Police & Crime on Hua Hin Today

Provincial Police Region 7 pushes forward Hua Hin - Cha-am arms-free zone

Lt. Gen. Woraphong Chiopreecha, the Commissioner General of the Provincial Police Region 7, Nakhonpathom Province, paid a visit and checked the results of the "Hua Hin - Cha-am Arms-Free Zone" by asking each police station superintendent to report thoroughly upon installing arms-free signs at restaurants, entertainment places, routes and so on. The proceeding result has been effective from 1st June, 2007 and will continue to 1st June, 2008. The present results in Cha-am, Hua Hin and Pranburi are very satisfying due to the fact that the police officers in each police station can catch illegal arms holders as well as relieving dangerous situations more than expected which has also satisfied the tourists. Meanwhile, the questionnaires sent by the police officers to schools and university students; merchants and general people indicated that the police should continue the Arms-Free Zone Project.

After that the Commissioner General visited the CCTV operation room of Hua Hin Police Station with Col. Chainarong Somphro, the Hua Hin police station superintendent, to draw conclusions. Hua Hin Police Station has installed 22 TVs in a controlling room to monitor suspicious movements in the Hua Hin Municipality zone; Phetchakasem Intersection, other intersections, beaches and railway stations for example.

There are now 48 CCTVs altogether installed on various electricity poles in order to send moving events to the controlling room, and then as soon as the police officers see a dangerous situation they will radio to the nearby patrol police to get to the area immediately. Fortunately, the CCTV Project was supported by Mr. Songkiat Lim-Arunrak, a Chief Executive of the Prachuap Khirikhan Provincial Administration Organization, who allocated the police station a budget for the project.

Lt. Gen. Woraphong also added he was highly satisfied with the whole Arms-Free Zone Project, especially the arrest result on those who carried weapons in the city and a working result on restricted points at restaurants and entertainment places as it appeared that there was no one holding weapons to cause problems at all. Presently, the project is undergoing a trial; if successful the project will be widely operated in each police station under Region 7. Moreover, the most important thing is not only suppression, but also police public relations.

"Applying the principal of the Arms-Free Zone can reduce the manpower performing the duties each night. We will provide both signs and stickers for prohibition in different places and we also offer an arms-drop point for those carrying weapons where they can get their arms back on their return. In other words, we can reduce the number of police officers inspecting suspects. Anyway, the police officers have to continue to set up check points in important points of the city as always" said Lt. Gen. Woraphong.

Lt. Gen. Woraphong extended his speech that the incoming election at the end of this year will be intensively watched. He has strictly ordered Commanders and Superintendents in each province and station to survey the area where conflicts of election campaigners highly persist. In case of a problem, a Superintendent of the station must tackle it to prevent violence and report an event to Lt. Gen. Woraphong.

If the survey was intentionally misreported and the problem was still present, that superintendent would carry the responsibility instead. Now, there are 2 provinces where the political situation is seriously increasing in its degree, but the 2 provinces must be kept as a secret to give the police a chance to negotiate and cease the problem with those local politicians.

If the problem persists, weapons must be frisked by the police to prevent the possibility of attacks. He also ensured that the election will peacefully take place under the protection of the police officers, neutrally so as to be fair to all sides.