Tourist safety needs to be a top priority in Phuket for the upcoming high season, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said.
Mr Srettha made the comments when meeting with tourism-related agencies in Phuket on Sunday to prepare for the upcoming tourist high season from September to February.
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) attended the meeting.
According to a source, the premier stressed that all relevant agencies, especially police officers, should be ready to provide services to 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. The source cited AoT reports, which showed Phuket airport handling 20-30 flights per day this month alone.
During the high season, the airport is expected to welcome 14,000-15,000 tourists daily, totalling around 600,000 tourists per month -- double the number compared to last year, the source said.
The premier also reportedly instructed the AoT to expedite baggage handling to avoid long wait times.
He stressed the importance of the automated document verification system to help reduce the workload for immigration officers, ensuring that tourists do not wait more than 30 minutes at immigration during peak times.
Provincial Police Region 8 reported on their preparations to facilitate tourism and prevent crimes, including plans to work closely with consulates in Phuket, such as Russia, China, India, Australia, the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries.
Additionally, they will increase the number of international volunteers who will assist tourists with communicating with authorities or offering other help.
Police 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, which has received positive feedback among tourists, said the source. The premier also instructed the navy to assist tourists if there is an accident at sea.
