Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed regrets over a recent incident at Don Mueang international airport in which a Chinese tourist was assaulted by an airport security guard after the former tried to sneak out of the restricted zone when his request for a visa on arrival was rejected by immigration officials.
Government spokesman Lt-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the prime minister regretted such incident has happened as it would damage the image of the country and should not have happened in the first place despite the fact that the victim might have shown improper behavior and defined officials’ request to stay in the restricted zone.
The prime minister, said Lt-Gen Sansern, felt that the security guard should have restrained himself and followed international standard of practice. He quoted the prime minister as pointing out that the airport is the first gate into the country and incoming tourists should be treated properly.
The spokesman added that the prime minister was concerned that the incident might hurt the feeling of Chinese people. He said the prime minister also noted that negative
remarks about Chinese organizers of an ill-fated boat trip off Phuket in which more than 40 Chinese tourist drowned in a sunken tourist boat in July have resulted in a substantial drop in the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand.
