Volunteers that are helping to patrol the beaches in Hua Hin on horseback are being told by the City Mayor to wear, as a tourist gimmick, uniforms normally worn by the Royal Thai Guards at official ceremonies.

Those volunteers however fear they may get arrested for posing as royal guards. One of the volunteers, Khun Sam-ang Ampla, said that the uniforms were copies of those worn by oarsmen in the Royal Barge Procession, uniforms had already been handed out to three of his friends by the Mojor of Hua Hin, khun Jira Pongpaiboon, who asked the volunteers to wear them while patrolling the beach.

Khun Sam-ang said he would feel very uneasy, riding the beach in the ceremonial uniform of the Thai Royal Guards. I am afraid I could be sent to jail for posing as a Royal Guard, he added.

Sam-Eng is one of the about 60 Thai people who make a living by renting out their horses to tourists on Hua Hin beach. At the same time they have volunteered to help the Hua Hin police patrol the 5 km long beach strip to ensure the safety for visiting tourists.

The mayor of Hua Hin said, he wanted to give tourists a sense of Thailand by demanding that those volunteers dress up as Royal Guards. He further said: Foreign visitors would feel as proud as Kings, seeing our beach patrols and we would at the same time conserve the spirit of our Thai culture and tradition.