Police target tourist hunters

Police are stepping up measures to guard international guests as rip-off artists and criminals are again on the prowl now the nation has reopened to abroad vacationers.

Final Saturday, Thailand recorded 10 million international vacationer arrivals for the yr, with celebrations to welcome abroad guests happening at seven airports and two immigration checkpoints.

The Tourism and Sports activities Ministry organised an “Superb Thailand 10 Million Celebrations” occasion to spotlight the regular revival of the very important tourism trade after a Covid-induced downturn that lasted greater than two years.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was at Suvarnabhumi airport to welcome the 10-millionth customer of the yr, arriving on a flight from Saudi Arabia.

Pol Lt Gen Sukhun Prommayon, commissioner of the Vacationer Police Bureau (TPB), informed the Bangkok Submit that the majority guests come from neighbouring nations, with these from Malaysia making up the most important quantity, adopted by India, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore.

As for arrivals from the West, guests from the UK, the US, and Germany are additionally coming in massive numbers, he mentioned, including police are rolling out measures to make sure security for vacationers, he mentioned.

He mentioned that bicycle, motorbike and automotive patrols are being stepped up in a number of provinces which might be house to main vacationer sights.

Rip-off artists are again

With the inflow of international arrivals, con artists are additionally again on the streets to prey on abroad guests in vacationer hotspots, he mentioned.

Con artists, together with some taxi or tuk-tuk drivers, are sometimes noticed close to the doorway to main vacationer venues or temples. They inform unsuspecting foreigners that the place is “closed” and take them procuring elsewhere.

“When vacationers alert police through the Thailand Vacationer Police app, the knowledge will likely be circulated to all of the 33 vacationer police stations in addition to different native stations.” — Pol Lt Gen Sukhun Prommayon, Commissioner of the Vacationer Police bereau

Some victims are taken to a tailor’s or a jewelry outlet the place they are going to be conned into shopping for low-quality or nugatory objects at inflated costs, Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned.

Vacationer police are working with immigration and native officers to cope with the issue, with warning indicators posted at airports and different vacationer areas.

International guests can dial 1155 to contact the TPB’s emergency response centre, which may present help in English, Japanese, Chinese language, Korean, Russian, Indian, and Arabic languages, he mentioned.

They’ll additionally obtain the “Vacationer Police I Lert U” cellular app without spending a dime to contact police across the clock when in want of help. The app is obtainable in English and Thai and is linked to the 1155 emergency response centre.

These in want of assist can take a photograph of an incident and add it through the app to contact the TPB, which can ship officers to the scene right away.

“We try to take advantage of use of recent expertise to help our work. We additionally put up indicators at airports and different areas to encourage international guests to obtain the app or contact the 1155 centre,” Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned.

Security improve

He mentioned the app could be upgraded to deal with an anticipated surge in international arrivals, and it will likely be renamed “Thailand Vacationer Police”.

An information centre will likely be opened at TPB headquarters at Suvarnabhumi airport, linking with a system analysing details about suspects within the police drive’s database, he mentioned.

Vacationer police can even put on physique cameras to report interactions with others, whereas licence plate recognition cameras can even be put in in police patrol automobiles, he mentioned.

A system can even be devised to combine and analyse footage from surveillance cameras from 33 vacationer police stations throughout the nation.”When vacationers alert police through the Thailand Vacationer Police app, the knowledge will likely be circulated to all of the 33 vacationer police stations in addition to different native stations,” Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned by means of rationalization.

Issues differ

He added that the TPB needs to emphasize the security of international guests in main vacationer spots reminiscent of Bangkok, Phuket, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui district of Surat Thani, as issues differ from place to put.

In Bangkok, many vacationers go to the capital for the primary time, and so they might encounter issues from taxi or tuk-tuk drivers, notably those that collude with rip-off artists, he mentioned.

“Vacationer police are working with the Division of Enterprise Growth, the Commerce Ministry, and the Tourism and Sports activities Ministry to counter these scammers,” he mentioned.

As for Phuket and Samui, police are retaining a watch out for native criminals who prey on international vacationers, Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned, including that some are drug addicts or former convicts who might reoffend by committing rape or theft.

Vacationer police are becoming a member of forces with native authorities and police to watch former convicts in addition to ask folks in native communities to help police efforts to keep up legislation and order,” Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned.

In Pattaya and Chon Buri, most international guests now come from India, however vacationers from Europe are additionally returning steadily.

There are various complaints about transvestites or ladyboys swindling, robbing and attacking international vacationers in Pattaya, he mentioned.

These crimes had been low in the course of the pandemic, however they’re now rising once more for the reason that nation reopened to vacationers, he added.

On Dec 2, police arrested two transvestites for stealing a gold necklace from a Russian vacationer referred to as Artem Kurisev in Pattaya, he added.

Earlier than the pandemic, international guests to Chiang Mai principally got here from China and South Korea. At the moment, a lot of them are from Europe, and so they get pleasure from exploring forests, mountains, and sizzling springs on this northern province, Pol Lt Gen Sukhun mentioned.

Police have to make sure their security in addition to forestall any potential clashes between vacationers and native villagers, he mentioned.

The TPB additionally works with the Division of Tourism to recurrently examine tourism services catering to journey lovers to make sure they meet security requirements, he mentioned. In the event that they fail to take action, their working licences will likely be instantly revoked, he added.