Cha-am cracks down on abandoned buildings to boost tourist safety
Cha-am police launched a late-night operation last night, January 21, to detain a man found living in an abandoned building near a popular beach viewpoint, amid efforts to prevent crimes that could threaten tourist safety in the area.
Kaew Kongwong, Cha-am district chief, led the operation alongside police, immigration officers, municipal staff, and local volunteers. The team searched several locations, including a vacant three-storey building, where they found a homeless man who had reportedly been living there without permission.
Officers searched the man but found no illegal items in his possession. A background check revealed he was originally from Nakhon Ratchasima province. His details were recorded before he was taken to the Cha-am District Volunteer Defence Company 3, where he was to remain in custody overnight.
Police plan to transfer him to the Phetchaburi Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security and the provincial labour department for assessment, with the aim of providing shelter, job training, and work.
This enforcement effort follows growing public concern after a recent case in Hua Hin, in which a hotel employee was killed by a homeless man using a metal pipe. The case shocked the nation and resulted in increased crackdowns on illegal squatting in abandoned places.
Officials said the building owner would be notified to secure the property, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal action for allowing unauthorised occupation, reported Dailynews.
The Cha-am district chief added that further sweeps would be conducted to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety of both locals and tourists visiting the beachside town.
Similarly, back in December, Bangkok authorities launched an operation along Sukhumvit Road to inspect and regulate homeless people and beggars in public spaces in one of the capital’s busiest commercial and tourist districts. The operation stretched from BTS Nana station to the area outside Benchasiri Park in Khlong Toei district.
