THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Double the penalty for crimes against tourists

Double the penalty for crimes against tourists

Re: “PM orders strong action against attackers of British tourists”, News, April 30.

Premier Prayut’s concern at the senseless physical assault against an elderly British couple and their son in Hua Hin should help to get the thugs responsible jailed quickly. However, one-off actions will not address an ingrained mindset that means some Thais see foreign tourists as targets rather than guests. Visitors witness this unsavoury habit as soon as they land at our handsome main international airport, where people lie in wait to fleece them of their money. 
We need a long-term solution for a problem authorities have never taken the initiative to cure, being all too happy to react on an ad-hoc basis with no long-term objective of easing the pain of foreign and also Thais travellers. Only a strong and sustainable remedy will change the predatory attitude of many Thais.
If I were the tourist minister, I would not be happy to stand in the rapidly diminishing limelight of Thailand’s reputation as a tourist destination, but would instead be pushing for a doubling of the penalty if a crime is committed against foreign visitors. No bail should be allowed in this special category. This would be an opportune time to convince our PM to introduce such a law. I can understand how a brutal assault on elderly foreigners could have happened in Pattaya or Phuket, but not in Hua Hin. Indeed, enough is enough!
Songdej Praditsmanont
nationthailand