Officers at Phuket checkpoint to screen Thais for outstanding warrants

Officers at Phuket’s main checkpoint in Tha Chatchai will be screening Thais entering the island province to see if they have outstanding arrest warrants. The Region 8 Police Chief donated 51 smart card readers to scan ID cards as well as 20 smartphones.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha had called on government agencies to tighten safety to support tourists in Phuket following the death of a Swiss woman who had entered under the “Sandbox” reopening scheme. Police have arrested a suspect on murder charges. The police chief says the tightened security at the checkpoint will boost confidence among tourists.

Region 8 Police Chief Kitrat Panpetch handed over the smart card devices yesterday which are said to be valued at 14,359 baht. Reports do not say how much the smartphones cost.

Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Aganit Danpitaksat says the Phuket Checkpoint has turned into a provincial disease screening point following the launch of the Phuket Sandbox scheme on July 1.

Aganit adds that the police have cooperated with all the relevant officials in Phuket. Officers from the Royal Thai Army, Phuket Immigration, as well as the Phuket Public Health Office and local police are working together at the checkpoint.

Using a smartphone application and smart card readers, police will check and note the criminal history of all Thais entering the island by land. The police chief told Phuket News that he hopes to see concrete results.

“It also makes for a higher level of crime prevention, as well as boosting confidence among tourists traveling and coming to Phuket.”

SOURCE: The Phuket News