PATTAYA, Thailand – After years of high-profile robberies targeting gold shops across Thailand, Bangkok police have finally begun to treat these stores as the serious security risks they are. On October 22, SWAT units from Bang Khen and Khan Na Yao districts carried out a high-profile inspection of gold shops at Saphan Mai and Thanommit markets, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Pol. Maj. Gen. Charin Kopatta. The operation aimed to prevent robberies, raise patrol intensity, and display a strong presence in known crime hotspots.
While the move is welcome, critics argue that the initiative comes far too late, considering the long history of violent heists in Thailand’s gold markets. Gold shops are high-value, low-protection targets, often staffed by just a handful of employees, making both lives and the highly lucrative products vulnerable. With gold currently trading at around 64,000–66,000 baht per baht-weight, each robbery carries enormous financial stakes. The fact that a major SWAT-led operation is now needed to “remind” the police of the danger highlights a troubling gap in proactive policing, raising questions about how such critical targets were left exposed for so long.
“Gold shops have been prime targets for years,” said one local security expert. “This is not new information. What’s new is the police finally responding in a way that recognizes the real risks to both people and property.”
The Bangkok Metropolitan Police’s instructions to shop owners to check alarm systems and maintain security readiness are standard—but the reliance on reactive, highly visible interventions rather than systemic preventative measures raises questions. Why did it take multiple robberies and growing criminal audacity to spur such action?
This issue isn’t confined to Bangkok. Pattaya, Thailand’s bustling tourist city with its numerous jewelry and gold shops, faces similar risks. The city’s gold outlets attract tourists carrying large sums of cash, often unaware of local crime trends, making them easy targets. Nevertheless, even shops located inside shopping malls—which are loosely protected—are increasingly being targeted, according to recent data, highlighting a nationwide vulnerability. Local police there have been criticized for insufficient proactive measures, with robberies sometimes occurring in broad daylight, and yet no strict measures have been exercised to secure these high-risk sites.
Experts urge a combination of continuous high-visibility patrols, mandatory security protocols, technology upgrades, and rapid-response teams specifically trained for gold shop protection. Without sustained, coordinated efforts, Thailand’s gold shops—from Bangkok to Pattaya—remain perilously exposed.
