Thai tourist police explain their role as the country commits to the protection and welfare of tourists

[webfact]

Picture: INN

 

INN revealed that Thailand is now a signatory to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) that has been promoted by the World Tourism Council.

 

They have promised to work towards ensuring the safety of all tourists and building tourism confidence. 

As Thailand enters High Season 2022-23 and pandemic angst begins to fade, a big seminar was arranged in Phuket called the Tourism Safety and Security Conference.

 

On behalf of the Thai Tourist Police Pol Maj-Gen Apichart Suribunya, deputy and spokesman, explained the various roles of the tourist police.

 

Picture: INN

 

As well as crucially how they differ from the mainstream force and other sections.

 

Apichart also explained how a swanky new online system operated by the tourist police will be unveiled for real time help to tourists from next year. 

 

Picture: INN

 

The police had been invited by the British embassy to the conference that was also organized by the Australia embassy in Thailand.

 

A further promise was made to listen to the views of tourists to make their experience better next time. 

INN's report was ideal for breakfast time - full of waffle and lacking in substance. 
 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-10-22

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

[Orinoco]

Looks like a Midget convention.

[ikke1959]

lots of copies, and lots of money will be involved to help the tourists. First pay than we help you. The police shold help everyone tourist or local, they are the ones who has to enforce the laws on everyone and not only on tourists.

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A further promise was made to listen to the views of tourists to make their experience better next time. 

Stop using them as cash cows and specifically targeting them for higher prices and driving infringements!

[cnx101]

I feel safer already 

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Listen to the Tourists, even when Thailand pays for experts they ignore them as they do not understand Thailand. I have been told that many times, therefore I stop complaining .

One conference and soundbites form a Police Chief will never change the RTP or even Thailand itself. 

[smew]

Eliminate double pricing, equal treatment by BIB police

Why expats being pulled over while a +/- 13yr olds drive by without a helmet right under the nose of BIB and nothing not a care in the world: ?? no revenue possible.

[mikeymike100]

22 minutes ago, smew said:

Eliminate double pricing, equal treatment by BIB police

Why expats being pulled over while a +/- 13yr olds drive by without a helmet right under the nose of BIB and nothing not a care in the world: ?? no revenue possible.

Totally agree, but until corruption is eliminated it will never happen and as corruption is endemic in Thailand, especially so in the police don't hold your breath.

[madmitch]

But where are the masks? How can tourists be protected without masks?

[Swampy999]

A big seminar was arranged in Phuket called the Tourism Safety and Security Conference, rather ironic as a building in Phuket with 30 rooms for rent collapsed yesterday ????????

[spidermike007]

A further promise was made to listen to the views of tourists to make their experience better next time. 

 

Yeah, right. That would be an admission that perfection has not been achieved, and improvement is possible. I do not see that happening. Covid was the perfect opportunity for a reset. It did not happen. No improvements were made, nothing was learned. 

 

Frankly Thailand does not deserve the support anymore. I love alot of the Thai people, and it is a shame for them. But, in a sense they allowed this to happen with their extreme passivity. It is about the leadership, which is so toxic, so lacking in moral authority or the ability to govern effectively, they have brought the nation to it's knees and utterly decimated the once vibrant economy, ruining millions of lives in the process. It was never really about Covid. It was about abject oppression, opportunism, and an unwillingness to surrender power. Just another broken promise, from the broken PM.

 

It is time to admit that the tourism industry has been sabotaged to the point where it will never recover, to any meaningful extent. Ever. Decades from now it will be limping along, and thousands of large hotels will either be closed, or they will attempt to convert them into low priced condos. Eventually many will be razed to the ground. Trillions of dollars in tourism infrastructure down the toilet. Prayuth, Phiphat will go down in history as the men who destroyed the Thai economy, and set the nation on a scorched earth path toward a position of 80th in the world, in GDP, and a dramatic decline of the standard of living, for all but him, his cronies, and the very rich. 

Millions of tourists will be giving Thailand a pass, well into the coming decades. Tourism in Thailand is essentially finished. They murdered the Golden Goose.

[mran66]

The whole concept of having separate tourist police sounds xenophobic...Wonder what the history of such is, created to spy and police dirty farang I guess. 

[Rhys]

Oh so now more spot check to see if the tourist is carrying their passport?

 

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, cnx101 said:

I feel safer already 

It gives you that warm tingle dont you think so?

[Seeall]

Ok, so NOW, avter 30 years of tourism they will now commit.......  talk about speedy great ideas....

[Seeall]

55 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

A further promise was made to listen to the views of tourists to make their experience better next time. 

 

Yeah, right. That would be an admission that perfection has not been achieved, and improvement is possible. I do not see that happening. Covid was the perfect opportunity for a reset. It did not happen. No improvements were made, nothing was learned. 

 

Frankly Thailand does not deserve the support anymore. I love alot of the Thai people, and it is a shame for them. But, in a sense they allowed this to happen with their extreme passivity. It is about the leadership, which is so toxic, so lacking in moral authority or the ability to govern effectively, they have brought the nation to it's knees and utterly decimated the once vibrant economy, ruining millions of lives in the process. It was never really about Covid. It was about abject oppression, opportunism, and an unwillingness to surrender power. Just another broken promise, from the broken PM.

 

It is time to admit that the tourism industry has been sabotaged to the point where it will never recover, to any meaningful extent. Ever. Decades from now it will be limping along, and thousands of large hotels will either be closed, or they will attempt to convert them into low priced condos. Eventually many will be razed to the ground. Trillions of dollars in tourism infrastructure down the toilet. Prayuth, Phiphat will go down in history as the men who destroyed the Thai economy, and set the nation on a scorched earth path toward a position of 80th in the world, in GDP, and a dramatic decline of the standard of living, for all but him, his cronies, and the very rich. 

Millions of tourists will be giving Thailand a pass, well into the coming decades. Tourism in Thailand is essentially finished. They murdered the Golden Goose.

The ones who have bulging accounts, why would they change anything....  I  feel sorry for the people...

 

[simon43]

Yonks ago I was a tourist police volunteer in Phuket.  A Swedish tourist asked me what my job entailed "To protect you from the Thai police" was my reply!

[Dont confuse me]

Start by checking all hire vehicles, elephant rides, jet skis, etc etc have their public liability insurance in place.

That would probably result in 50% being shut down!

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Seeall said:

The ones who have bulging accounts, why would they change anything....  I  feel sorry for the people...

 

This is likely the number one reason their level of desperation to cling to power is so high. The power itself? Likely very intoxicating, but largely secondary. For men without souls, money is everything. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Rhys said:

Oh so now more spot check to see if the tourist is carrying their passport?

 

I only carry it when going to immigration, or when heading to the airport for an international flight. Always carry a color copy. Never had an issue. Who carries their original passport around? A completely unreasonable expectation. 

[anrcaccount]

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

But where are the masks? How can tourists be protected without masks?

I know you're being sarcastic, but a good step forward to see an entire room unmasked, welcome to the real world again Thailand. 

 

To have any chance of a tourism recovery-  the land of smiles needs to come back. 

[kidneyw]

2 hours ago, Rhys said:

Oh so now more spot check to see if the tourist is carrying their passport?

 

In forty two years I have never been stopped by the police to see my passport. Only my Thai driving license.

[jaiyen]

So have the police got all those stolen guns back yet ?? Didnt think so. Thats great for tourist confidence when police steal guns to sell.

[The Theory]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

They have promised to work towards ensuring the safety of all tourists and building tourism confidence. 

Sure???? please start from "immigration". ????

[freedomnow]

" Chalee, if you too drunk and ting tong with no clothes on, we catch you with dog net...OK ?"

[Sydebolle]

Never heard more cattle manure; anywhere similar programmes running in Europe? 

But maybe it is indeed necessary to protect tourists from this utter absence of common sense ???? 

[RichardColeman]

Thai tourist police explain their role as the country commits to the protection and welfare of tourists

 

Just not Ukrainian innocent civilians 

 

[riverhigh]

6 hours ago, smew said:

Why expats being pulled over while a +/- 13yr olds drive by without a helmet right under the nose of BIB and nothing not a care in the world: ?? no revenue possible.

This is part of Thai culture concerning the lesser of two evils, so to speak. Its based on the need for Thai students to go to school in places where there is lack of transport or the distance to schools is far. See it as an incentive to go to school and teaching resposibility of looking after a motorcyle ... smile. As to the helmet part of your comment, it is not possible to fine  +/- 13yr old without a license. Like it or not this is the way it is and always remember Thailand is for Thais.  Similar to me you are just a guest. 

[BangkokReady]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

As Thailand enters High Season 2022-23 and pandemic angst begins to fade

Should probably have "tentatively in a few areas" on the end of that sentence.

Edited October 22, 2022 by BangkokReady

[Homburg]

Could it be that Thailand signed up to this because the International Code for the Protection of Tourists is a voluntary instrument of a non-legally binding nature?  So they can sign up, look good and do absolutely nothing?