The chief of the Thai tourist police is fed up with Thailand’s image being ruined by cabbies who continually refuse fares from tourists.
He has told tourists that they should call his men with pictures of licence plates and they will do something about it. In this way it would help the country rid itself of the bad image and compete with other country’s for the tourist dollar. The edict came down from the chief Pol Lt-Gen Sukhun Promayon via his senior spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Apichart Suribunya.
It’s an unusual move; matters about refusing fares are not dealt with by the tourist police, normally it is the domain of the Department of Land Trandsport, notes ASEAN NOW. The fact that the tourist police chief has stepped in shows the country’s annoyance that the problem of cabbies refusing fares is heightening as the country competes with other countries post pandemic. Apichart said that the tourist police had received many complaints on their 1155 hotline about cabbies refusing fares in tourist areas. Especially when it’s raining.
He said that this unprofessional attitude was damaging the image of Thailand for tourism at a time when competition is high, reported Siam Rath. He said that Thailand is indeed a top tourist destination in the world but that such activity was damaging to the good name of the kingdom. He urged tourists to call 1155 and send a picture of the registration plate. The tourist police will then contact the DLT so that the driver, if guilty, is appropriately sanctioned.
He also called on all Thais to help in the issue and promote “professionalism”.
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