Problems involving tourists are reported frequently.
The Phuketwan.com website reported Thursday that an airport security guard confessed to stealing 900 Australian dollars from the luggage of a departing tourist. Police confirmed the drownings of a Belgian and a Russian, and Phuketwan reported that two Chinese tourists died in the sea earlier in the week, one struck by a boat propeller.
The statement also called for “an end to scams involving hiring of equipment such as jet skis or motorbikes,” referring to an abuse that has been exposed in Western media for several years. These involve false claims made by owners of sports equipment and vehicles that the renters caused damage and must pay extortionate amounts for repair.
“European Union embassies in Bangkok believe that these concerns are shared widely among the diplomatic and wider international community in Thailand,” the statement said, adding that E.U. embassies “will continue to maintain a dialogue with the relevant national authorities such as the Ministry of Tourism, as well as ensuring through their travel advice that their citizens have accurate information and advice available to them.”
Statement by the EU Ambassadors in Bangkok
In this respect, European Union embassies are keen to see: Facebook
· An efficient and fairly priced public transport system in Phuket which is available to foreign tourists and residents alike.
· An end to intimidatory and violent behaviour by an element of tuktuk and taxi drivers.
· Strict enforcement of marine safety standards, including flags on beaches to indicate when it is safe to swim.
· Strict enforcement of standards of behaviour for public officials, including police and immigration, to ensure that foreign visitors and residents feel protected, treated in a fair way and never at risk of extortion.
· An end to scams involving hiring of equipment such as jet skis or motorbikes
· Strict enforcement of Road safety regulations
· Promotion of environmental issues, including monitoring of water quality.
European Union embassies in Bangkok believe that these concerns are shared widely among the diplomatic and wider international community in Thailand.