The four hotel staffers and local residents ‒ Mr Luechai Thongnuan, Ms Chuti Kankaew-on, Mr Nopparat Chanthong and Mr Phitsanu Kaewpradit ‒ were awarded certificates of merit issued by the Tourist Police.
The certificates were awarded at a small event held at the Tourist Police Region 3 headquarters in Phuket Town at 2pm yesterday (Feb 15).
Presenting the certificates were Pol Col Pichetphong Jangkhaikom, Deputy Chief of Tourist Police Region 3, and Pol Lt Col Ekachai Siri, Chief Investigator at Tourist Police Region 3.
A report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) explained that Lt Gen Sukhum Prommayon, the nationwide Commander of the Tourist Police, had ordered local Tourist Police in Phuket to contact the four awardees to make sure their efforts were publicly recognised.
Lt Gen Sukhum had ordered Maj Gen Krit Warit, Commander of Tourist Police Region 3, and Tourist Police Region 3 Pol Col Pichtphong Jangkhaikom to contact the four, the report said.
The aim of awarding the certificates was “to mark appreciation and appreciation for the cooperation in helping tourists this time. This is considered to create a positive image for tourism in Thailand and Phuket as well,” the report added.
Pol Col Pichtphong Jangkhaikom, another Deputy Commander of Tourist Police Region 3 explained at the presentation event yesterday that the necklace was lost on Nai Thon Beach on Thursday last week (Feb 10).
Hotel staffers were first informed of the lost necklace by a Russian tourist, which the PR Phuket report said “is also a famous local politician in Russia”.
Hotel staffers began searching for the necklace, which featured a large emerald, and were soon joined by local residents who brought a metal detector to the beach to scour the sands to help search for the lost family heirloom.
“The emerald necklace has been passed down for many generations and is a family heirloom of the tourists. The necklace has sentimental value that is difficult to place a value on,” Col Pichtphong said.
“The tourists are fond of the emerald necklace very much,” he added.
“This has resulted in a very good image for Thailand and Phuket. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to give certificates to honor the honor and virtue of the four individuals to be the morale of this good deed,” Col Pichtphong said.