Thailand's Tourist Police Embark On A Major Campaign To Improve Services For Tourists

[monkeycountry]

In my opinion the tourist police is even worse than the real police. They don't behave any worse, but unlike the real police, the tourists are under the false impression that the tourist police is actually there to help them, not the Thais, when disputes arise. This means, in case of a scam (jetski, taxi or whatever) the tourists are unaware that the tourist police are in on the scam and get a share of the take after they have told the tourists that they should just pay up!

I am sure the tourist police do help out with minor matters once in a while, but weighing the upsides and downsides, I think the tourists would be better off overall, if the tourist police was abolished, or at least renamed "translators", which is one of their few useful functions.

[NeverSure]

"Tourist buddy system." Geez, just go to Walking Street. The tourists have known that, long time. That's why they are here.

[EyesWideOpen]

I tried to download it on my Iphone, as well as my Ipad, just in case it was some incredible piece of software, and I would have to retract my jokes.

The software does not work on either the Iphone or Ipad. After downloading it from the app store, it will start for a couple of seconds, and then stop and go back to the original screen.

Edited March 25, 2013 by EyesWideOpen

[mungostjohn]

"Tourist Police to improve service for tourists.." Ha, ha , ha. Looks good as a PR stunt but it's not true. My friend was bitten by a wat-dog at Wat Bupparam and when the tourist police arrived, after the wat janitor admitted, "yes, the dog has bitten many farangs. It was the "farang's fault for being in Thailand...go home!", the police laughed it off with, "you can bite the dog back, ha, ha, ha". It cost 7,000 Baht for cleaning and anti-rabies treatment and an Aussie was in the Ram Hospital at the same time bitten by the same dog. Some "improved service". This happened the second week of March 2013.

[Stradavarius37]

I tried to download it on my Iphone, as well as my Ipad, just in case it was some incredible piece of software, and I would have to retract my jokes.The software does not work on either the Iphone or Ipad. After downloading it from the app store, it will start for a couple of seconds, and then stop and go back to the original screen.

Works fine on my iPhone 5 (latest iOS installed)

[sunholidaysun1]

1155 Tourist Police, is not working either in Chiang Rai , I tried to call then several weeks ago and the number is dead.

Do the farang tourist police assistants have work permits ?

Maybe the Tourist Police should join forces with Thai Immigration because they need to get their act together as well !!

[lizardtongue]

Yeah I can see the scenario Mr and Mrs R.E.Spectable are having problems during Songkhran Mr Spectable tells Mrs Spectable to get on the tourist buddy, she pulls out her 22,000 THB smart phone at that very same moment Somchai decides she needs to enter into the spirit of the festival and proceeds to dump 3 gallons of shitty water over her and her phone!

[DiNiro]

A staff member of the Tourist Authority told me the Tourist Police are scammers, just like the regular police. In fact, I was told the Tourist Police control the gem scam.

That explains why the gem scammers are still working in the same locations year after year.

[kai k]

All I can say is that a few years back my community to the south of Bangkok had a terrible time with the Tourist Police. Their real job was to find any infraction of a work law that does not allow Retirement Visa to do anything that resembles work like even painting a painting. Once their plain-clothed spy's add you to a docket a real sting operation goes into effect. If you don't pay them a few hundred thousand baht, your only recourse is to take it to the court where you will eventually get justice with a small fine. You are always guilty and must say you are to cut a deal so your case can finally go away.

Edited March 26, 2013 by metisdead
: Bold font removed.

[madmitch]

Maybe a new job for the tourist cop arrested in Phuket last week for murdering two people.

[mok199]

Is time they begin to think ''outside the box''...this increase in tourist traffic has caught everone off gaurd,they predicted this 10 years ago...lets start with the most dangerous and the most comon weapon is thailand...''the vehicle''.the bus,the scooter the taxi etc......when we teach these operators how to respect the law and the people around them....then,we have a safer place for every one....im not worried about getting shot here, im worried about druged out tour bus drivers,methed out scooter taxi and raged out drunks.operating the most dangerous weapon we have in thailand......

[Baerboxer]

A month ago I noticed a banner in soi cowboy here in Bangkok. Don't remember all of it, but it had something like "under protection of Thonglor Police". I must admit with more police walking around than I could remember from previous visits I started to feel real safe. I would almost say that that was the first time since first visiting SC in 1997, imagine

I remember when the East End of London was "under protection" of the Krays. Safe to walk round there to. Is this similar?

[me313]

The tourist police in Phuket are very similar to the police in the movie Mississippi Burning, the types who protect lynch mobs. These are extremely racist white men from Europe who make sure Thai police area helping them to secure rule over Thailand, not the other way around.

[metisdead]

A post containing profanity has been removed as well as the replies.

[hellodolly]

Is time they begin to think ''outside the box''...this increase in tourist traffic has caught everone off gaurd,they predicted this 10 years ago...lets start with the most dangerous and the most comon weapon is thailand...''the vehicle''.the bus,the scooter the taxi etc......when we teach these operators how to respect the law and the people around them....then,we have a safer place for every one....im not worried about getting shot here, im worried about druged out tour bus drivers,methed out scooter taxi and raged out drunks.operating the most dangerous weapon we have in thailand......

It would also help to have these tourists who are not familiar with Thai driving to not rent a vehicle and add their inexperience to the carnage. Particularly the ones who have never been on a motor bike in their life until they got to Thailand.

Forgot to mention many of these tourists are coming from a nanny nation and do not bother when on foot to look both ways when crossing the street even if it is a one way street, Or to give right of way to the motor bikes on the side walks.

Here in Chiang Mai you see security guards at private enterprises acting as traffic control. Not sure what the tourist police do. I know where they have an office in the night bazaar area that sits there empty.

Edited March 26, 2013 by hellodolly

[Honkytowner]

"Maybe it will have a video feature built in, so as you are being shaken down by 'rogue' police, you could upload the video on the spot !!!
The possibilities are simply endless..."

Such apps already exist. I have one on my Galaxy Note. OpenWatch is a free download from OpenWatch.net. Start the app and whatever your smartphone camera sees and hears can be automatically posted directly to the OpenWatch online public archive.

There's another, called Police Tape, which works in a similar way. It's available from the Google Play Store.

[Marlow999]

"By introducing Tourist Buddy, we hope that the Tourist Police can deliver a high level of service and safety for tourists who come to visit Thailand, but somehow end up in difficulty."

so much done just for the tourists. lets see about what the board moans this time.

Well given the track record of the police fleecing tourists ( think cigarette butt scam, jet ski, etc etc etc....), this news story is about like the foxes telling the hens they are reformed, they will no longer eat the hens, and in fact are going to start helping the hens with various problems... What are the hens supposed to think ????? lol...

that is the tourist police, not the police.

i had to pay once 2000 baht in the litter scam at jj market. to the police. otherwise no problem with them. no reason to get over the top obsessed.

The Tourist Police are part of the RTP.

[Marlow999]

A post containing profanity has been removed as well as the replies.

What happened to my response to a post yesterday suggesting the 1155 number didn't work properly. no English was spoken, and to call it if you wanted a laugh?

I called the number which was answered by a helpful English-speaking lady whom I had a brief conversation with.

Why was it deleted?

[scotto]

I beleive the tourist police have absolutely no power to arrest anyone they

are only suppose (being the key word) to help foreigners?

When they are in trouble and to help the RTP communicate effctively

with the foreigner other than that they have no useful function IMHO![

[Dap]

"By introducing Tourist Buddy, we hope that the Tourist Police can deliver a high level of service and safety for tourists who come to visit Thailand, but somehow end up in difficulty."

so much done just for the tourists. lets see about what the board moans this time.

I guess the "board" moans about the reality.

[EyesWideOpen]

Maybe a new job for the tourist cop arrested in Phuket last week for murdering two people.

Yeah I just read that story in the Phuket Gazette. Wow... He was charged with murder by the police. So helpful tourist policeman by day, and assassin by night ??

[mogoso]

The jokes just keep rolling! I'm pretty sure they're famous for beautiful scenery, extortion, and lagging behind in social, technological, and humanitarian development.

Wasn't there an article about a week ago saying divers are starting to go to Myanmar more now evaluate the natural beauty is preserved. Now the numbers are growing?!?!?'

In defense of Thailand I would like to point out to you that Myanmar is doing nothing to preserver the beauty. The big difference is they didn't allow the skin divers in. Now they are starting to cater to them. Give them time and they will have the reefs in the same condition as Thailand.

The coral would live a lot longer if the divers and snorklers would not be wearing "sunscreen" Minute amounts causes the coral to into distress. Dive clean

[spidermike007]

Is time they begin to think ''outside the box''...this increase in tourist traffic has caught everone off gaurd,they predicted this 10 years ago...lets start with the most dangerous and the most comon weapon is thailand...''the vehicle''.the bus,the scooter the taxi etc......when we teach these operators how to respect the law and the people around them....then,we have a safer place for every one....im not worried about getting shot here, im worried about druged out tour bus drivers,methed out scooter taxi and raged out drunks.operating the most dangerous weapon we have in thailand......

There was one Thai person who "thought outside the box" about ten years ago. He was labeled a heretic, and asked to leave the country. Since then, nobody has thought outside the box. When was the last time you ran into a Thai person who was a truly creative thinker, and did not care what others thought of him, or her? Is this the most conventional country on the planet? Are there creative thinkers here? Where do they hide out?

Mike Macarelli

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[nakhonandy]

My only experince with the tourist police is when they were stopping all motorbikes on Sukhumvit in Pattaya together with the normal police.

They were quite helpful actually.

Also for a change it was all motorbikes and not just farangs!

[bendejo]

App links directly to your Paypal account to make the payoff process easier,

[EyesWideOpen]

App links directly to your Paypal account to make the payoff process easier,

Damn why didn't I think of that??? It always looks a bit seedy when the police make their rounds collecting protection money. This way if done on line will save face all around . Brilliant !!!!!

But definitely will need high limits for payoffs for the jet ski scam.....

Edited March 27, 2013 by EyesWideOpen