Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has recently asked tourism-related agencies in Phuket province to gear up for the upcoming high tourism season from September to February, with top priority given to tourist safety.
He made the order when meeting with representatives from the Royal Thai Police, Provincial Police Region 8, Tourist Police Bureau, Immigration Bureau, Marine Police, Royal Thai Navy, Phuket Provincial Governor and Airports of Thailand (AoT).
The PM stressed that competent agencies, particularly police officers, should be ready to provide services for tourists, and address potential crimes, whether committed by or against tourists.
Despite not being the high season yet, the number of tourists in Phuket has already increased significantly. According to AoT reports, Phuket airport is handling 20-30 flights per day this month alone.
During the tourism peak, the airport is expected to welcome 14,000-15,000 tourists daily, totalling around 600,000 tourists per month which doubles the number compared to last year.
Srettha also directed the AoT to expedite baggage settlement to avoid long wait times. He stressed the importance of the automated document vertification system to help reduce the workload for immigration officers, ensuring that tourists do not wait more than 30 minutes at immigration during peak times.
The Provincial Police Region 8 reported on their preparation to facilitate tourism and prevent crimes, including plans to work closely with consulates in Phuket such as Russia, China, India, Australia, the UK, and Scandinavian countries.
Additionally, they will increase the number of international volunteers who will assist tourists to communicate with authorities or offer other help. The force will also strictly enforce the law to mitigate crimes and enhance tourists' safety, especially as the government has extended the operating hours of entertainment venues to 4am.
The PM also instructed the navy to assist tourists if there is an accident at sea./.
