EDITORIAL
Action needed in Phuket, not more hot air
The Nation

PHUKET: -- The DSI chief is making a song and dance about a crackdown, when arrests are long overdue

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is poised to launch a major crackdown on "criminals" targeting tourists in Phuket as part of a government strategy to sustain one of the most important industries in the country.

The launch starts with the naming of 11 people and groups in question but falls short of saying exactly what the authorities will do next.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdith made the announcement about the plan himself at a media briefing last week.

He talked about extortion and scams on the resort island and said legal action could be taken.

While a crackdown on illegal activities should be welcomed, it is somewhat odd for the authorities to toss out the names of suspects. Tarit said it was a "message to them to stop" their illegal activities.

This is strange law enforcement methodology and strategy. Perhaps these suspects have yet to cross the line; perhaps the DSI wants to project itself as the force to be reckoned with.

Interestingly, while the launch is being prepared in Phuket, a senior police officer in Pattaya, Thailand's sin city, came out and said his city has no problem with criminal activities.

Perhaps the DSI should be ask why one city is singled out but not the other. Maybe the DSI doesn't want to bite off more than it can chew. Maybe as officials source suggest - the DSI has yet to secure the cooperation of local law enforcement in Pattaya, thus, holding back formal announcement of a crackdown there.

For the newly established Centre for Preventing and Suppressing Organised Crimes Targeting Tourists to have any teeth and credibility, there has to be serious political will at the policy-making level.

There have been too many complaints from locals and the international community, including Bangkok-based embassies, about the harassment and rip-offs involving bona fide visitors to these destinations.

Why did the government have to wait until a group of European ambassadors issued a public demand for better protection for their citizens? Surely Thai officials and public know better than foreigners about the kind of abuses that local and foreign visitors face.

From crooked taxi operators to jet-ski scam artists, as well as allegations of flimsy law enforcement and foreign criminal gangs roaming the streets of these major destinations, Thailand is all over international and local social media outlet.

If we are serious about preserving the tourism industry, and our image in the international community, much more has to be done.

But the damaged reputation is not beyond repair. Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said he wants Phuket to be a paradise for tourists. That is good. But it means eliminating the rip-offs. And to do that involves all of us. Not empty promises from politicians who are here today and gone tomorrow.

We shouldn't have to wait for foreign ambassadors to raise these embarrassing issues. We know better and should do something about it.

-- The Nation 2013-08-11

The problem with drawing lines in the sand is, Phuket has an awful lot of it.

Because this is the norm in LOS...reactive instead of proactive ..close the stable door after the horse has bolted scenario

The more you look into this whole event as it unfolds the less i see any real long term changes happening..a huge debacle is unfolding IMO..

A couple of 'named influencial guys are already planning to sue ...is this just the old ;best form of defence is attack game or is there a stuff up by the investigators?

The whole sequence of events eg forewarning certain people first of their pending demise, just doesn't make sense at all..but TIT!!

And Nero fiddled as Rome burned. :)

EDITORIAL

Action needed in Phuket, not more hot air

The Nation

PHUKET: -- The DSI chief is making a song and dance about a crackdown, when arrests are long overdue

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is poised to launch a major crackdown on "criminals" targeting tourists in Phuket as part of a government strategy to sustain one of the most important industries in the country.

The launch starts with the naming of 11 people and groups in question but falls short of saying exactly what the authorities will do next.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdith made the announcement about the plan himself at a media briefing last week.

He talked about extortion and scams on the resort island and said legal action could be taken.

While a crackdown on illegal activities should be welcomed, it is somewhat odd for the authorities to toss out the names of suspects. Tarit said it was a "message to them to stop" their illegal activities.

This is strange law enforcement methodology and strategy. Perhaps these suspects have yet to cross the line; perhaps the DSI wants to project itself as the force to be reckoned with.

Interestingly, while the launch is being prepared in Phuket, a senior police officer in Pattaya, Thailand's sin city, came out and said his city has no problem with criminal activities.

Perhaps the DSI should be ask why one city is singled out but not the other. Maybe the DSI doesn't want to bite off more than it can chew. Maybe as officials source suggest - the DSI has yet to secure the cooperation of local law enforcement in Pattaya, thus, holding back formal announcement of a crackdown there.

For the newly established Centre for Preventing and Suppressing Organised Crimes Targeting Tourists to have any teeth and credibility, there has to be serious political will at the policy-making level.

There have been too many complaints from locals and the international community, including Bangkok-based embassies, about the harassment and rip-offs involving bona fide visitors to these destinations.

Why did the government have to wait until a group of European ambassadors issued a public demand for better protection for their citizens? Surely Thai officials and public know better than foreigners about the kind of abuses that local and foreign visitors face.

From crooked taxi operators to jet-ski scam artists, as well as allegations of flimsy law enforcement and foreign criminal gangs roaming the streets of these major destinations, Thailand is all over international and local social media outlet.

If we are serious about preserving the tourism industry, and our image in the international community, much more has to be done.

But the damaged reputation is not beyond repair. Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said he wants Phuket to be a paradise for tourists. That is good. But it means eliminating the rip-offs. And to do that involves all of us. Not empty promises from politicians who are here today and gone tomorrow.

We shouldn't have to wait for foreign ambassadors to raise these embarrassing issues. We know better and should do something about it.

-- The Nation 2013-08-11

1st u need to have balls to stand up against this mafia groups and 2nd don't take any tea money so u can do the 1st

But the good thing about the 'hot air' coming from Phuket is it allows the rest of us a laugh reading the drivel posted from the expat 'experts' living there.

What better way is there for the foreigners to contribute to their chosen place of stay other than adding to the 'hot air'?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It starts with naminig 11 people and groups.. now is that so they can do a runner pay their dues or is that the final punishment?

It's merely a friendly reminder to the bad guys named to pull their heads in and temporarily delegate duties to persons unnamed by DSI.

After all if you can have a P.M. by proxy what's so difficult about having mafia ones on Phuket.

Phuket and Pattaya are apples and oranges. The "sin" which is found in Pattaya for the most part is what the tourists come for. Sure they have jet ski issues but in Pattaya the baht buses are 20 baht and it's a major destination for normal (cheap) public transport. You can get a bus to Pattaya from the airport for 200 baht which is a 90 minute trip. Pattaya is too close to civilization to have the same issues as the remote islands. If a tourist is upset by what they found in Pattaya they should take it up with their travel agent.

hey bad criminals

please please stop

yeah, that will work

we done our job, now we can get promoted and no need to do the job we are paid for ...

job well done, pad on the back for everyone

Thailand is only good at two day crack-downs.

Any operation that requires longer than that is doomed to fail.