The new mayor of Pattaya Anan Charoenchasri has spoken about his desire to rid the resort of criminal elements and improve its image.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha installed Anan in February after the position of mayor was empty for almost 12 months.
The police general was the former deputy mayor and was earlier the deputy chief of the region 2 police overseeing the eastern provinces.
Anan told the Post Today that he was apprehensive when he first took the post but was glad of the confidence shown in him by the military government to effect change.
He recognizes that the resort faces great challenges especially in terms of crime, involvement of the mafia in the sex trade and the effect of influential persons on life there.
But with government support he is hopeful of making progress. And he has not rules out that that support may include powers under article 44 of the constitution.
This could give him more power than the police. And with his background in the force he hopes to use all the power he has to make a difference.
Apart from the issues of crime he also said he was determined to solve the traffic chaos and address the problems associated with littering, dirty water and prostitution in the town.
“We have only just started,” he said,” but we will succeed and make Pattaya a better place”.
