Pongtasit Pijanan has become well-known at entertainment venues in Pattaya, but not for the reasons bar owners would like. Despite his good looks, the Banglamung deputy district chief is no playboy: He’s the head of the area’s crime and drug suppression efforts.
Pongtasit, or “Por Wit” as he is known, came to the Pattaya area in 2007 after making a name for himself in Sriracha. He won the Outstanding Narcotics Suppression and Prevention plaque for Chonburi Province two consecutive years and was named Outstanding Civil Service Office in 2010.
Pongtasit Pijanan, the “good-looking crime suppressor deputy district chief.”
“While in Banglamung, I push my employees to continually suppress narcotics and illegal entertainment establishments in Pattaya and the district,” he said. “The result has been that I’m now known as ‘Por Wit, the good-looking crime suppressor deputy district chief,’ which is probably because of my good looks,” he said and laughed.
Pongtasit, 40, began life on a farm in Nan Province and enlisted in the Royal Thai Marines. But he became interested in public service after following his father, a 15-year village chief, on his rounds through the neighborhood. He went on to study political science at Sukhothai Thammathirat University and then took the civil service exam to be a deputy district chief.
He resigned from the marines in 2004 and became a deputy district chief in Nakhon Ratchasima. He was transferred to Sriracha two years later. At the same time, he obtained a master’s degree in political science from Ramkhamhang University.
“The most important things for my official service are impartiality and utmost performance as my salary comes from peoples’ taxes,” he said. “My motto is pay attention to learning, knowing, and endurance in work.”
Pongsit lives in Banglamung District with his wife Sornsakan and their 19 year old daughter.
