Tourism courts – a model introduced by Thailand

In response to complaints about the poorly implemented evacuation of a Thai Airways International flight that skidded off the runway on September 8, resulting in 14 injuries, Airports of Thailand (AOT) chairman Sita Divari was quoted Thailand established a tourist court.

A Thai court to hear tourist complaints will open at Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport this month.

Suvarnabhumi, which receives about 150,000 arrivals a day, has also been dogged by complaints of scams at the duty-free shops and of over-pricing by taxis.

The 24-hour district court will open on September 23, Divari said.

Thailand, which expects about 26 million tourists this year and depends on the sector to boost foreign-currency earnings and employment, has planned eight tourist courts across the country.

On September 5, the first special court was opened in Pattaya beach resort, 100 kilometers south-east of Bangkok, to handle minor cases involving tourist complaints.

Pattaya, renowned for its seedy nightlife, was chosen for the first court because it attracts the most foreign tourists and is rife with complaints of cheating and scams.

Another tourist court was to be opened in Phuket, a resort island 600 kilometers south of Bangkok, by the end of this month.