A new Bangkok court which will specifically handle disputes involving tourists opened on Friday, hoping to emulate the success of similar courts in Pattaya and Phuket.
Office of the Judiciary secretary-general Phattarasak Vannasaeng said the Pattaya and Phuket tourist courts, which both opened late last year, had drawn praise from embassies, consular offices, students, tourists and the media.
He was speaking after presiding over the opening of Bangkok’s first tourist courtroom at the Pathumwan Municipal Court.
It aims to deliver quick and fair rulings in cases involving holiday-makers, Mr Phattarasak said.
Further tourist courts are to be opened in 15 other popular visitor destinations nationwide, the Office of the Judiciary secretary-general said.
In Pattaya, a total of 22 cases, mostly civil suits involving tourists, had been lodged with the tourist court there and most of the cases had already been settled.
In Phuket, 184 cases had been lodged with the tourist court. The cases included 21 civil suits, 134 criminal suits and 29 cases involving consumer protection violations.
Of the 21 civil suits, rulings had already been delivered on 11 suits and 10 other suits were being considered.
Of the 134 criminal suits, 115 had already been settled and the remaining 19 were being considered.
Of the 29 consumer protection cases, court rulings had already been given on 18 cases and the remaining 11 cases were being considered.