Nine British nationals riding around Phuket in the early hours have been apprehended for disturbing the public peace after police received numerous complaints from residents and tourists.
The disturbances were reported around 1am Thursday as the group rode their motorcycles in a reckless and noisy manner on Khok San Road, heading towards Muang district of the resort island, said Pol Col Ekarat Plaiduang, superintendent of the Chalong police station.
Police were able to locate the bikers the following day. The individuals had rented the bikes from the Patong area for their late-night joyride.
All nine were summoned to the police station, where they faced charges of disturbing the peace.
Their documents were reviewed, and they were subsequently fined for their actions, which have been officially recorded.
In a related development, Phuket tourist police said they had met with representatives of foreign consulates in the province to assure their confidence in tourist safety during the high season.
Pol Col Pisit Sawatthavorn, superintendent of Tourist Police Division 3, said his team had met with representatives of the Chinese, Russian, Swiss, German and South Korean embassies in Phuket to outline safety measures for tourists.
Tourist police are trained to use defibrillators and basic first aid during an emergency should one arise, he said.
Around-the-clock tourist assistance via the 1155 Hotline is available in five languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English and Russian), with plans to add German, French and Hindi, he added.
Staff at airports and other transport services, including boat operators, have undergone drug testing to ensure visitors’ safety and increase confidence in public services, said Pol Col Pisit.
In the Patong area, a key tourist destination, training sessions have been conducted for local residents to provide services to visitors, such as identifying suspicious behaviour, as part of the Strong Tourism Community project.
In addition, police in Phuket have been trained in local history and information on major tourist sites and unique features to help tourists should they ask for help, he added.
