TTR Weekly today quoted Tourism & Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak as saying that the ministry will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Justice next month and hopes to see tourism courts established the following month.
“The tourism courts are making good progress... the courts will be set up at popular tourist destinations... and the Ministry of Justice has a budget to fund intensive training courses in France for judges,” he explained.
The courts will operate at existing district courts, but in the evenings, so they can handle tourist-related cases quickly and not disrupt the all ready crowded daily schedule of court sessions.
“We are opening the court to protect the rights of tourists and provide fairness to those who may have been the targets of unfair treatment from [people such as] tour agencies.”
Trials in the tourist courts will be for civil cases such as disputes over prices and scams and not criminal cases.
The courts will operate from 4.30 to 8.30 pm in Bangkok at first and then be extended to district courts in the other four places.
However, he noted, there are complications, as existing regulations will need to be changed and new legislation will be required. He admitted these factors might slow implementation.
No timetable was given for the start of tourist courts outside the capital.
Mr Somsak is pushing for the tourist courts because the current court system, in which quite simple cases may drag on for months, is not a practical avenue for justice for tourists, who need to return home to their jobs and cannot afford to see their cases through the system.