Thailand to open first tourist court

[buksida]

Thailand's first tourist court will open tomorrow in the popular beach resort city of Pattaya as part of the government's move to reassure travellers of their safety while visiting the country.

From 4.30pm to 8.30pm, foreign tourists can come and lodge complaints, especially over unfair services and personal security. Consideration of cases will be cut to one day for uncomplicated disputes from the usual six months, Wirat Chinwinigkul, secretary-general of the Judiciary, said yesterday.

The specialised court will encourage negotiations between parties. Most of the cases are about consumer protection, so it is easier to reach a compromise. If it's a serious issue, the case will be transferred to the regular court. There will be capable officials speaking foreign languages to help.

Six more night courts are planned - Pathum Wan district for the Silom area and Dusit district for khao san in Bangkok, Krabi, Samui, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Those tourist destinations have faced various problems, especially cheating by operators.

Full Story: The Nation

Thought: I wonder if the court would be the place to lodge complaints about scamming tourist police and the like demanding extortionate fines for minor misdemeanors.

[Sabai Jai]

Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
The decision was mooted earlier this year following a spate of high-profile incidents involving holidaymakers in popular destinations.

The first court is located in Pattaya, which is to the south of the capital Bangkok.

“The one-stop service will ensure speedy trials, although that also depends on the complexity of each case,” Vachara Kannikar, the spokesman for the Tourism and Sports Ministry told the Bangkok Post

”A standard case will be wrapped up in one day.”

Officials are hoping that the new courts will help boost the countries image and reassure tourists

Other tourist hot-spots such as Chiang Mai, Koh Samui are also set to get their own special courts


No comment from me....

Regards to all Sabai Jai

[MrPlum]

If it isn't window-dressing, it's a good move.

[buksida]

Second 'Tourist Court' launched in Phuket
The Thai authorities have unveiled another "Tourist Court" in Phuket Province, one of the top tourist destinations of the country, in an effort to swiftly resolve legal issues in which tourists are involved.

The first "Tourist Court" was established in Pattaya, another popular tourist attraction of the kingdom.

The unveiling ceremony was presided by Tourism and Sport Minister Somsak Pureesrisak and Chairman of the Supreme Court, Mr. Pairoj Wayuphap.

Mr. Somsak told our correspondent that the court specifically designed to handle tourists′ legal case is the government′s method to provide satisfactory services for the tourists.

The Minister said the first case handled by the "Tourist Court" in Pattaya has proven to be extremely successful. In that case, two Chinese tourists were killed in a Speed Boat crash at the seaside town. According to Mr. Somsak, the court has facilitated a compensation from the defendant to the families of the victims in a timely manner.

"The process had been conducted rapidly within one day, and the families of the victims were very satisfied," Mr. Somsak said.

Mr. Wirat Chinwinigkul, Secretary–General of the Office of the Judiciary, said that the tourism court in Phuket is under the governing of the Court of Justice and is expected to arrange the issues to be ruled by the appropriate courts.

According to Mr. Wirat, the new tourism court will provide advice to tourists to hasten the legal procedures, record testimonies of the foreign witnesses before they leave the country, and appoint a representative to handle the cases before informing the tourists as they depart Thailand.

If the tourists are accused of committing any crimes, he said, the court will contact the consulate representatives concerning the tourists’ nationalities, in order to ensure trust, safety and justice for the tourists.

The Office of the Judiciary Secretary–General is also looking forward to the launch of another five tourism courts in Thailand’s famous tourism areas including Krabi province, Chiang Mai province, Koh Samui island, Pathumwan district and Bangkok′s Dusit district.

Source: Khaosod

[Nereus]

I guess this does not apply to Chinese tourists--unbelievable!
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No jail for cabbie who assaulted tourist

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... ex-assault

PHUKET - An illegal taxi driver who abducted and sexually assaulted a Chinese tourist while high on drugs and alcohol will serve no jail time.

Paitoon Kruain, 32, received a suspended sentence of 13 months and a fine of 10,500 baht after pleading guilty on Friday to all the charges against him, the Phuket Gazette reported.

The court initially sentenced him to 26 months in prison and fined him 21,000 baht, a court clerk told the Gazette.

"However, because he pled guilty to all charges, the penalty was cut in half," she said.

Because it was his first offence, the sentence was suspended. While he will serve no jail time, he must report to the court every month, said the clerk.

Paitoon picked up the 19-year-old Chinese woman at Phuket International Airport on May 17 and kept her locked in his car for nearly five hours as he drove around the island while repeatedly touching her.

The woman told police earlier that the driver persuaded her to sit in the front seat because the back seat had a problem. He began to fondle and attempt to kiss her and she threatened to hit him with her shoe if he didn't stop.

The woman managed to flee when the car ran out of gas and Paitoon got out of the car to push it.

Police identified the culprit after the victim described the car, its licence plate number and Paitoon's driver ID number.

After his arrest, he tested positive for methamphetamine. In all he faced five charges: deprivation of liberty; sexual assault; using a Category 1 narcotic; consuming alcohol while driving; and operating a regular vehicle as a taxi, for which he paid a 2,000-baht fine.

Although Paitoon was initially taken into custody and sent to Phuket Prison, he was released on bail on May 31, a prison officer told the Gazette.

"I do not know how much the suspect’s bail was. The court would have decided the amount," the officer said.

"The case is finished," Paitoon's mother told reporters after her son walked out of the courtroom on Friday.

Paitoon will, however, be barred from applying for a taxi driver's licence for five years, said an official at the provincial Land Transport Office.