BANGKOK – Police have initiated a campaign to clamp down on illegal practices and crimes against foreigners visiting Thailand, with a focus on popular tourist destinations.
Assistant National Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Nares Nanthachote joined Tourist Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphan in an inspection of the progress of the campaign to solve various problems threatening the safety of foreign visitors. The campaign is intended to strengthen tourist confidence, putting an emphasis on safety in world heritage sites and other well-known attractions across the country as well as places where violence against tourists has been reported.
The problems being urgently addressed by police include the swindling of tourists through the offer of substandard tours, products, services and vehicles, high rates of accidents, and the presence of drug rings, criminal gangs and mafias in tourist places.
The officers have interrogated some tour guides who were found without proper licenses. Tuk tuk and taxi drivers have also been asked for cooperation in servicing tourists with honesty. The Assistant National Police Chief has urged anyone coming across illegal acts in tourist places to report the matter to Hotline 1155.
