Crime Prevention Perspectives of Phuket Tourist Police

Abstract

The purpose of this study: To study the crime prevention system for tourists by tourist police in Phuket province. To study the factors related to the aforementioned crime prevention system of Phuket province’s tourist police. This study is a qualitative study by collecting data from ten Phuket tourist police, five Phuket tourist police volunteers, and three tourists. The data were collected through interviews.

          Study findings: The distinct crime prevention system for tourists is the collaboration with Phuket tourist police volunteers in both preventing and suppressing crime. This is done by going on location with patrol units, both vehicle and walking units, to provide assistance and safety to tourists along with giving information and recommendations. In doing patrols, Phuket tourist police follow a crime time cycle that is a result of analyzing gathered information on the peak time of crime occurrences. This is due to the low number of tourist police. In the aspect of crime suppression, Phuket tourist police will collaborate with other units in order to arrest perpetrators quicker. The important factors related to tourist police’s crime prevention system is  Public Participation and Partnership with the local community.  Public Participation is especially important for Phuket tourist police as they rely on key tips that come from the local community.

          Recommendations from this study: Personnel training should be more frequent especially in English training so that communicating with tourists can be more efficient. There should be more openings of tourist police volunteers for both Thais and foreigners, especially those who can speak multi-languages as Phuket is a place where tourists of varied cultures and languages gather. Doing so will help strengthen Phuket tourist police in assisting tourists. There should be a collaboration between tourist police and immigration police, embassies, or other related agencies. Strict scanning or tourist background checks should be implemented in order to prevent criminal groups entering the country by posing as tourists.