Senior police officers and the governor of Phuket plan talks with 12 consuls about crimes committed by visitors to the country, in the hope of developing “Phuket Model” solutions that can be applied in other provinces.
The initial discussions are aimed at finding solutions to prevent and suppress crimes by foreigners on the tourist island, many of which have made headlines in recent months, said Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet, the acting national police chief.
The solutions would form the “Phuket Model” that could be applied in other provinces that face similar issues, Pol Gen Kitrat said.
The Phuket Model should include data to inform visitors about what kinds of behaviour and activity are considered illegal in Thailand, as well as safety measures and strict law enforcement, he said.
Pol Gen Kitrat said he had also ordered the Immigration Bureau, the Tourist Police, Provincial Police Region 8 and Phuket police to increase their vigilance for visitors involved in illicit business.
In addition to assaults involving foreigners, authorities in Phuket have noted an increase in complaints about foreigners in occupations reserved for Thais, in many cases to serve their own compatriots.
Provincial Police Region 8 supervises provinces in the upper South including Phuket.