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 announces the investigation findings.
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.
