Royal Thai Police advisor
Gen. Wuthi Liptapanlop announces the investigation findings.
Phasakorn Channgam
Police and consumer-protection officials are calling for swift
remedial action after finding a majority Pattaya retail, hotel and
vehicle-rental companies are selling uncertified products or lack licenses
altogether.
Announcing results of their Jan. 16-18 “Pattaya Tourist Businesses Together
Protect Consumers” investigation, area police, city and business officials
said a review of 120 tour companies, accommodations providers, and car and
jet-ski rental operators uncovered lapsed and missing licenses and products
offered up for sale with questionable authenticity.
Royal Thai Police advisor Gen. Wuthi Liptapanlop said at
the Jan. 18 press conference at the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel that officials
from Pattaya City Hall, the Office of the Consumer Projection Board,
Commerce and Public Health ministries, police and Pattaya Business & Tourism
Association inspected department stores, restaurants, souvenir stands,
jewelry dealers, and silver and gold brokers in Pattaya and Koh Larn. They
found the majority were selling goods and gold ornaments “whose authenticity
had not been clearly specified.”
Officials, thus, “provided advice and pointed out correct procedures” to
bring them into compliance, Wuthi said.
Inspectors also found a third of the 21 hotels, resorts and guesthouses
inspected lacked legal licenses, although all seven claimed to be applying
for new ones.
Finally, every car rental agency and jet ski operator checked lacked any
sort of license at all, Wuthi said.
“Rapid action must be taken to have these operators register or measures
must be enforced against operators to maintain compliance with the law,” he
said.
