Krabi park e-ticketing system struggles to curb cash handling risks
A special task force from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) conducted an inspection yesterday, January 17, at Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi to evaluate anti-corruption measures.
The inspection followed the introduction of an e-ticketing system intended to prevent fraud in park entry fee management. Officials examined the fee collection processes at popular tourist sites such as Maya Bay, Koh Phi Phi Don, and Bamboo Island.
Despite the Cabinet’s approval of the e-ticketing system, which was designed to replace cash transactions for enhanced transparency, several issues persist. Cash transactions remain common, even though e-tickets are mandated. Park staff continue to transport more than 1 million baht in cash daily via rubber dinghies to the mainland, posing security risks from rough seas and potential theft. Additionally, the monitoring of fees often depends on the self-reported tourist numbers by tour guides, leaving room for inaccuracies.
Funding constraints further complicate the situation, as regulations limit parks to utilising only 20% of the collected fees, with an annual cap of 30 million baht, while Koh Phi Phi alone generates over 600 million baht each year. Suchart Gruaykitanon, Assistant Secretary-General of the NACC Region 8, noted that while the e-ticket system has been introduced in three pilot parks, including Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi, Similan Islands, and Ao Phang Nga National Parks, it has yet to be fully adopted. Only 10% of daily revenues, equating to tens of thousands of baht, are processed through e-tickets, compared to cash collections exceeding 1.6 million baht per day.
The persistence of cash handling raises transparency concerns. Tour operators frequently declare tourist numbers and pay in cash without verification, leading to potential misreporting of revenues. Furthermore, the transportation of large cash sums in precarious conditions—using waterproof backpacks on small boats amid choppy seas—poses significant risks to both staff and finances.
NACC officials stressed the necessity of addressing these issues promptly, urging the Department of National Parks to fully implement the e-ticket system across all parks and to revise outdated regulations, allowing parks to manage funds through individual accounts. Although the department recognised the need for reforms during a meeting on December 25, progress has been slow. The NACC’s findings revealed ongoing gaps, including reports of fraudulent entry tickets at other parks, underscoring the broader scope of corruption risks.
In response, the NACC called for immediate action to implement systemic changes that protect public funds and improve transparency in the national park system, reported The Pattaya News.
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