Closing the door on foreign criminals

The Nation Asia News Network Bangkok

Despite the objections of tourism interests, stronger security measures are needed to screen out undesirables

Since last month, Thai embassies in some countries have suspended renewing visas to Africans on the grounds that a large number of passport holders of several African countries have come to Thailand to engage in drug-related crimes. The suspension complements the existing rule requiring Africans to apply for an entry visa to Thailand in their own countries. The decision received mixed reactions from various government agencies. Law enforcement agencies, particularly anti-drug officials, welcomed the move. But the Tourism Authority of Thailand warned that such measures would discourage potential foreign tourists from visiting the country.

Such conflicting stances reflect the fact that Thailand has been unable to strike a balance between the need to ensure its security concerns on the one hand and its economic need to open its doors to international tourists, whose spending represents the single biggest source of national income.

In the past, security agencies' calls for the country to tighten immigration regulations to enable them to more effectively tackle crimes involving foreigners who pose as tourists were usually met with an outcry from tourism promotion agencies.

Governments that initially expressed strong support for tightening of immigration policy invariably changed their mind when reminded of the serious impact on huge revenues from tourists.

The pro-tourism considerations have outweighed security concerns in the eye of successive governments, turning Thailand from a major international tourist destination into a hub of transnational crimes, particularly drug trafficking, Mafia-type crime syndicates and forgery rackets.

However that trend was reversed after the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the U.S. The U.S. call for the international community to join in the war on terrorism has persuaded Thai authorities to cooperate by reviewing their security measures and practices on exchanging of intelligence.

The Thaksin administration then agreed to review immigration regulations. Until then visitors from 57 foreign countries could stay in Thailand for up to two months without a visa while those from 96 other countries could apply for visas on arrival. This relaxed attitude in immigration policy has been in place for more than 20 years.

With the heightened awareness of security needs, the government agreed early this year to chop the list, reducing the number of countries whose citizens enjoy the visa-free travel to the country to 37 and the entitlement of visa-on-arrival to only 15 countries.

The move drew strong criticism from the tourism authorities but was welcomed by security agencies.

Another move recommended by the Foreign Ministry that attracted strong criticism from tourism promotion agencies is the proposed huge increase in visa fees for foreign visitors. The rate of visa fees that had been in use for two decades is considered very cheap compared to the rate charged by many foreign countries.

The hike would see the transit visa fee climbing up from Bt200 to Bt800, the tourist visa from Bt300 to Bt1,000 and non- immigrant and working visas from Bt500 to Bt2,000.

Higher revenues from the raising of visa fees would be welcomed at a time when the country is recovering from its worst crisis in modern history. The tourism industry once again complained that the higher fees could turn away many prospective foreign visitors.

All these measures have not yet come into force although they had the Cabinet's approval earlier this year. Interior Minister Purachai Piumsombun is keeping other government agencies guessing about how long it will take him to issue the ministerial regulations to enforce the new immigration measures.

These new regulations would help immigration officials and law enforcement authorities better screen foreign visitors. They should be enforced as soon as possible.

Too many members of transnational crime syndicates have been allowed to slip through the country's security net for too long. Shirking the responsibility to crack down on transnational criminals in the name of tourism promotion is not a viable option any more in view of the menacing terrorism threat.