At the meeting yesterday (June 28), chaired by Governor Tri Augkaradacha and attended by two of the island’s three vice-governors and police commander Maj Gen Chonasit Wattanavrangkul, approaches to getting much wider CCTV coverage were discussed.
It was decided that, rather than buy more cameras, the provincial authorities will try to employ a private security company to install and run the cameras.
The meeting agreed that authorities will be “more strict” in their approach to unregistered “black” taxis, jet-ski rental operations and excessive prices charged by small roadside souvenir shops and food stalls.
The Provincial Transport Office is to be given the job of converting black taxis into meter taxis, beginning with black taxis at the airport. Registration will mean that their records can be checked whenever there is a problem with a tourist.
Gen Chonasit said, “The police will go to areas where there are jet-skis – Patong, Karon and Kata beaches – to check the licences of the jet-ski owners and make sure they are registered wit the Marine Transport Office.”
In case of accidents he added, the police will ensure that tourists involved are treated fairly when it comes to paying for damage.
In addition, tuk-tuk drivers will be more strictly controlled and any problems will be dealt with according to the law.
“I welcome Pol Capt Chalerm’s order – this must be done in 90 days,” the general added.
The committee noted that the government’s aim to see tourism revenue for the country rise to B2 trillion a year by 2015, which is why the government is giving priority to tourism destinations such as Phuket in its anti-mafia drive.
Deputy PM Chalerm’s orders had six specific actions to be taken:
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Urgently research the tourism problems in each police station’s territory.
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Record all the tourism-related businesses in each territory.
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Find more volunteers who can interpret for tourists who do not speak Thai, when they want to speak with police.
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Take actions to encourage more cooperation between the private sector and the provincial government.
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Unite all police units so that they tackle problems in the same way.
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Ensure that details of all tourists staying in the area recorded with the police.
At a similar meeting on Wednesday, Sarayut Mallum, vice-president of the Phuket Tourism Association, urged the media in Phuket to promote Phuket more. “The media are a part of the image of Phuket,” he said, blaming the “international media” in particular for not boosting the island.
“There are many ways to write a story. Media people and the foreign media especially should cheer for Phuket, not destroy its image.
“For example, a cheering approach would be, ‘The police are doing a very good job,’ not ‘It’s been five days; why haven’t the police caught the killers yet?”
He also said that in his opinion foreign “mafia” are scarier than Thai mafia. “This is a big issue for Phuket society. I want to ask the provincial authorities to do something about them, to use the law to combat them.”
He also urged the authorities to take a long term view on solutions. “It should not be just a 30-day campaign to subdue them. It should be 365 days a year.”