, police chief Maj-Gen Chote Chawanwiwat called for 5,000 more officers to help protect tourists from what local news sites describe as “mafia-style” crime.

    The figures revealed that seven ex-pats have been murdered in the resort since 2010 and that last year, foreigners were the victims of two rapes, 13 violent crimes, 13 attempted robberies and 46 cases of fraud. In the same year, 193 foreigners were also arrested for drinks, drugs and drink driving offences. The biggest cause of death to foreigners in the resort was drowning however, with eight deaths in 2012.

    The statistics were released in response to increased concern about the safety of foreigners following the death of an Australian travel agent, who died from stab wounds after having her bag snatched last year. Her attackers have been caught and jailed for life.

    Only this week, a Singaporean tourist was also targeted by two bag-snatchers on a motorcycle who were travelling at speed and crashed into an oncoming car. Two teenage men are currently under police guard at Phuket City Hospital.

    The government has called for a tightening of security in order to protect the valuable tourism industry there. New “safety zones” have now been set up around the resort.

    Maj-Gen Chote Chawanwiwat said: “The (Thai) government has set a big target for the revenue it hopes to achieve from tourism in Phuket so, in the interests of protecting its investment, providing more police would be a wise decision."

    In January, a 35-year-old British man drowned while snorkeling with friends from a beach in Phuket.

    Drownings in Phuket sometimes occur because tourists ignore red flags that fly on west coast beaches warning against swimming due to a dangerous undertow and ebb tides.

    telegraph.co.uk

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    13 violent crimes, 13 attempted robberies and the biggest cause of deaths drowning ???
    What a load of bollox.They must think we like the number 13.
    The robberies must be into the 100 plus and I know of 5 killed on the roads myself.

  5. #5
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    Scams, violence: Phuket needs massive police boost, says chief
    Robert Upe
    March 19, 2013


    Patong Beach, Phuket ... the tourist region's police chief says a huge boost in police numbers is needed to protect tourists from crime.

    Photo: Alamy

    Phuket needs to more than quadruple its police force to 5000 in order to protect visitors from crime, the tourist region's police chief says.

    But nine months after the stabbing murder of a West Australian travel agent during a bungled bag snatch, Major-General Chote Chawanwiwat says the Thai holiday hot spot is safer than it was.
    Sexpats also seem determined to overdose on Viagra, alcohol and god knows what when their hearts aren't up to it.
    Major-General Chawanwiwat said last week that 5000 police were needed to protect tourists in Phuket.

    "The present Phuket contingent of about 1200 police is based on a registered population of about 320,000 people. When tourists, people from other parts of Thailand and Phuket's illegal and legal labourers are included, 5000 is a realistic number," he said.

    On Sunday, he also told the Phuketwan tourist news website that policing had improved dramatically since he was appointed 20 weeks ago.

    "We have introduced 21st-century policing, and that has changed the way the island is protected," he said.

    Phuketwan reported that Phuket police now use smartphones to send photos to headquarters to show what's happening on their beat.

    Major-General Chawanwiwat also said a safety zone system, introduced since travel agent Michelle Smith's murder, had become widespread. The system uses local volunteers to support police who take responsibility for specific areas, similar to Neighbourhood Watch.

    The police chief wants to increase the number of security cameras in Phuket from 342 to 2400 before he takes early retirement in October.

    About 25,000 Australians travel to Phuket each month and Flight Centre spokesman Colin Bowman said the destination continually rated in the company's top 10 holiday spots visited by Australians.

    "In the last couple of years we have seen double-digit growth year on year in terms of number of people going there," he said.

    "It has a great variety of accommodation and is only seven or eight-hours' flight, putting it in the same basket as Bali and Fiji."

    New crime statistics have revealed that seven expats have been murdered in the resort since 2010 and that last year, foreigners were the victims of two rapes, 13 other violent crimes, 13 attempted robberies and 46 cases of fraud. In the same year, 193 foreigners were arrested for alcohol, drug and drink-driving offences.

    Phuketwan editor Alan Morison, said the biggest dangers on the island – apart from jet-ski scammers and people hiring motorcycles without knowing how to ride them – come from other visitors and expats.

    "In the past three years only Michelle Smith's tragic knifing death was the result of a random crime by a Thai," he said.

    "The knife-wielder and the other bag-snatcher were quickly caught and sentenced to life. The other six murders involving expats as victims have been carried out, according to reports, by other expats. An American also killed a bar girl and a Norwegian allegedly stuffed his former lover's battered body into a wheelie rubbish bin."

    Mr Morison said drunken holiday behaviour in Phuket was one of the biggest sources of trouble.

    And he warned that single women should follow the same rules as at home and never travel alone.

    "Sexpats also seem determined to overdose on Viagra, alcohol and god knows what when their hearts aren't up to it."

    Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Department warns on its Smartraveller web site that Australians travelling to Phuket should be aware of the implications of accidents involving a hired motorcycle or jet-ski.

    "You should check with your travel insurer whether these activities are covered by your policy. You may be detained and arrested by police following jet-ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often in thousands of dollars, can be negotiated."

    Top cop's safety tips for Phuket

    DON'T ride a motorcycle or hire a car to drive yourself around.

    AVOID drinking alcohol to excess, even if it seems a good way to stay cool on a hot Phuket day.

    IGNORE offers of drugs and make sure nobody has the opportunity to slip something into your drink. Penalties for drug offences are harsh.

    WOMEN should understand that being alone with a man can be misinterpreted in Phuket. Make new friends, but stick with your old friends, too.

    Source: Phuketwan
    With Telegraph, London

    smh.com.au

  6. #6
    Thailand Expat Bobcock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mid
    DON'T ride a motorcycle or hire a car to drive yourself around.
    And the alternative is..... Oh yes, a nice friendly tuk-tuk.....

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