Police Urge Phuket Tourists To Use Tourist Buddy App

[webfact]

Police urge Phuket tourists to use Tourist Buddy app
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Tourist Police are urging visitors to the island to download and register the agency’s Tourist Buddy application, which is now available on Google Play for devices running the Android platform (click here).

The Tourist Police launched its Tourist Buddy app on Apple’s iTunes store last month, making it instantly available for iPhone and iPad users (click here).

Tourist Buddy, available in English and Thai, allows users to quickly access local maps, find out where tourist attractions are and even promotes local events and discounts at local restaurants and other local businesses.

“But more importantly, it also allows tourists to quickly contact the Tourist Police if they need to,” explained Phuket Tourist Police Inspector Urumporn Koondejsumrit.

When users first launch the Tourist Buddy app, they are asked whether or not they want Tourist Police to know their location, delivered through the phone’s GPS facility.

“If tourists in danger use the app to call the Tourist Police 24-hour national hotline 1155, we will know exactly where they are [within 10 meters] and we will be able to go immediately to the right location to help,” Maj Urumporn said.

Other important features include an “Email us” button, which allows users to send images and video directly to the Tourist Police headquarters in Bangkok.

“The officers in Bangkok will send the email directly to us here in Phuket,” Maj Urumporn said.

Not many tourists have downloaded the app, but so far all of the feedback we have received has been positive, Maj Urumporn explained.

“I would like more people in Phuket to use this app, because it will make it safer and more convenient for tourists to travel all across Thailand,” he explained.

“There are many millions of Android users now and we want to make sure they can use Tourist Buddy, too,” he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Police-urge-Phuket-tourists-to-use-Tourist-Buddy-app-21076.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-18

[eezergood]

big brother is watching!

[Soupdragon]

big brother is watching!

Big Brother maybe getting access to a lot of information but do you really think anyone is actually watching ???

[JetsetBkk]

Good idea! Well done the PTP (er, Phuket Tourist Police, not the other lot).

[madmitch]

I downloaded this to see what it was like, though have not activated GPS.

There's some reasonable advice for tourists but for a few hundred baht they could and should have had the English proof-read (the website as well) by a native speaker.

[Guest]

I downloaded this to see what it was like, though have not activated GPS.

There's some reasonable advice for tourists but for a few hundred baht they could and should have had the English proof-read (the website as well) by a native speaker.

Phone can locate itself (and report back to the server) with various other methods as well.

The funny part of the bad language is that even the police can not ask someone to proof read it due work permit restrictions. If someone holds an work permit, then the prices are likely quite a lot higher.

[eezergood]

I downloaded this to see what it was like, though have not activated GPS.

There's some reasonable advice for tourists but for a few hundred baht they could and should have had the English proof-read (the website as well) by a native speaker.

Phone can locate itself (and report back to the server) with various other methods as well.

The funny part of the bad language is that even the police can not ask someone to proof read it due work permit restrictions. If someone holds an work permit, then the prices are likely quite a lot higher.

Ordinarily i would scoff at this, but with the silly laws we have it makes perfect sense! sort of..........

I was going to make a snide remark about getting Yingluck to proof read, what with her great English and so on. Am sure you get the point

[Mudcrab]

gee and I thought it was about getting a Russian mafia buddy to tag along with a tourist

Edited May 18, 2013 by Mudcrab

[JulesMad]

So does that mean I get a free iPhone when I visit Phuket, in order to download the app???

I just have a phone I can use to call (no other BS on it)

[MaiChai]

Don't for get to submit your bank and credit card details to the application.

[sonar6ca]

Here is another idea for the tourist police; why don't you patrole the streets more often? Oh, I almost forgot, not your job.