Police check vehicles in North Pattaya for illegal weapons, correct
licenses and helmet use.
Pratchaya Kerdthong
Pattaya Police are stepping up efforts to combat
illegal guns as Thailand’s contentious election nears.
More checkpoints are being set up around the city to
prevent firearms from being brought into Pattaya, a battleground for
three major parties.
Standing at a checkpoint at the intersection of
Second and North Roads June 7, Sub. Lt. Samret Chanwiset said the roads
were generally clear during the day, but police often found weapons
inside cars after dark. The Chonburi Traffic Department is also having
police vigilantly check for licenses and helmet use.
Police doubt the Pattaya area will be subjected to the type of
election violence expected upcountry. But with campaign signs from
various parties repeatedly damaged, tension is still running high on the
Eastern Seaboard.
