Tourism Illegal Tours Targeted as Thailand Boosts Tourist Safety

[webfact]

File photo for reference only

 

Thailand's Tourism Ministry partners with the military, police, and civil agencies to nullify illegal tours and regain tourist trust. Natreeya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, laid out a robust plan focusing on tourist safety amid social media-fuelled concerns, promising it as a priority.

 

Her initiatives confront the spread of misleading or false rumours that cloud tourist perceptions and choices.

 

Unified with relevant authorities, including the military, police, and civil organisations, the ministry aims to introduce seamless safety protocols.

 

These are curated to guard tourists from the moment they step into Thailand. Enhanced airport assistance is being provided, like services helping travellers with misplaced property managed by the Airports Authority and airlines, smoothing over procedural hiccups.

 

With aid from immigration police, entry processes align for a stress-free arrival. Advice on public transport with clear fare structures aids those exploring independently. Tourist-heavy zones now benefit from heightened safety thanks to police officers, ministry staff, and trained tourism volunteers, all ensuring tourists feel secure.

 

Available at the touch of a finger, real-time help emanates from the Tourist Safety Operations Centre, the Tourist Assistance Hotline (1155), and the Thailand Tourist Police mobile app. Ubiquitous tourist police vehicles monitor and act, offering round-the-clock watch and aid.

 

Addressing social media speculation about tourist abductions, Natreeya clarified, “We want to reassure all travellers that Thailand remains a safe destination." With isolated cases of non-tourist-related incidents, there's been no evidence of tourist abductions, offering assurance to all prospective visitors. United, the Thai populace remains dedicated to welcoming travellers, viewing them as esteemed guests in a haven rich with culture and hospitality.

 

Tourism in Thailand stands bolstered by these initiatives, maintaining its allure as a vibrant and inviting destination, bouncing back with fortified security measures.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-05-26

 

 

[blaze master]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Tourist-heavy zones now benefit from heightened safety thanks to police officers, ministry staff, and trained tourism volunteers, all ensuring tourists feel secure.

 

That must be why day in day out we see story after story of people doing unsafe and bad things.

[ikke1959]

Tourists safety .... always a reason to chase people... Illegal tours have nothing to do with tourists safety, but the traffic chaos every day, the air pollution, the robberies and assaults, and the low balconies need more attention than a company that is not official registered but it brings tourists and money into the country, but that is not important. 

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Illegal tours have nothing to do with tourists safety, 

They do. Illegal tours with overloaded boats and not meeting the insurance requirements, using illegal transport are related to tourists safety.

 

But this is about Chinese tourists.

[ikke1959]

57 minutes ago, stevenl said:

They do. Illegal tours with overloaded boats and not meeting the insurance requirements, using illegal transport are related to tourists safety.

 

But this is about Chinese tourists.

Illegal tours are only companies who are non Thai and not registered...Do you really believe that all taxi drivers and tuk tuks who offer tours near the shoppingmalls  or at the street sides are registered and legal?? No I don't think so, but they are Thai and therefor not illegal

[stevenl]

25 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Illegal tours are only companies who are non Thai and not registered...Do you really believe that all taxi drivers and tuk tuks who offer tours near the shoppingmalls  or at the street sides are registered and legal?? No I don't think so, but they are Thai and therefor not illegal

The taxi's don't offer the tours themselves.

 

Quote

Illegal tours are only companies who are non Thai and not registered..

Illegal tour companies are companies not adhering to the law. Can be a registration, very common is no insurance, overloading, illegal transport, etc.

[impulse]

14 minutes ago, stevenl said:

The taxi's don't offer the tours themselves.

 

You've never walked down Sukhumvit between Asoke and Nana?  The drivers there are offering tours.  Themselves.

 

In fact, everywhere I go in tourist areas, there are taxis sitting with their cars, flashing poster sized brochures of the attractions they'll take you to if you would just sit in their taxi and let them.

 

[stevenl]

29 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You've never walked down Sukhumvit between Asoke and Nana?  The drivers there are offering tours.  Themselves.

 

In fact, everywhere I go in tourist areas, there are taxis sitting with their cars, flashing poster sized brochures of the attractions they'll take you to if you would just sit in their taxi and let them.

 

It's a travel agent or the tour operator themselves who is behind this. The taxi's are selling, they're not illegally offering tours.

[Andre0720]

Someone must please tell these people that all the police roadblocks meant primarily to collect money from motorbike riders, mainly young new visitors,  who do not wear a helmet, it does not make me feel safer on the roads.

[ikke1959]

4 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

Someone must please tell these people that all the police roadblocks meant primarily to collect money from motorbike riders, mainly young new visitors,  who do not wear a helmet, it does not make me feel safer on the roads.

Indeed ... it doesn't do anything for safety... Only check if tax is paid and on you go( never asked for a driverslicense) Nobody is checking the rear lights, licenseplates, blacksmoke or breathtests or anything.. and Thai people who know the way to avoid the checkpoints makes the road even less safe with reckless driving... and nobody cares, but the tourists, without helmets are always the ones who pay

[ikke1959]

45 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You've never walked down Sukhumvit between Asoke and Nana?  The drivers there are offering tours.  Themselves.

 

In fact, everywhere I go in tourist areas, there are taxis sitting with their cars, flashing poster sized brochures of the attractions they'll take you to if you would just sit in their taxi and let them.

 

Same here in Hua Hin.... no tour agency behind it

[BangkokReady]

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

That must be why day in day out we see story after story of people doing unsafe and bad things.

 

Quite.  This is just another "Foreigners are bad and dangerous and are completely to blame for Thailand's problems.  Don't look at what we are doing to Thailand." operation.

[smew]

...must share to be protected  

[kingstonkid]

On 5/26/2025 at 11:16 AM, stevenl said:

It's a travel agent or the tour operator themselves who is behind this. The taxi's are selling, they're not illegally offering tours.

 

I think the taxis are not offering tours but are offering to drive people to these palces where they may or may not have a connection with a tour guide.

[hotchilli]

On 5/26/2025 at 8:24 AM, webfact said:

Thailand's Tourism Ministry partners with the military, police, and civil agencies to nullify illegal tours and regain tourist trust. Natreeya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, laid out a robust plan focusing on tourist safety amid social media-fuelled concerns, promising it as a priority.

Armed guards for every tour now?

[stevenl]

6 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

 

I think the taxis are not offering tours but are offering to drive people to these palces where they may or may not have a connection with a tour guide.

Offering taxi services that's called.