"Calm down," a police officer shouts as he tries to negotiate with a madman brandishing a knife, hurling abuse and threatening innocent people at a bus station in Nongsarai district of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Nine local police officers are on the scene after reports that a woman had been stabbed in a convenience store. While one seals off the area, another attempts to distract the deranged criminal from the activities of the remaining officers.
As soon as the signal is given, a restraining net is shot over the man and officers rush in and safely subdue him with long metal forks.
This was a demonstration of how police can bring a dangerous situation under control with minimal casualties, and it is the raison d'être of the new Nongsarai Thai-US Indoor Tactical Training Centre which opened last week.
Joint efforts to curb crime
The US embassy's charge d'affaires, Michael Heath, said the all-weather facility which cost nearly US$3 million (95 million baht) is an impressive addition to the Royal Thai Police's training compound.
"You have got an entire mock village set up here. I am looking forward to getting money out of the bank and spending it at an 8-11 [mock convenience store]. We are certainly proud that our contribution will enhance your ability to train in an urban environment like this," he said at the opening ceremony on Feb 20.
The US-funded indoor tactical training centre has been built at the Royal Thai Police's 2,000-rai facility in Nongsarai district of Nakhon Ratchasima. The entire complex can provide intensive training on land and in water for up to 160 trainees from the police and security forces each week.
Mr Heath said the new tactical training facility affirms the US and Thailand's commitment to combating transnational crime, especially drug trafficking.
"According to the 2019 annual report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, quantities of methamphetamine seized in Southeast Asia rose more than eightfold between 2007 and 2017 to a total of 82 tonnes, which is 45% of all global seizures that took place during those times. Thailand seized 515 million tablets in 2018 alone. It is vital that we continue to work together as we have done for many decades to address the global narcotics problem," he said.
Mr Heath said the presence of nine American law enforcement agencies here also reflects the importance the US places on Thailand to assist in joint efforts to combat cybercrime.
"For example, Thai experts worked with our counterparts at the US Department of Justice along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration on the AlphaBay operation to shut down the world's largest dark web marketplace. We worked together to set up a task force on internet crime against children to go after those who preyed on the most vulnerable citizens," he said.
Mr Heath said this US-funded training facility aligns with the US foreign policy of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
"We want to see free trade and movement of people, but at the same time, you can't have a free and open Indo-Pacific without people feeling secure in their own countries or unless crime is tackled appropriately. This training centre will help the Royal Thai Police in fighting nefarious activities, including drug, wildlife and human trafficking," he said.
A demonstration on how to bring a dangerous suspect under control is carried out at the launch of the Nongsarai Thai-US Indoor Tactical Training Centre in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district last week.
Rear Admiral Robert Hayes, the director of the Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) West, which is the Indo-Pacific Command's counter-narcotics unit, stressed the US and Thailand must continue to share practices to catch up with criminals.
"The partnership between JIATF West, the Royal Thai Police and other Thai law enforcement organisations dates back to 1994. Over the last seven years, we conducted over 70 training programmes. We have partnered with you on 19 infrastructure projects totalling nearly $13 million," he said.
Proactive training
Meanwhile, deputy national police chief Pol Gen Suchart Teerasawat said the new training complex will prepare officers for both local and national incidents.
"We will use lessons from the recent mass shooting as part of our training in the future. Next month, police officers from Thailand and the US will receive training on indoor tactical attacks, disaster response and forensic evidence gathering techniques," he said.
Pol Capt Tatchapon Maneesang said trainees will learn how to protect themselves using bulletproof vests, safety glasses and shields.
"They will also learn how to use tear gas to disperse crowds and different weapons, including net guns and restraining forks. In the past, a police officer fired his gun while an offender was trying to stab students and ended up being accused of using inappropriate force. So, he acquired the metal restraining forks and encouraged other officers to use them whenever they encounter criminals carrying knives. Trainees must learn how to use this equipment appropriately," he said.