Thailand's first tourist court to open in Pattaya tomorrow, 5 Sep

[Nooky2]

There will be new lawyers offices cropping up around these new courts hoping to create a whole new scam. Grab the guy headed to Tourist Court and tell him he has no chance without a lawyer. They will put the jet ski operators to shame.

Or maybe offices where you can hire 'professional pointers' to accompany you to court and back up your story.

Yes, many options.

[dighambara]

T.I.T. Typical upside down thinking. It is EXPATS who bring in the big money - at least 10 times the tourist dollar, yet there is no ministry for expats, or court, or any consideration whatsoever.

[ableguy]

The bulk of this sounds like bull ....hit to me just talk, all the major scams in this brothel will remain too much money involved,

[wolf5370]

Will they be seriously dealing with complaints of double-pricing? Which I believe is illegal.

Don't think double pricing is illegal, especially as one of the main culprits in the Government with their National Park admission fees.

Yes it is illegal. The National Parks are allowed dual pricing (on the precept that the dual pricing is actually special low fee for locals to be able to enjoy the park and as their taxes pay for part towards the park upkeep unlike tourists), but private companies are not.

I think this court could be good news - it could be one step maybe leading to a real tourist police force / court enforcement. The problem is going to be getting the tourists to understand that it is for their benefit and the place to go as opposed to dealing with the police or scammers directly. The other problem is that the state would not really want it to be successful as stats would not make nice reading - if the stats look good then it means it is a failure. A lose-lose for the Government!

[wolf5370]

T.I.T. Typical upside down thinking. It is EXPATS who bring in the big money - at least 10 times the tourist dollar, yet there is no ministry for expats, or court, or any consideration whatsoever.

Most expats are tourists! Non-Immigrants and tourist visa holders - only a fraction are real immigrants (have residence or are nationalised).

[balo]

Good news.

I will rent a jetski opposite Mikes shopping mall around 4 pm and then we can go to the tourist court 4.30 PM and I dont have to pay more than the normal price.

No more scams in Pattaya , the tourist court will save us all .

.

[bangkokstick]

Sorry to be an idiot but did anyone notice where the Pattaya Court would be located?

I also wonder ? Thappraya road maybe ?

[Dag Ekeberg]

Sorry to be an idiot but did anyone notice where the Pattaya Court would be located?

So much innuendo so little information… Anyway, when this was first introduced a few months ago, it was reported that they were to use existing court rooms. That would mean the Pattaya court facility on Thappraya Road right south of the intersection with Pratamnak Road. Go there. Report back!

[Songhua]

Still doesn't work without police involvement. They remain the first avenue for complaint and surely need to charge someone or determine a dispute unresolved before it becomes a court matter at all.

Or, when someone steals your necklace do you chase them down and say, 'right, see you in court at 4:30'?

[timewilltell]

By putting the dispute in the courts, and not having it go on in some grotty Police station full of corrupt police wanting a piece of the pie, it may install some confidence in the tourists wanting to complain, thus perhaps improving the already filthy city of Pattaya's police where they are the most corrupt in all of Thailand (fact)

Or maybe its the BIB idea in the first place, lets milk the tourists but make them feel better about the ordeal, just make sure we get our cut for bringing the perpetrators to the court and we get 20% of the fines.

money always flows upwards, the closer to the top the more you pay.

the courts want their piece now too.

Hmm I think the Phuket police / mafia / lawyer crime ring is multitudes more effective at large scale conspired robbery than anything in Pattaya. If you get to court you will soon see how the translators are manipulated and interrupted to ensure you DO NOT get your evidence recorded by the judge. It is gross miscarriage of justice. A very large proportion of lawyers are in on these scams and help design them. As a foreigner you have very little, nay a minuscule, chance of justice in Phuket. Stay away at all costs.

[Gone]

Problem is they didn't say WHERE this court is set up for today. I want to go but where to go?

[Equalizer]

To me it is all a bit vague. Firstly, What powers does this court possess? And why is it being called a court? It is not a court for Christ sake. This is just a way to filter out the crap that the BIB can not be bothered dealing with because there is nothing in it for them. You watch, this place will be full of pissed up Katoys arguing with some pissed up falang over basically nothing. The place will be staffed by scruffy farang wearing some kind of uniform who don't have a pot to piss in and feels the need to be the center of attention. This is not a tourist court, this is going to be Thailand first joke shop.

[chooka]

Problem is they didn't say WHERE this court is set up for today. I want to go but where to go?

They said there is one and now all the tourists arriving will feel safe. Just take their word for it if you start asking for proof that one actually exists then tourist won't feel safe any more.

[Songhua]

It's open. Anything juicy yet?

[CWMcMurray]

I think we may have it all wrong...

This may not have anything to do with helping tourists with the various scams.

It may just be to expedite cases AGAINST tourists.

Like this Russian tourist who was flashing his junk in 7/11

Or the naked American that grabbed that girl

Or any of the various back packers getting caught with drugs

Or tourists caught in bar brawls

Ect.....

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[chooka]

It's open. Anything juicy yet?

Yea Bill Smith was ordered to pay 2 mil compensation to Somchai for getting blood on his new knife.

[WitawatWatawit]

Or the tourist who is to be charged with assault for violently throwing his head back and connecting with a baht bus driver's fist. When asked why his fist was high enough in the air to make contact with the back of the farang's neck, Khun Terdpong said he was about to give a harmless Nazi salute.

[evadgib]

I haven't read the entire thread, but anyone familiar with the 'Evil man from Krabi' saga will know that moves are afoot to force a rape victim to return to Thailand to be cross examined. If this succeeds (the order rather than her physical appearance) no one can expect any justice unless they either stay in the Kingdom until their cases conclude (years!) or return to Thailand for each hearing at their own expence & with no guarantee that the case won't again be adjourned.

Either way stacks the odds against us & will strengthen the myth that the various crimes against tourists/resident foreigners 'aren't happening!'.

[Rimmer]

Legal advice center opens at Jomtien courthouse

PATTAYA:--Pattaya lawyers this week began offering free legal advice and assistance to tourists and residents at an expanded legal center at the Pattaya Court in Jomtien.

Pattaya Court Chief Justice Apichart Thepnu, tourist police, immigrations officers and city officials cut the ribbon on the new center a few days before its “official” opening Sept. 5.

The center, located in the Jomtien courthouse, has legal professionals and volunteers providing assistance in matters including opening businesses, buying properties, reconciling private disputes, domestic violence and environmental crimes. The center also serves as a precursor to a planned “tourist court” that will offer expedited prosecution of civil and criminal cases.

Pattaya has been selected as the location of the first tourist court, although no start date has been announced.

Full story:http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/legal-advice-center-opens-at-jomtien-courthouse-29906

-- Pattaya Mail 2013-09-06

[balo]

Free legal advice ?

Great news then, I don't have to use an expensive Thai lawyer anymore.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Gone]

I think this is a GREAT idea. I wanted to go yesterday but ended up in hospital with a sore shoulder or I would have gone.

So many negative posts here from people who just don't get it. Most people have no idea how many of us "Tourists" as we all are in Thailand have court cases going on. This will help people who need help and they are trying to free up the actual Courts time by trying to deal with matters faster.

I say Good on them and really hope it goes well.

I know it is in the normal court house on Theprayya rd in Jomtien but still not understanding if it was just yesterday or will it be open every day now? The OP said starting at 4:30 until 8:30 but when i called the Pattaya help line they said it is open at 2:30 pm.

I hope they give more info on the operating hours etc.

[chooka]

"precursor to a planned “tourist court” that will offer expedited prosecution of civil and criminal cases".

So the "Tourist Court" is still in the planning stages then and to be used for prosecuting Tourists.

[LennyW]

I heard on the Thai local radio yesterday morning that it was operational and the first case was the families of the two Chinese killed in the boat accident last week seeking compensation - but it never said any more like if they were successful or had to come back another day???

[FarangTalk]

People who have not been here very long or are still living in a fantasy land of their own making heed this advice; Do as the locals do and keep well away from the Police at all times and whenever possible unless there is absolutely no other choice.

And to the fantasists thinking they can be taking on the wholly corrupt Police force through this new tourist 'court' I find that highly amusing.

It's time to wake up and realise that anything illegal that makes money from foreigners is fair game as long as the right people keep profiting from it.

Bumping your gums about being scammed or ripped-off in this 'court' will not change what is in general a culturally accepted practice.

In fact, you are very likely to become very unwelcome very quickly if you start complaining too much as' breaking someone's rice bowl' is a major no-no in Thailand, even if you have become a victim of crime as a result.

What may be a benefit of this court is that it will bring more deserved bad publicity for Thailand's tourism industry, which is also why I think it will last all of five minutes before being shut down. Either that or it will become a court dealing with foreign criminal elements only, defeating its entire purpose in the first place.