Tourist behind 'escort' clip has left
published : 27 Jan 2023 at 09:11
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Wassayos Ngamkham and Aekarach Sattaburuth
The Chinese tourist who posted a video clip showing three Thai police officers offering her a shortcut through immigration and a police escort to her hotel in Pattaya has already left the country, the Tourist Police Bureau (TBP) said on Thursday.
Responding to growing calls for the police to prosecute the tourist for accepting the officers' offer, the TPB said it has to act with caution, to protect relations between the two countries.
The TPB has received numerous tip-offs from the public, many of which showed online advertisements for similar services. "We are investigating to find out who is responsible [for the advertisements]," a TPB spokesman said.
In related news, a Pheu Thai Party MP criticised Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the Tourism and Sports Minister for failing to answer questions surrounding the Thailand Elite Card scheme.
Recent findings showed the Elite Card had been sold to several Chinese citizens which authorities suspect are part of a transnational crime syndicate.
As Elite Card holders, these individuals were able to purchase properties and access privileges including fast-track immigration clearance.
A Move Forward Party MP said he had evidence to prove a relative of Prayut was involved in illegal activities conducted by a Chinese criminal syndicate.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- call (noun): a request, an order or a demand for somebody to do something or to go somewhere - ข้อเรียกร้อง
- criminal: relating to illegal acts - เกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรม
- criticised: receiving words of disapproval over something that you have supposedly done wrong - ถูกวิจารณ์, โดนว่า
- elite: (n) a group of people in a society who are powerful and have a lot of influence, because they are rich, intelligent, etc -
- prosecute: to officially accuse someone of a crime and ask a court of law to judge them - ดำเนินคดี
- relative: a member of your family - ญาติพี่น้อง
- responsible for: deserving to be blamed for something that has happened - มีความรับผิดชอบ
- syndicate: a group of people or companies who work together and help each other in order to achieve a particular aim - สมาคม, องค์การ, สหการ , การรวมกลุ่มเป็นสมาคม
- tip-off: secret information or a warning given by someone - ข่าวเตือน จากวงใน
- transnational: involving more than one country; present in more than one country - ข้ามชาติ