Phuket governor beefs up security

Phuket has beefed up its security system as criticism grows that the southern resort is now in the grip of a confidence crisis.

Not a day passes without popular internet-based news services alerting travel agents and travellers worldwide of violent crime and scams involving tourists.

Phuket’s security crisis is just one of the reasons for an industry-wide brain storming forum on Thailand’s lack of security for tourists hosted by the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Thailand Chapter.

Phuket governor, Maitree Intusut, was quoted Thursday saying three police stations in the province’s tourist attraction areas — Kamala, Kathu and Karon – would get a grip of the situation and launch measures to ensure safety for visitors.

“One of the measure will install warning signs along roads to prevent accidents,” he said.

While most of the headlines on Phuket refer to murder, rape and violent crime, the road carnage, mainly motorcycle accidents, piles up to the point emergency departments at hospitals find it difficult to cope.

Most of Mr Maitree’s orders are cosmetic; a belated effort to apply a band aid instead of cracking down on the root cause of the accidents, excessive speed and drunk driving.

The governor responds by calling on more police and community volunteers to be deployed, while CCTVs will be set up to alert authorities of crimes against tourists at popular beach locations such as Patong Beach, Karon and Kamala.

During the high season, Airports of Thailand expects at least 30,000 passengers a day will pass through Phuket airport, most of them heading for west coast beaches.

They will arrive on around 215 to 220 flights daily from major cities in the region and from major tourist source markets in Europe.

Phuket Airport will handle 11 million passengers this year making it the second largest port of entry after Suvarnabhumi. But once on the ground, the quality and safety delivered by airlines is replaced by sub-standard transfer services that overcharge and cheat visitors.

Phuket’s cost per km for a transfer from airport to hotel is pr0bably the highest in the country in contrast to Suvarnabhumi Airport that has the lowest due to the highly efficient Airport Rail link.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews