Pattaya police and city hall officials again swept through Jomtien Beach to stamp out illegal fireworks sales.
Responding to residents’ complaints about after-midnight pyrotechnics keeping them awake, a squad of undercover officers first began arresting street vendors selling fireworks Jan. 27. But that didn’t stop the problem.
So, a squad of uniformed officers set out Feb. 20 to do the same thing.
The situation is particularly bad around the Soi Chaiyapruek intersection where firecrackers are set off until 5 a.m. some nights. Residents also claimed, without proof, the sellers were illegal immigrants stealing Thais’ illegal jobs.
As before, police failed to catch anyone actually setting off fireworks, so threatened street hawkers instead with fines or jail time.
The fine for using fireworks is 1,000 baht. If pieces of the firecrackers are left on the street, that’s litter and carries a 2,000-baht fine. If the fireworks cause a fire or property damage, the penalty can be as much as seven years in prison and 140,000 baht in fines.
