Foreign tourists can be assured of safety in Thailand, says Kobkarn

[ChrisY1]

She has a quite impressive background...President of Toshiba here in Thailand....(don't know if she has dropped that role and I can't remember it being mentioned)....however, she does come out with some pretty dopey comments!

Not long ago it was digital wristbands for tourists......now it's that all tourists can be assured assured of their safety........

2 days ago a lady in KS road was assaulted.....there's daily bashings of tourists in Pattaya, Phuket and etc.......drownings from tourists boats.....

Maybe she needs a new script writer!

[ttthailand]

Here we go again !!!

This is part of the problem .... They keep telling tourist that this country is safe and not to worry. Then tourist come and drop their guard and get raped, mugged or murdered.

Thailand hello ... This country is not safe so quit telling people it is.

[FireMedic]

And of course the reporters asked if they will be able to get a personal statement after any future crimes against tourists.........didn't think so.

[MikePhuket1970]

I only feel safe if Kobkharn and her sister jd wearing a wristband and a gps tracking device

so i can be sure to stay away from them

Edited November 6, 2014 by MikePhuket1970

[The stuttering parrot]

She acted pretty swiftly after the French girl was robbed and nearly raped on KSR yesterday.

Or maybe she missed that one?

[thailandchilli]

And he had the nerve to say this while in London on a travel fare!!!!!! Best he visits the FO while he's there and tries to tell that to them

[EyesWideOpen]

As someone who has called the tourist police for help I can assure you, they do nothing for us. After calling time and again and no one answering I finally got someone who spoke broken English. They told me to call the normal police and then hung up on me.

We all know how effective and ethical the normal police are, right?

From what I have seen of the tourist police in action, I think their goal

is to assist Thai scammers in fleecing tourists. That is certainly the case

with the jet ski scam. " Yes Indian man you must to pay 40,000 baht

for make big problem go away". The sole goal of the regular police is

to make money. Would find it hard to believe that the tourist police are

not cut from the same cloth......

This headline is basically insane. After every big high profile crime

against tourists, some TAT spokesperson comes out and says

that there will be a big push to stop crime. Yet actually nothing

happens, and after a period of time, there will be another big crime

splashed across international media. Plus the implication is sort

of funny. Yes, before we really were not doing much to stop violent

crime against tourists, but now we are going to get serious ... :-)

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

As someone who has called the tourist police for help I can assure you, they do nothing for us. After calling time and again and no one answering I finally got someone who spoke broken English. They told me to call the normal police and then hung up on me.

We all know how effective and ethical the normal police are, right?

Even better, a couple of years back, farang friend called the tourist police hotline, maid answered the phone, farang friend gave the phone to Thai colleague.

Bottom line - everybody in the office gone to birthday party for officer in charge, office closed for the day.

[scorecard]

INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS can be assured of their safety and security while staying in Thailand, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said at this week's "World Travel Mart" in London.

How can she assure safety and security?

Just meaningless but 'nice' words.

[ldiablo]

Hahahahahaha5555555555hahahahahahah55555555555hahahahahahaha5555

[SOTIRIOS]

Until the next tourist is horrifically raped, beaten, robbed or mutilated.

Which ought to be any day now.... probably tonight as soon as it gets dark, tourists will be equally at risk here as they have always been.

...wasn't it just yesterday.....the French woman....smashed on the head with a brick....

...or maybe there were more overnight as well.....

[technologybytes]

Let's be fair, Thailand is a very safe country for the vast majority of tourists. Dare I say one of the safest tourist destinations.

However, I had to laugh when I saw the mention of clean disabled toilet access.

Tourism may be the main source of foreign currency earnings for Thailand, and no doubt it's very important in places like Phuket etc. But Tourism does not represent a major part of Thailand's GDP, most foreigners overestimate the importance of tourism to Thailand's economy.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....I can't help but be reminded of 'Black Like Me'......

...a white writer/journalist(?) took some chemicals to turn his skin black...

...to see what black people WERE REALLY GOING THROUGH.....in America

....to put a Thai in a farang skin....even for a day........wouldn't that be telling....???

....I recall the horrors recounted by an upstanding, well-to-do foreigner of Indian origin posted recently....

...on the flip side.....I swear to God.....sometimes I wish I could put on 'a Thai face' or an 'Asian face' .....

...just to 'go undetected' ....and all that that implies....

...in the classrooms....the Thai teacher enters with a foreigner.....the students are so well-behaved.....

...as soon as the Thai teacher leaves....all hell breaks loose......of course....blame it on the foreign teacher...but I digress.....

[uffe123]

Is this a joke?

[technologybytes]

Is this a joke?

No, but this is.

"How do you know when a Thai girl is lying"

Answers on a postcard please,

[monkeycountry]

Just yesterday there was a story about a jetski operator almost hitting a surfer in Phuket, and a few days ago there was a story about a russian getting killed using a jetski.

The tourism and sports minister mentioned ensuring safety for tourists, removing illegal businesses and cleaning up the beaches to their natural state. Well, the jetskis (and the Thai mafia operating them) are extremely dangerous to tourists, they operate illegally and they can hardly be called part of the natural state of the beaches - yet they are still allowed to operate?

[daveAustin]

most foreigners overestimate the importance of tourism to Thailand's economy.

I think it's the opposite, most underestimate. It is very important for the Thai economy. It's not just the direct 10%, which is a massive amount of GDP, there is also the wealth of jobs and revenue from areas connected to tourism. Without it, it'd affect a huge swathe of the populace and probably put the country in the red. With the increased wealth of the Chinese and thus extra arrivals from there, it's imperative they keep things looking rosy... i.e. Thai people do not commit Koh Tao-esque murders, most farangs that die here are suicides, the police perform their duties in an exemplary fashion, etc, ad nauseam.

This individual in London is all hot air. Safety cannot be assured until the real issues are addressed; clear the streets of crazy Thai people, educate tuk-tuk drivers, jet-ski owners and everybody else to stop scamming people, ripping people off and beating people up and, most importantly, sort the f*****g police out!!!

[Friendly Stranger]

Foreign tourists can be assured of safety in Thailand, says Kobkarn

SUCHAT SRITAMA

THE NATION

LONDON

LONDON: -- INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS can be assured of their safety and security while staying in Thailand, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said at this week's "World Travel Mart" in London.

She also said the government was working hard to address some of the underlying challenges that had affected the industry over the years.

At the global travel show, which runs until today, she said the government was now giving top priority to security measures, especially for tourists, by implementing more surveillance cameras and lighting at tourist destinations across the country. More tourist police will also facilitate and ensure safety for tourists, while zoning laws will be improved to enhance sustainability at tourist destinations, the minister said on Monday.

In addition, major efforts are being made to ensure that all places have clean toilets and facilities for people with disabilities, who will make up a larger number of tourists in an increasingly ageing society. Kobkarn said illegal taxi operations at Phuket and Suvarnabhumi airports had been clamped down on, while there had also been a crackdown on illegal businesses at major destinations.

"Phuket has witnessed its popular beaches at Patong, Surin and Bang Tao being returned to their natural state after a clearing out of encroaching operators. Pattaya and Hua Hin have also cleared out illegal businesses along the beachside walks," she said. The ministry will continue to build up the country by facilitating travel in order to take advantage of the imminent opening of the Asean Economic Community, Kobkarn said.

"I'm honoured to take up this very critical position, as the government is placing the [tourism] sector as a primary source of foreign-exchange earnings and generating income in local communities," she told the trade mart.

Despite it being a challenging year, tourism is one of the most successful Thai sectors, with global arrivals exceeding 26.5 million in 2013, she added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Foreign-tourists-can-be-assured-of-safety-in-Thail-30247063.html

-- The Nation 2014-11-06

Considering all that's happened recently.

Let's be realistic though, things will always happen but it sounds as if an action plan has been put in place or just plain talk.

[A1Str8]

Tourists get killed. Murderer gets away with it. Then they assure you that you have nothing to worry about.

I appreciate their honesty.

[DJVillain]

Is this a joke?

No, but this is.

"How do you know when a Thai girl is lying"

Answers on a postcard please,

The lips on her face move...

[sweatalot]

<Despite it being a challenging year, tourism is one of the most successful Thai sectors, with global arrivals exceeding 26.5 million in 2013, she added.> QUOTE

But my little darling, that was under the previous elected government!!

in spite of that government

and not because of that government being elected

[Kiwisailor]

Re "Disabled facilities"

Went to Koh Lanta a couple of years back and my wife had a moon boot and crutches. Stopped for an hour on Phi Phi and we decided to check out the areas we had helped to rebuild after the Tsunami. Could barely get through the tangle of streets ("Tsunami escape route"!!!!) so never got to check the Gypsy Village but did make it to the site of the "new" Memorial Park where my wife had been working. Gone the same way as the original park - sold to the highest (HiSo?) bidder. Won't be back there again.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Thailand has somewhere around the third highest murder rate per capita in the world (depending on how you rate it). How can she say anyone is safe here?

[recycled]

And she went on to say that the Easter Bunny is really a Bilbe, Santa Claus resides in Pattaya and the Pope is Black. Its true I tell you all true.

[Krataiboy]

The one sure thing nobody can guarantee in Thailand is anybody's safety and security. Doesn't this woman know that her country is one of THE most dangerous in the world for tourists and has been for years?

It's not just the record number of road accidents which take their toll, but countless muggings, robberies, rapes (one every 15 minutes according to Thai government stats, which as a woman it would be in her interest to know) and a murder rate five times that of the UK.

Has she not stumbled across the almost daily reports of the Koh Tao slaying of a young British couple or the highly-publicised rape and recent rapes or attempted rapes of Dutch, Danish, Australian and French visitors?

A few security cameras dotted around tourist areas are unlikely to make much of a dent in these appalling statistics and the horror stories behind them.

From the rosy picture they invariably paint of their crime-ridden country, it is all too clear that the heads of the tourist industry do not actually live in Thailand, but in cloud cuckoo land.

[Baerboxer]

<Despite it being a challenging year, tourism is one of the most successful Thai sectors, with global arrivals exceeding 26.5 million in 2013, she added.> QUOTE

But my little darling, that was under the previous elected government!!

Would that be the previous elected government well known for their accurate and truthful statistics, information, and little white lies?

[gemini81]

Time to resign. You can't be assured of safety anywhere. Developing countries to less of an extend.

Glad she had a relative that got even the mentally challenged like her into office. Nepotism rules!

[Baerboxer]

Is this a joke?

No, but this is.

"How do you know when a Thai girl is lying"

Answers on a postcard please,

The lips on her face move...

Just her face ?

O k............. i'll get my coat.

[Baerboxer]

Has she given up on her innovative idea of tagging tourists? Did she listen to the idea of charging entrance fees to places like KT to pay for security guards (with 60% slimmed off of course)?

Tourist police - she should get out more and find out what they really do. They seem to think their title means they "police tourists" i.e. they have first pick. Often in conflict with the local BiB on whose turf they encroach.

Having said that, I still feel safer on a night out in Bangkok than I would in most UK cities or the Philippines. Violent assault happens. The police response is very variable though.

[Thaddeus]

Chalerms sister??

Maybe not, but a good chance of sipping from the same bottle.

It never ceases to amaze me how people in these positions of authority can make such statements in public with confidence that it will happen just because they said so, then it doesn't happen, and they slide out of a side door making way for the next buffoon to take the podium.

You can at least give Chalerm some credit for staying at the podium for as long as he did, and only swaying slightly.