Thailand mulls ID wristbands, curfews for tourists

THAILAND: -- Thailand’s tourism minister said on Tuesday that identification wristbands would be distributed to tourists following the murder of two British backpackers earlier this month that has raised fresh concerns over tourist safety.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists that get lost or into trouble.

“When tourists check-in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their I.D. and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in so that if they’re out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted,” Kobkarn told Reuters.

“The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail.”
She added that a “buddy system”, pairing tourists with a local minder at tourist destinations, was also being discussed.

The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on the southern island of Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, on Sept 15.

Post-mortem examinations by Thailand’s forensics department showed Witheridge died from severe head wounds and Miller died from drowning and blows to the head.

Almost three weeks after the murder police are no closer to an arrest as frustration mounts over the lack of a breakthrough.

Full story: http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2014/09/30/thailand-mulls-id-wristbands-curfews-tourists/

-- The Rakyat Post 2014-09-30

Yes it will help to identify you if you are killed or mugged. Nice message. Good Thainess.

Headline for the Mail

Don't worry the free tags will ID you when you are found dead in Thailand.

"Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists that get lost or into trouble."

Or make them stand out even more as a target as well as letting assailants know where they are staying and their passport details.

Absolute genius.

I thought this was a NotTheNation gag.

Now the only delay with the implementing is that settling on the wristband's colour...red, yellow, or whatever the current flavor is...

I suggest that they get ID numbers or barcodes tattooed on the wrists, and give us all a coloured armband based on our nationality. Perhaps put us in a barbed wire fenced off area for our own protection as well.

So all tourist will be tagged once they enter thailand?

Mull harder.

“The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device but this has not yet been discussed in detail.”

Oh, this will be a paradise for tourists, treated as criminals with electronic devices.

Are these people serious coming up with ideas like that?

How about enforcing the laws that are already there and teach everyone to respect the rule of law. This should include those who are expected to enforce same said laws.

Is this some sort of satirical piece? If not it contains some of the most ridiculous, idiotic and incomprehensibly out of touch with the real world thinking I've seen in many a year.

"Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists that get lost or into trouble."

Or make them stand out even more as a target.

Exactly! Cause...ya know...there isn't any other way to figure out easily they're not native

In picking his cabinet, I guess the good general could not have been expected to get it right every time. Dearie me. But this idea won't be heard of again.

“The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device...”

Like a lost dog tag.

So the rapist can tell where lone women are at any time.

Does the tourism minister believe that had Hannah been wearing a tourist wristband, she would not have been raped and murdered? Give me strength! If anything, it will be a big signal to the bad people to... 'get your tourists here!'. The coup should have been all-encompassing and removed all ministries, too. Might as well replace them with anubaan kids.

I'm pretty sure that the Authorities in Thailand are just one massive internet troll.

How about a yellow T on our coats?

"Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said she had approached hotels over the idea of handing out wristbands to help identify tourists that get lost or into trouble."

Or make them stand out even more as a target.

Exactly! Cause...ya know...there isn't any other way to figure out easily they're not native

Residents, expats, people who work here are not tourists. For potential assailants these bands will make clear who the easier target is.

Is there something wrong with my calender???

It certainly dose not say "first of April"

How to ruin Thailand's tourist industry in one easy lesson.

I am sure the murdered tourists would have had no trouble getting back to their rooms if THEY HAD BEEN ALIVE !!!

Richard Cranium.

Is this just a Malaysian newspaper trying to spread dirt about Thailand? Is there any Thai news report on this?

Please tell me that this balloon got shot down as fast as it got floated :-)

The economy is currently tanking and the "minister" is planning to kill off what's left of the tourism industry. Parade of clowns.

Is this just a Malaysian newspaper trying to spread dirt about Thailand? Is there any Thai news report on this?

It was in Reuters as well.

Minders for tourists...

Make Thailand more like Russia, N.Korea or China.

They will be telling you what and what you can not photograph next.

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Is this just a Malaysian newspaper trying to spread dirt about Thailand? Is there any Thai news report on this?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/30/us-thailand-britain-murder-idUSKCN0HP08520140930

Nothing to do with Malaysia.

I'm surprised nobody has suggested chastity belts for female tourists.

Is this just a Malaysian newspaper trying to spread dirt about Thailand? Is there any Thai news report on this?

It was in Reuters as well.

Yes ... word for word.