The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has pledged to address concerns raised by foreign tourists, including dual pricing, following recent complaints on the Bangkok Post Learning Facebook page.

Minister Sorawong Thienthong made the pledge after a meeting prompted by a social media article titled “Where Have Foreign Tourists Gone?” published on April 24. The article compiled and translated into Thai the views of foreign tourists and expatriates in response to a story in the Bangkok Post.

The news story, “Thailand faces lower tourist numbers”, was also published on April 22 on the Facebook page of Bangkok Post Learning, where it drew more than 1,800 comments about a variety of issues.

The views highlighted concerns about safety, assault, overcharging, threats from transnational criminal groups in tourist areas, and extortion — factors that may be contributing to the decline in international arrivals to Thailand.

Mr Sorawong said that every case involving foreign tourists will now be reported directly from the police to him.

Tourists can submit requests for help via the Thailand Tourist Police application, and a tourist assistance centre has been set up in every province to support visitors.

Responding to complaints about expensive accommodation, he said that this is often due to seasonal price adjustments, while the rise in airfares is a global issue that has been caused by a shortage of aircraft.

The ministry has pledged to address tourism scams and ensure fair prices for both Thai and foreign tourists, which means the dual-pricing system will be eliminated, said Mr Sorawong.