Latest news with #ProvincialPoliceRegion2
Bangkok Post
4 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Police warn hotel booking scams are on the rise
Police have warned that more and more people are being deceived by online fraudsters, with fake booking services offering promotional discount rates for hotel rooms now topping complaints filed by victims. The warning was issued by Provincial Police Region 2, which oversees eight eastern provinces, including popular beach destinations in Chon Buri, Rayong, Trat and Chanthaburi. In July, there were 34,570 cybercrime cases reported to the Royal Thai Police website, with 17,823 (51.5%) involving fake pages offering service bookings. The total damage to victims was around 162 million baht, according to Pol Lt Gen Yingyod Thepjamnong, chief of Police Region 2, He said police had recently arrested a suspect, identified only as "Aiw", who ran a Facebook page advertising hotel rooms and pool villas. He had lured his victims into making payments into mule accounts. The suspect was found linked to 20 reported cases. Typical scammers' behaviour was to post fraudulent offers of services in these provinces on social media platforms and advertise them with promotions requiring immediate payment to secure the cheapest prices. After victims complete payment, these pages block all further efforts to contact them again.
Bangkok Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thailand on spy alert amid border tensions with Cambodia
The Thai military has alerted organisations and general public to watch out for suspicious drones and strangers amid border tensions with Cambodia. The Royal Thai Air Force stated on its Facebook page that it spotted drones being operated to spy on military areas nationwide, and the operation of such unmanned aerial vehicles was considered as espionage, seriously threatening national security. The air force asked members of the public to report sightings of suspicious drones to hotline 1374 or their local government organisations around the clock. Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the Second Army Area that covers the Northeast bordering Cambodia, said on Sunday that he told provincial governors in the region to procure anti-drone devices to protect their areas, especially provincial halls, stadiums, arsenals, police stations, bus terminals and airports. Provincial authorities were also instructed to watch out for strangers and try to determine whether they could be involved in any terror attack plans or espionage, the regional army commander said. He confirmed that the Thai military were put on standby around the clock in response to reports of Cambodian military reinforcements near the border with Thailand. Meanwhile, government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said there had been no violent incidents in seven provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border from midnight Saturday night. He said that any drones launched by Cambodian forces will be destroyed if they encroach on Thai territory. Mr Jirayu also said that the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand was banning the operations of civilian drones throughout Thailand. Pol Lt Gen Yingyot Thepchamnong, commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 2, said all shelters in the eastern province had been closed as Thai-Cambodian clash evacuees had already returned home. However, the Provincial Police Region 2 was maintaining its proactive intelligence operations for security's sake, he said. At the same time, donated supplies from provinces were being delivered to military personnel who were protecting Thai provinces bordering Cambodia, and royally sponsored funerals were being organised for the soldiers and civilians who were killed during recent Cambodian attacks on Thai border provinces.
Bangkok Post
21-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Crime drops after 'Pattaya Model' launch
Provincial Police Region 2 has attributed a sharp decline in crime and improved response to complaints in Pattaya to the "Pattaya Model" -- a safety initiative launched in April that was designed to rebuild the city's image as a safe destination for tourists. Pol Lt Gen Yingyos Thepchamnong, chief of Provincial Police Region 2, said the initiative involves increased surveillance across three high-risk areas, with two checkpoints set up along Pattaya Beach, two on Walking Street, and another at Bali Hai Pier. A key feature is a crime mapping system that is driven by data collected from local police and community sources, which the police can use to identify high-risk zones. The system is backed by smart surveillance cameras equipped with a real-time, facial recognition system which is linked to a shared database of wanted individuals, persons under surveillance, and other high-risk individuals. It was developed in collaboration with Pattaya City and the Central Investigation Bureau. The system also enables the police to send real-time alerts to officers on duty to ensure rapid response, Pol Lt Gen Yingyos said. Since the initiative was launched, physical assault cases dropped from 111 in April to 50 in June, while property-related crimes declined from 81 to 48 over the same period. "These improvements are the results of a targeted and proactive policing," said Pol Lt Gen Yingyos. "Our officers can now identify risk areas and act quickly, leading to visible and measurable results. We've also accelerated the arrest of individuals with outstanding warrants." The initiative relies on the use of technology to pre-empt threats, enhance operations with artificial intelligence, and engage local stakeholders, making it easier for tourists to seek help, and ensuring swift action when incidents occur, he said. The results of the initiative were presented to Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong during his visit to Pattaya last week. The minister praised the initiative as a big step toward enhancing tourist safety and confidence. Pol Lt Gen Yingyos said police are committed to using the latest technological innovation to improve law enforcement, saying the ultimate goal is to ensure public safety and make Pattaya a safe destination for both residents and visitors.
