Pattaya’s police force must now answer to military authorities regarding crimes against tourists and patrols of the city’s entertainment areas, bar owners and venue operators were told.
In a July 9 meeting with about 200 entertainment-business operators, Royal Thai Navy Vice Adm. Rernglit Boonsongprasert said Sattahip Naval Base personnel will be looking over the shoulder of local police as they patrol Walking Street and other bar zones in order to ensure that utmost effort is being put into ensuring tourist safety. The initiative is part of the National Council for Peace and Order’s campaign to restore foreign confidence in Thailand’s tourism sector.
(L to R) Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho, Royal Thai Navy Vice Adm. Rernglit Boonsongprasert and Pattaya police chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong tell nightspot owners to stay within the guidelines of the law.
Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho and Pattaya police chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong stressed that there would be no noticeable military presence on the street; Pattaya officers will continue to handle patrols and enforcement of entertainment laws. The only exception may be busy weekends when extra boots on the ground are needed to ensure safety, they said.
But the NCPO has made clear, they noted, that it wants strict enforcement of laws governing bars, discos and pubs. Club owners should expect quick action taken against venues offering lewd shows, those staying open beyond legal closing times, permitting use of illegal drugs by staff or customers, and establishments employing thugs as security who inflict harm on tourist customers.
