Pattaya, Thailand:
Pattaya City Police hosted a delegation from the British Embassy in Thailand on Tuesday morning, briefing the visitors on security operations and measures to protect foreign tourists in one of Thailand’s busiest resort cities.
The station visit follows talks on the fifth of October between Pattaya City officials and British representatives on the care of British nationals living in and visiting the city. Deputy Mayor Damrongkiat Pinitkan received that delegation, with the mayor’s secretariat, assistant secretaries and the chairman of the mayor’s advisory team also present. The discussion covered assistance for British residents and visitors, road safety, the cannabis situation, which is decriminalized in Thailand and widely available but not in the UK, and wider tourism issues tied to visitor confidence.
British consular officials have previously flagged top issues concerning British tourists being uninsured motorcycle accidents in Pattaya and holidaymakers who assume cannabis bought locally can be taken home or try to smuggle large amounts for a profit. Road crashes remain a major source of embassy cases because treatment, police reports and insurance claims often involve several agencies. Exporting cannabis is illegal, and bringing any amount into the United Kingdom is a criminal offence. UK Border Force figures cited by us here at The Pattaya News show air-passenger cannabis smuggling arrests rose from 142 in 2023 to 976 in 2025, with a further 600 in the first six months of 2026.
Mayor Poramese Ngampichet said the city places the highest priority on the safety of residents and visitors and will continue to manage tourist areas closely, pointing to Pattaya’s closed-circuit television network as a tool for incident prevention and emergency assistance. The city said it is ready to coordinate with Thai agencies and the British Embassy in Bangkok.
Pol. Col. Anek Srathongyu, Chief of the Pattaya City Police Station, received the embassy group at about 9 a.m. on the 7th of October 2026 at the station’s operations centre. He was joined by senior officers including Pol. Lt. Col. Kosala Ngampong, deputy superintendent for investigation; Pol. Lt. Col. Siriwat Khatchamat, deputy superintendent for prevention and suppression; Pol. Lt. Col. Arut Saphanon, deputy superintendent for traffic; Pol. Lt. Col. Suwinai Kuibamrung, inspector; Pol. Lt. Col. Amorntep Maima, traffic inspector; and Pol. Lt. Col. Rinlapas Sophonkitwat, administrative inspector.
The visit included an overview of how the station manages public order, uses technology and its operations centre to monitor incidents, and applies safety measures for foreign visitors, including British nationals living in or travelling through Pattaya.
Police described the meeting as part of closer coordination with foreign missions. Pattaya draws large numbers of international visitors, and station officials said direct contact with embassies can speed assistance and case handling when tourists need help.
The station said the engagement is also intended to support Pattaya’s image as a safe destination and to sustain confidence among visitors and investors. Officers noted that gaps in international coordination can delay communication and complicate emergency or criminal cases involving foreigners.
Pattaya City Police said it will continue aligning operations with international practice and working with foreign organisations so the city remains secure for residents and visitors around the clock.
The visit was coordinated under the Chonburi Provincial Police, Provincial Police Region 2, and the Royal Thai Police.