In response to a reported incident involving a 22-year-old Chinese national and three other individuals, National Police Chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, has instructed the Immigration Bureau to tighten the screening process for tourists using visa on arrival (VOA).
Pol Gen Damrongsak recently met with Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat Sajjaphan to discuss measures to filter out potential criminals entering the country via VOA, emphasizing that the screening process should not hinder the government’s tourism promotion policies.
The Immigration Bureau has since been tasked with working with the Tourist Police Bureau to conduct regular checks on guesthouses, rented apartments, and houses where foreign tourists may stay, as a proactive measure to prevent crimes committed by foreign nationals.
Pol Gen Damrongsak noted that VOA visitors contribute positively to Thailand’s tourism industry and that the police will only take proactive measures to prevent criminal activities.
Thai authorities will also collaborate with Chinese counterparts to gather information on Chinese tourists entering Thailand via VOA. A Thai police team is currently in China as part of the ongoing investigation into the killing of Jin Can in Nonthaburi province, seeking information on the three suspects in custody. (NNT)
