The assembly, held at 6pm, marked the launch of the campaign, titled "Protect the People Phuket Provincial Police”.
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Wisan Panmanee, presided over the assembly, accompanied by Phuket Vice Governor Thanyawat Charnpinit.
Joining the assembly were officers from the Phuket Provincial Police, Tourist Police, Immigration Police, Phuket Airport Immigration Police, Marine Police, Phuket Forensic Division, Highway Police, Phuket Special Branch, military personnel, administrative officers and public volunteers.
“We are ready to look after the safety of residents and tourists ahead of the election on March 24,” Maj Gen Wisan said.
The campaign was being held “in accordance with the policy of the Royal Thai Police and Provincial Police Region 8, who are ready to cooperate to ensure the safety of life and property of people and tourists, including preventing and suppressing all forms of crime during the election of members of the House of Representatives, which will be held on March 24,” Gen Wisan said.
The security boost comes follows officers already ramping up patrols and security checks in the fallout from the pipe bomb attacks in the Southern Thailand provinces of Satun and Phattalung on Sunday.
Col Santi Sakuntanark, the commanding officer of the Royal Thai Army contingent stationed in Phuket, has publicly assured that Phuket is believed to not be a target following the bomb attacks, which Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon said were likely conducted by people who “lost benefits and wanted to shake the confidence in the government”.
Col Santi said yesterday, “Security personnel in the area, including in Phuket, have not found anything unusual, and so we ask people to feel confident in the safety and to go about their and daily lives as usual,” he added. (See story here.)
However, Col Santi did stress, “If anyone sees a person doing something that looks suspicious, or finds an object that looks suspicious, please immediately call the Army Region 4 headquarters’ 24-hour hotline 1341.”
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday expressed his concern over public safety and the public to not panic as the situation remains under control.
The campaign also comes polls will open this weekend for early voting, bringing with it an alcohol ban from 6pm Saturday night (Mar 16) through to 6pm Sunday (Mar 17). (See story here.)