Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Crime victims will soon have another reason to say “oh
thank Heaven for 7-Eleven.”
Starting Nov. 1, 150 of the ubiquitous convenience store
outlets will begin doing double duty as police boxes, allowing those needing
police assistance to call for an officer to respond within five minutes.
Tourist
Police Maj. Arun Promphan.
Tourist Police Maj. Arun Promphan said 7-Elevens are an
obvious choice as they are located on virtually every street and are open
around the clock. Adding so many crime reporting stations will boost
Pattaya’s safety image and trust of the public, he said.
The new stations are necessary, he added, because many
times crime victims don’t have a mobile phone or change to use a pay
telephone. Also, some were unsure where to go at all for help.
The program will begin with a limited number of outlets
in Pattaya and Banglamung and will expand to 150 stores after the Royal Thai
Police signs a contract with C.P. 7-Eleven (Public) Ltd. Crime report forms
will be available in four languages and the Tourist Police will train
7-Eleven employees on how to handle victims and call for police help
quickly.
Similar efforts are also being planned for tourist areas
of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Phuket.
