The government has held a special meeting to address tourism safety, trucking regulations, and pork smuggling.
Prior to his visit to the U.S. to participate in the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Prime Minister Srettha Taweesin urgently convened meetings on the three key issues.
The first issue, “Tourism Safety,” involved discussions with the Tourism Authority of Thailand. They set a date this Wednesday to talk with the Chinese Embassy about a joint patrol initiative. This program, mirroring a successful program in Italy, aims to bring Chinese police for patrols in major and secondary Thai tourist cities. Details on numbers and locations are yet to be confirmed. This project is expected to enhance tourist safety in Thailand.
Next, the issue of “Trucking Bribery” was addressed in meetings with the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Transport, the Land Transport Federation of Thailand, and other related units. Discussions focused on inspecting truck weights on main highways, such as Phahonyothin Road, Phet Kasem Road, Sukhumvit Road, Rama 2 Road, and the Asian Highway Network. Currently, the Department of Highways has over 100 weight stations nationwide. All parties agreed to enforce inspection strictly. The Prime Minister underscored the need for more effective action, particularly in light of a recent incident involving a truck carrying a bribe-indicating sticker.
The final topic was about cracking down on pork smuggling. The Prime Minister instructed the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to urgently address the issue. Integrative efforts are underway, with DSI receiving public tips about possible illegal meat hidden in various cold storages across the nation. Coordinated searches are being conducted by the Provincial Police, the Department of Livestock Development, and the Customs Department. (NNT)
