French Consul supports proposed Red/Yellow card system for law-breaking tourists

[webfact]

Red and yellow card penalties for tourists

 

By Peter Roche

The bizarre, and probably unworkable, “Yellow-Red” card scheme, cooked up by Phuket police officials two weeks ago, immediately vanished from the news – mostly accompanied by foreign doubters and critics on social media.

 

The card system, if implemented, would have recognised unlawful acts by foreigners with a yellow card and kicked them out of the country. More than one offence, presumably a red card, and they wouldn’t be able to return. For those not aware of the English Football penalty system, the Phuket police appear inspired by the umpires using yellow and red cards as warnings for errant players.

 

In the original proposal there was no explanation of how the penalties would be dispensed and if alleged law breakers could take the matters to court.

 

At the time the police were suggesting that something as simple (and regular) as not wearing a bike helmet could earn the bare-headed rider a one way trip to the airport. The details were sketchy and haven’t been made more plausibly clear since.

 

Until last Thursday.

 

The Consul of France in Thailand, Mr. Christophe Hemmings, headed to the Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Major General Sermpan Sirikong, to discuss French tourists breaking laws and causing “legal problems” in the area. The meeting took place on Thursday, March 9.

 

Over recent weeks a number of French citizens have made unscheduled and unwelcome appearances in local media, mostly relating to attacks, motorbike ‘gangs’ marauding around Patong making noise, and numerous smaller offences.

 

According to The Phuket Express, Mr. Hemmings started by expressed “his admiration” for the Phuket police and urged them to take serious legal action against French nationals who were breaking local laws, particularly on the roads and by being public nuisances. He also backed the controversial “Yellow-Red Card” system, where the names of offenders would be listed with the Thai Immigration Office, and them passed on to French police to potentially take further action against them when they returned to France.

 

Mr. Hemmings emphasised that the French embassy was concerned with France’s image in Phuket and Thailand and wanted French and other national tourists to follow Thai laws to prevent problems. He also noted that most French expats living in Phuket were law-abiding, while those causing problems were often French tourists on short holidays.

 

Major General Sermpan welcomed the co-operation, stating that there’d and yellow warning cards were still under consideration.

 

“We are still considering proposals for listing names under a so-called red and yellow card proposal.”

 

At this stage the laws that would be included in any yellow or red card system have not been clarified or if there would be a system of redress for people that wanted to challenge their earning “cards” that would leave them sent out of, or banned’ from Thailand.

 

Given that the court system can take many months and that a link between the databases of the police and immigration offices would have to be devised, it is unlikely that anything will happening soon.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/french-consul-supports-proposed-red-yellow-card-system-for-law-breaking-tourists/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-13

 

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[smedly]

not workable, deported for a very minor motoring offence is rediculous and open for abuse, if these bike gangs are disturbing the peace then think of something else

[HuskerDo2]

Another stupid idea by the Thai police. It's stunning what they come up with. Yet, the French Consul likes the idea. Says a lot about the brain cell capacity (or lack thereof) in the cranium of the Frenchies.  

 

Just have some rules for lawbreakers including minimum sentences and monetary penalties. If they are harsh enough the crime will stop.

[Robert Tyrrell]

Good morning,

 

You sure know how to embarrass yourselves Thailand ???? Red and Yellow cards , What are we playing football 5555555 ???? 

You already have a system it’s called Black List.

They were certainly correct , Thailand is like 30-40 years behind the modern Western Civilization ????  

[gk10012001]

The problem is "card" rulings are often subjective and vary massively between different officials, honest or corrupt.  Who will govern the system?  How are disputes handled?  Is there any oversight, review process, arbitration, appeal, etc?  oh wait, this is Thailand. 

[hellohello123]

Moral of the story, You really shouldnt make policies up while watching a world cup match and after 15 beers

[Tarteso]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Hemmings started by expressed “his admiration” for the Phuket police

 

[IamNoone88]

The RTP and French Ambassador are correct. These groups of typically French north Afican decent are a daily nuisance, tearing down the roads, cutting up traffic, on the more powerful motor scooters endangering other users. Other interactions off road can be just rude and belligerent. Hard to believe until you see it.

[Chongalulu]

5 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

The RTP and French Ambassador are correct. These groups of typically French north Afican decent are a daily nuisance, tearing down the roads, cutting up traffic, on the more powerful motor scooters endangering other users. Other interactions off road can be just rude and belligerent. Hard to believe until you see it.

Yes,I was having difficulty picturing the typical Frenchman - the one with the stripey T shirt ,riding an old bicycle with a bunch of onions around his neck, a Gitanes casually hanging from his lips while mumbingly incoherently entertaining thoughts of terrorizing Bangla Road  .
So in the end I just gave a casual Gallic shrug and without further concern headed to the cafe for a Pernod 51to think no more about it. "Zut alors!"

[Olmate]

Simple... Ban them from allday coffee chats at BigCXtra food court.... Oh sorrythats Pattaya!! 

[Andycoops]

Another botch, you have either broken the law or you haven't and if you have the punishment should be commensurate with the laws of the land. 

Simple but the poor Thais have to make a dog's dinner of the simple.

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, Robert Tyrrell said:

Good morning,

 

You sure know how to embarrass yourselves Thailand ???? Red and Yellow cards , What are we playing football 5555555 ???? 

You already have a system it’s called Black List.

They were certainly correct , Thailand is like 30-40 years behind the modern Western Civilization ????  

Quote: "Thailand is like 30-40 years behind the modern Western Civilization"

 

And they never catch up.

[kennw]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

not workable, deported for a very minor motoring offence is rediculous and open for abuse, if these bike gangs are disturbing the peace then think of something else

Then why not just enforce the laws that already exist? Sorry silly me that seems to be a bit too hard for our boys in brown to understand so maybe thats why they came up with the more simple football card system. 555  

[Bangkok Barry]

Yet another example of one-step thinking, so common in Thailand. Announce an idea without thinking it through, what it involves, how it might be implemented. And then it either results in a U-turn or gets quietly forgotten. Perfectly normal here, and next week there'll be another ill-thought out idea. It's the kind of thing you'd expect from small kids who haven't yet developed the skill to think clearly and logically.

[RichardColeman]

Yeah, but the problem is the ref is bent !

[Frankie baby]

Not to sure about the cards. But totally agreed on a crack-down with the frogs on wheels.

[Caldera]

Just what the police farce needs, encouragement by a nutty consul from Europe. ????

[Mad mick]

imagine If did Same for politicians RTP.etc Talk about social credit system well.on its way We all must thank CCP. ????????WEF DAVOS Klaus Schwab 

 Old saying never let good crisis go to waste ???? democracy has fallen Great example Tredeau Canada ???????? WEF CCP Macron WEF Prodigy ! NZ fallen  Australia gone EU UK on its way if not already we are Slaves to elites already Only coming our way is more tyranny by legal mafia Government 

[jacknorman]

Give all tourists french diplomatic immunity, problem solved no cases to be touched

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Mad mick said:

imagine If did Same for politicians RTP.etc Talk about social credit system well.on its way We all must thank CCP. ????????WEF DAVOS Klaus Schwab 

 Old saying never let good crisis go to waste ???? democracy has fallen Great example Tredeau Canada ???????? WEF CCP Macron WEF Prodigy ! NZ fallen  Australia gone EU UK on its way if not already we are Slaves to elites already Only coming our way is more tyranny by legal mafia Government 

You all right mick?

 

You sound a bit mad this morning.

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

At this stage the laws that would be included in any yellow or red card system have not been clarified or if there would be a system of redress for people that wanted to challenge their earning “cards” that would leave them sent out of, or banned’ from Thailand.

If they insist on this bizarre red/yellow footie card analogy, the obvious course for any redress would be VAR.

[Mad mick]

20 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You all right mick?

 

You sound a bit mad this morning.

Always ! definitely not robotic or brain washed leftists ideology driven socialpath narcasit WEF Davos new ???? order supporter ????????

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

not workable, deported for a very minor motoring offence is rediculous and open for abuse, if these bike gangs are disturbing the peace then think of something else

Deport them... end of problem

 

[Brick Top]

5 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

The RTP and French Ambassador are correct. These groups of typically French north Afican decent are a daily nuisance, tearing down the roads, cutting up traffic, on the more powerful motor scooters endangering other users. Other interactions off road can be just rude and belligerent. Hard to believe until you see it.

Totally agree , Phuket would be a better place without those arrogant ba* * * *ds endangering the lifes of others , the whole lot of them brainless idoits need deporting 

[sambum]

10 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

The problem is "card" rulings are often subjective and vary massively between different officials, honest or corrupt.  Who will govern the system?  How are disputes handled?  Is there any oversight, review process, arbitration, appeal, etc?  oh wait, this is Thailand. 

"I hereby appeal on the grounds of the envelope that I have just given you, Officer!"

[AustinRacing]

French are familiar with the red card system 

[domdom]

Hello

One thing I don't understand is why they ask anything to french consul and why they would need yellow/red card..

Thai laws violations.. apply Thai law.. fines, jail, ban for 10 years etc..etc..

They just behave here as they act all over France and should we have a government doing his job, this would not be the case..

I read about a long list of offences including hit and run, 

 

I do hope they could learn it here the hard way..Lock them in and throw out the key..

 

[traveller101]

8 hours ago, Mad mick said:

imagine If did Same for politicians RTP.etc Talk about social credit system well.on its way We all must thank CCP. ????????WEF DAVOS Klaus Schwab 

 Old saying never let good crisis go to waste ???? democracy has fallen Great example Tredeau Canada ???????? WEF CCP Macron WEF Prodigy ! NZ fallen  Australia gone EU UK on its way if not already we are Slaves to elites already Only coming our way is more tyranny by legal mafia Government 

Mad ... Mick ...... says it all.

[Bday Prang]

The elephant in the room seems to be the fact that these are not what what most people would describe as typically French tourists.  The French like many other countries should be more careful who they grant citizenship to. Especially when dealing with those of "North African descent" There are consequences and a stain on the national image is only the start

[geisha]

A few of you on here know who the trouble makers are. They are thugs living of drugs money and stolen cards in France, skimming etc is second nature to them. Publish their names, then shame them.

Your normal French tourist is like any other normal tourist. They don’t go round terrorizing the neighborhoods , dealing, treating their Thai hosts like dirt. I once intervened in a gang of this type , in broad daylight near 2nd rd Patong, surrounding a young Thai girl with their bikes , driving round here in circles !!! I’m a female, and speak fluent French, I took out my phone to call police and screamed at them a few words to let them know I was filming .They drove off. We had to pick the girl up off the floor in a terrible state. That’s what this kind do. They do it in France too, but at 3 am. Rob, deal and scam is their lives.