600 police officers to take position at Bangkok Apec Summit
The Metropolitan Police Bureau will deploy a team of 600 or so police officers to direct the traffic and ensure security during the 2022 Apec Economic Leaders’ Summit in Bangkok from November 16 to 18.
Spokesman Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsaengaek told the press on Saturday that security preparations for the Apec summit are now nearly 80 per cent complete.
The officers have undergone training in directing traffic, leading motorcades of Apec delegates as well as undergoing security and evacuation drills in case of emergency. Metropolitan police will hold a final security drill again in early November together with Foreign Ministry officials, Jirasan said.
“The bureau is confident that this event will be a success and will boost Thailand’s reputation,” he said.
Earlier this week, the Cabinet announced that November 16 to 18 will be marked as public holidays to create a five-day weekend in the hope that Bangkokians will leave the capital and traffic will be lighter.
Separately, Jirasan also provided the latest update on the complaint a Klong Toey street food vendor had filed, saying a so-called mafia gang had stopped him from setting up his stall on Thursday. The spokesman said police have identified the four suspects, including the one wielding a handgun, and expect to make arrests on Saturday.
Jirasan said the initial investigation revealed that the four men were also vendors in the area and so far, no connections have been found between them and local politicians or government officials as initially suspected.
