The contingent assembled in front of the Police Box on Patong Beach, at the western end of Bangla Rd, to receive their orders from Region 8 Police Commander Lt Gen Pongwut Pongsri to ramp up their efforts in the fight against drugs during the upcoming New Year holidays.
Joining Gen Pngwut in leading the troops was Rear Admiral Pichit Wadvaree, Deputy Commander of Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, based at Capre Panwa, on Phuket’s east coast.
Also present were officers from the Region 8 Police, Tourist Police, Patong Police, Royal Thai Navy personnel, who after the assembly walked along Bangla Rd, handing out anti-drugs pamphlets to tourists and local staff.
“This is part of a national effort for all people to unite with police in the fight against drugs,” Patong Police Chief Col Anotai Jindamanee told The Phuket News today (Dec 20).
“We have to report the results of all our anti-drugs operations to Bangkok every three months,” he said.
“In Patong in Novemeber alone we arrested 90 drug suspects, and we have arrested another 40 drug suspects already this month,” Col Anotai explained.
“Not all of them were drug dealers, but they were all users. We need to work with local people to fight the spread of drug use. We need them to support us and we need them to be our sources,” he said.
“If you have any information regarding illegal drug use, people can report it to me directly by calling 086-9668996,” Col Anotai added.