Police airport pick-up service delights Chinese tourists

Nothing divides opinion in Thailand like Chinese tourists today. For the past few months, The Thaiger has run more stories about China and Chinese tourists than any other subject.

Thailand’s public health minister says Chinese tourists won’t be discriminated against!

Thailand prepares to welcome the infected tide of Chinese tourists!

Chinese tourists expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai!

Not much is expected from Thailand’s gold sales this Chinese New Year!

Chinese tourists trickling in after reopening!

From the comments on published stories and the constant stream of new ones, it is clear that Chinese tourists are hated, feared, loved, wanted, unwanted, necessary, irrelevant, coming soon, not coming at all, infectious, rude, rich, healthy and miserly. They “flood in” as much as they “trickle.”

There is always another dimension, a new lie, an unexpected fact. “Chinese tourists in Thailand” is the story that keeps on giving.

Today’s shocking melodrama comes from a posting in Chinese social media – no reason there to suppose authenticity – that tells the story of how a Chinese tourist was given a police escort to sweep her and her mother from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Pattaya. It’s a truly heartwarming way for the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to welcome our beloved (or much-hated) Chinese friends (invaders).

In a move representing true state-of the-art policing, top cop Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas was stimulated into decisive action after viewing a video clip posted on TikTok. Damrongsak has ordered an investigation into claims by the Chinese tourist that she received “special services” from Thai police.

The woman was on a visit to Pattaya – goodness only knows why – with her mother.

So just what kind of “special services” does the RTP offer in Pattaya? Strict discipline, at the very least, one would hope, and obviously there is the uniform thing. And the torture.

While booking transport from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Pattaya, says the young woman on the video, she was offered a police escort for a “small” extra charge.

There is no English translation of the video, but you get the point.

A police escort from the airport to the popular seaside resort apparently costs 7,000 baht (US$215) for a car and 6,000 baht for a motorcycle. The actual taxi costs another 1,200 baht.

Damrongsak has ordered an investigation to find out if the people in the video clip are genuine Thai police officers and he wants the results on his desk pronto! Perhaps he wants to recruit them?

“I had never seen anything like this so I decided to try the service,” explains the cute little lady. She seems to have been delighted by the service, as would be many others. It’s a red letter, gold star, blue riband service which will surely please all visitors to the kingdom.

Damrongsak would be wrong to put an end to the entrepreneurial spirit of his loyal men. And these days, this might be the only way you can get to your hotel in Pattaya without being punched by a Russian or robbed by a ladyboy.

Let’s all join with Damrongsak and his men to wish all our Chinese visitors a safe and prosperous Year of the Rabbit, a creature singly devoted to the spirit of Pattaya.