Chon Buri authorities are setting up the zone in Walking Street of the resort town. The official launch is scheduled for March 25.

Chon Buri police chief Pol Maj-General Somprasong Yentuam on Monday night called a meeting with representatives of 100 business operators in the Walking Street area.

During the meeting, he asked entertainment and business operators to cooperate by installing CCTV outside their properties so that they could be “the electronic eyes” that can help to gather evidence when crimes are committed.

He also asked business operators to ensure tourists were not attacked or taken advantage of for any reason, adding that the swindling of visitors such as padding bills was prohibited.

“Otherwise, it will destroy the image of Pattaya,” he said.

Somprasong said the idea of a “Happy Zone” was aimed at making the resort town “a great place of happiness for tourists”.

“The project will turn Walking Street into a place of happiness,” he said.

He added that he told business operators not to employ people under 20, to prohibit weapons from being brought into entertainment venues and, most importantly, prevent attacks on tourists.

After the meeting, he inspected the street and spoke to tourists reassuring them about their safety.

Last month, a report in the UK’s Mirror newspaper calling Pattaya “the sex capital of the world” and “sin city” upset authorities, especially Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

“You are Thai media. Will you believe [the UK media]? Police did arrest [prostitutes]. I will ask police to crack down [on the sex trade] and see who will get into trouble,” the premier said when reporters asked him how the government planned to tackle the sex trade.