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Emergency numbers useful contacts in Thailand

When you are traveling in Thailand as a foreigner, it can be confusing to know which number to call in an emergency. It is not as simple as just calling one number for everything (like you may be used to in your own country). Fortunately, we have compiled a list of all the useful contacts that you may need whilst in Thailand.

English-speaking operators can be hit or miss. If you are having difficulty, the tourist police, or international hospital may be your best option.

SafetyWing is our recommended travel health insurance provider. In case of any type of medical incident, having health insurance coverage in Thailand can save you a lot of money, or even your life.

Emergency numbers

Police & emergencies – 191 This may be the most important number to remember. Thailand has reportedly made 191 the main call center for all emergencies. If the operator is unable to speak English, call 1155 (below).

Tourist Police – 1155 or (+66) 2308-0333 This hotline is available 24 hours a day and they will all speak English. This is an important phone number to remember – They will help you out with any concerns or questions you have and can redirect you to the correct number you may need. Public Ambulance (Everywhere) – 1669 Dialing this number will connect you to a public ambulance service, which will dispatch a vehicle to your location. The average response time for urban areas is around 10 minutes, but may take up to 30 minutes in rural areas. English-speaking staff should be available to assist you.

Fire Department – 199 In case of an emergency such as a house fire, or forest fire, call 199 for the Fire Department to be dispatched to your location.

Private Ambulance (Bangkok) – 1724 or 1719 The response time of a public ambulance can vary. Traffic is terrible in Bangkok so it could be worth noting down these private ambulance numbers. It will cost you more but you are likely to get to the hospital and be treated quickly.

Highway Police – 1193 If you plan on driving in Thailand, then you may end up needing to use this number if you break down in an unsafe place etc.

Note: The emergency medical services (ambulance) should have English speaking staff, but the police and fire services may not speak your language. If there is a Thai speaker nearby, get them to call. If it is not an urgent emergency and you do not have a Thai speaker with you, it is advised to call the Tourist Police – See below.

Embassies and Consulates

The Consular office of the Embassy of a foreign national in Thailand is responsible for providing assistance and information to citizens in distress, such as victims of crime, those arrested on suspicion of committing a crime, those experiencing serious illness, those who have lost a partner or spouse, and those in need of repatriation after a crisis. Additionally, they can assist with lost or stolen passports.

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กองบัญชาการตำรวจท่องเที่ยว TOURIST POLICE BUREAU

ประวัติ ความเป็นมา.

ครม.มีมติเห็นชอบจัดตั้งเป็นกองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยวแต่ติดขัดเรื่องงบประมาณจึงให้กรมตำรวจ และการท่องเที่ยวจัดตั้งศูนย์ช่วยเหลือนักท่องเที่ยวรับผิดชอบแหล่งท่องเที่ยวที่เป็นที่นิยมได้แก่ เชียงใหม่ หาดใหญ่ พัทยา ภูเก็ต

ตั้งเป็น กก.8 สังกัด บก.ป., จากการท่องเที่ยวที่เติมโตและภารกิจของกองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยวที่เติบโตขึ้น ได้มีพระราชกฤษฎีกา แบ่งส่วนราชการสำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ พ.ศ.๒๕๕๒ และกฎกระทรวงแบ่งส่วนราชการเป็นกองบังคับการหรือส่วนราชการที่เรียกชื่ออย่างอื่นในสำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ พ.ศ.๒๕๕๒ ซึ่งมีผลให้โครงสร้างการแบ่งส่วนราชการภายในกองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยว แบ่งออกเป็น ๑ ฝ่ายอำนวยการ และ ๖ กองกำกับการ ตามระเบียบสำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ.

นโยบายรัฐบาลไทยส่งเสริมการท่องเที่ยวแต่ต้องคำนึงถึงความปลอดภัยของนักท่องเที่ยว มติที่ประชุม กรมตำรวจ เมื่อ 20 มกราคม 2519 ให้กองปราบปราม จัดตั้ง “ศูนย์อำนวยการความสะดวก และให้ความปลอดภัยแก่นักท่องเที่ยว” โดยมี พ.ต.อ.สงวน  คล่องใจ เป็นหัวหน้าคณะเจ้าหน้าที่

บก.ป.จัดตั้งหน่วยเฉพาะกิจท่องเที่ยว (ฉก.ทท.)  ให้ทุกหน่วยงาน ใน ตร. จัดทำแผนคุ้มครองนักท่องเที่ยว

ได้ยกฐานะเป็นกองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยวสังกัดกองบัญชาการตำรวจสอบสวนกลาง.

ยกฐานะ กองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยว เป็น “ กองบัญชาการตำรวจท่องเที่ยว”

เครื่องแบบ เครื่องแต่งกาย.

เครื่องแบบที่ 1

เรียกว่า เซกเวย์

เครื่องแบบที่ 2

เครื่องแบบ สว.อยุธยา

เครื่องแบบที่ 3

จักรยานสายตรวจ

อำนาจหน้าที่

1.  กำหนดยุทธศาสตร์ วางแผน ควบคุม ตรวจสอบ ให้คำแนะนำ และเสนอแนะการปฏิบัติงานตามอำนาจหน้าที่ของกองบัญชาการตำรวจท่องเที่ยวและหน่วยงานในสังกัด

2.  ถวายความปลอดภัยสำหรับองค์พระมหากษัตริย์ พระราชินี พระรัชทายาท ผู้สำเร็จราชการแทนพระองค์ พระบรมวงศานุวงศ์ ผู้แทนพระองค์ และพระราชอาคันตุกะ

3.  ปฏิบัติงานตามประมวลกฎหมายวิธีพิจารณาความอาญาและกฎหมายอื่นอันเกี่ยวกับความผิดทางอาญาทั่วราชอาณาจักร ทั้งในกรณีที่ผู้เสียหายหรือผู้ต้องหาเป็นคนต่างด้าวซึ่งเข้ามาในราชอาณาจักรเป็นการชั่วคราวเพื่อการท่องเที่ยวหรือเพื่อการอื่นตามกฎหมายว่าด้วยคนเข้าเมือง ในกรณีที่มีผลกระทบต่ออุตสาหกรรมท่องเที่ยว และในกรณีความผิดอื่นที่เกี่ยวข้อง

4.  ดำเนินการเกี่ยวกับการรักษาความสงบเรียบร้อย การป้องกันและการปราบปรามอาชญากรรมทั่วราชอาณาจักร การให้ความปลอดภัยแก่บุคคลสำคัญและประชาชน และการให้บริการช่วยเหลือประชาชน

5.  ช่วยเหลือ อำนวยความสะดวก และให้ความปลอดภัยแก่นักท่องเที่ยว

6.  ปฏิบัติการร่วมกับหรือสนับสนุนการปฏิบัติงานของหน่วยงานอื่นที่เกี่ยวข้องหรือที่ได้รับมอบหมาย

พันธกิจ MISSION

ถวายความปลอดภัยสำหรับองค์พระมหากษัตริย์ พระราชินี พระรัชทายาท ผู้สำเร็จราชการแทนพระองค์ พระบรมวงศานุวงศ์ ผู้แทนพระองค์ และพระราชอาคันตุกะ และรักษาความปลอดภัยบุคคลสำคัญ, ดูแลรักษาความปลอดภัยในชีวิต ร่างกาย และทรัพย์สิน ให้บริการ ความช่วยเหลือ และอำนวยความสะดวกแก่นักท่องเที่ยว, ป้องกัน ปราบปรามอาชญากรรมต่าง ๆที่เกิดจากการกระทำของชาวต่างชาติที่แฝงตัวมาในลักษณะของนักท่องเที่ยว, กำจัด ต่อต้าน ระงับ ยับยั้ง ควบคุม ภัยคุกคามในด้านต่าง ๆ ที่เกิดขึ้นกับนักท่องเที่ยวชาวต่างชาติ อุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยว, อำนวยความยุติธรรม คุ้มครองผลประโยชน์ของนักท่องเที่ยวชาวต่างชาติ อุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยว แหล่งท่องเที่ยวให้ได้รับ ความเป็นธรรมและมีคุณภาพตามมาตรฐานสากล, บูรณาการความร่วมมือทุกภาคส่วนทั้งในและต่างประเทศ  พัฒนาเครื่องมือสื่อสาร ระบบเทคโนโลยีและสารสนเทศให้เข้าถึง นักท่องเที่ยวชาวต่างชาติมากที่สุด.

Pattaya Tourist Police. The duty of the Tourist Police is to help and care for tourists throughout Thailand. We would like you to enjoy your trip in the Land of Smiles. We can advise tourists about how to take care of themselves, as well as alerting them to some common problems that they should be aware of when travelling in Thailand. Over the past three decades, the tourism industry of the country has grown rapidly. There are more and more foreign tourists every year, bringing in a large amount of revenue to the country. At the same time, problems of crime and manipulation of tourists have been on the rise. The government has set up an organization to be responsible for tourist safety and well-being, in addition to the local Police. Initially, the private sector, in co-operation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand or the Tourism Organization of Thailand, made a special request to The Royal Thai Police concerning tourist safety. The Royal Thai Police consequently set up the Tourist Safety and Convenience Center (TSCC), under the Crime Suppression Division. With a staff of 60 policemen, the center registered complaints, investigated matters, and provided protection and safety for tourists in various places and tourist attractions in Bangkok. At that time, the private sector contributed to the venture by donating vehicles and communications equipment for the Police. Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Police worked on establishing the center as the Tourist Police Division so that it would be a permanent organization, responsible for tourist safety and well-being. The Government approved the proposal, in principle, on 24 November 1976, but there were problems with the budget. the Ministry of Interior was responsible for providing safety and general services for tourists. The Royal Thai Police Department was asked to form the new Police Division which would specialize in dealing with tourists. The Royal Thai Police and the Tourism Authority of Thailand subsequently made some adjustments and changed the TSCC into the Tourist Assistance Center (TAC). The TAC was to provide services to tourists regarding their complaints about crime and manipulation. The TAC’s area of responsibility was also expanded to other popular tourist destinations apart from Bangkok, namely, Chiangmai, Pattaya, Phuket and Hatyai. Later in 1992, realizing the importance of the organization, the Government finally established a permanent Tourist Police Organization at Pattaya - Section 5, Direction Division 8, under the Crime Suppression Division, according to the Royal Decree on the division of Government Organization in the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Interior (the 10th), 2525 B.E. However, with the rapid growth of the Tourism Industry, both in terms of the increasing number of tourists and widespread tourist attractions all over the country, the structure of the Tourist Police Organization at Direction Division Level was not in line with its responsibility to provide tourists with safety and general services. The government therefore changed the Tourist Police Organization to become the Tourist Police Division, under the Central Investigation Bureau, and changed the Section 5, Direction Division 8 into Tourist Police Station 4, Sub-Division 2, Tourist Police Division, according to the Royal Decree on the division of government organizations in The Royal Thai Police, 2548 B.E., and the Ministerial Regulations on the Division of Government Organization or the other name of government organization in the Royal Thai Police, 2548 B.E., which came into force on 1st July 2005. Tourist Police Station 4, Sub-Division 2, Tourist Police Division, is located at 609/1 Moo.10, Pratumnak Rd., Pattaya, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150. Tel. 038 429 371, 038 425 937, Fax. 038 410 044, having the responsibilities in the areas of Chonburi, Samutprakarn, and Chachoengsao Provinces.

ตำรวจท่องเที่ยวพัทยา. สถานีตำรวจท่องเที่ยว 4 กองกำกับการ 2 กองบังคับการตำรวจท่องเที่ยว

70 เมืองพัทยา, Muang Pattaya, Amphoe Bang Lamung, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20150

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Thailand Tourist Police launches ‘I Lert U’ mobile app for 24-hour assistance

The app is linked to the tourist police 1155 emergency response centre..

Bangkok, 8 July, 2022 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to inform tourists they can download the ‘Tourist Police I Lert U’ mobile application, to enjoy peace of mind throughout their travels in Thailand.

Downloadable for free at Google Play for Android phones and App Store for iOS phones, the I Lert U application is available in English and Thai. The app is linked to the Tourist Police 1155 Emergency Response Centre, where there are also interpreters and translators ready to provide tourist assistance in other languages.

Tourists requiring help at any time 24 hours around the clock can use the application to contact the Tourist Police, who will dispatch officers to the scene immediately. Tourists can also take a photo of an incident and upload via the app to require assistance.

The Tourist Police is a division of the Royal Thai Police, and is dedicated to the safety and well-being of tourists in Thailand. With over 1,900 officers, the Tourist Police operates throughout the kingdom, including in all the major tourist destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, and Chiang Mai.

The Royal Thai Government places the highest priority on the safety and well-being of every visitor to Thailand. And as the main government agency responsible for the promotion and marketing of Thailand as a preferred destination, TAT is working closely with all the concerned public and private organisations to ensure the utmost efforts to prevent any unfortunate incidents occurring on tourists and the local Thai people.

TAT Newsroom

Tat working to further develop carbon neutral tourism in thailand, thailand organic tourism ep3: chiang mai and chiang rai, related articles.

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Tourist Police

This page is created for your information. Our website IS NOT the Tourist Police site. Please do not email us asking for assistance is legal disputes. You should contact one of the office below or phone 1155.

National Tourist Police Call Centre Telephone: 1155

The force has offices in the major tourist areas:

Other Tourist Police Numbers

Bangkok tourist assistance Centre call (02) 281 5051 Pattaya tourist police (038) 429 371 Phuket tourist police (076) 225 361 Chiang Mai tourist police (053) 248 130

Other Emergency Numbers

General Emergency Call: 191 Ambulance and Rescue: 1554 Medical Emergency Call: 1669

Other Useful Numbers

Telephone Directory Assistance: 1133 Tourist Service Centre: 1672 Bangkok Taxi Call Centre: 1681, 1661, (02) 424 2222 Credit Card (Visa, Master Card): (02) 256 7326 to 7327

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Our restaurant is located at the north end of Bang Saray beach within a few metres of the sea. You can enjoy beautiful sunsets overlooking the Gulf of Thailand with a view of Jomtien beach and Pattaya in the distance.

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Tourist Police at Phuket Town

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• 327 Yaowarat Road, Talad Yai, Phuket Town, Phuket 83000 Thailand ( Get Directions )
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Sail rock diving with schools of mackerel, bophut beach, hin lad waterfall, golf at santiburi country club, emergency phone numbers, here are some useful numbers if you require any emergency services whilst on samui:.

For non-emergency medical attention, ask the Villa Manager for assistance. The local area code is (0) 77

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To fend off tourists, a town in Japan is building a big screen blocking the view of Mount Fuji

Japan Mt. Fuji Overtourism Visitors take a photo in front of a convenient store at Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi prefecture, Japan, with a backdrop of Mr. Fuji on April 28, 2024. The town of Fujikawaguchiko, known for a number of popular photo spots for Japan's trademark of Mt. Fuji, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 began to set up a huge black screen on a stretch of sidewalk to block view of the mountain in a neighborhood hit by a latest case of overtourism in Japan. (Kyodo News via AP) (Uncredited/AP)

FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO, Japan — (AP) — The town of Fujikawaguchiko has had enough of tourists.

Known for a number of scenic photo spots that offer a near-perfect shot of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, the town on Tuesday began constructing a large black screen on a stretch of a sidewalk to block the view of the mountain. The reason: misbehaving foreign tourists.

“Kawaguchiko is a town built on tourism, and I welcome many visitors, and the town welcomes them too, but there are many things about their manners that are worrying,” said Michie Motomochi, owner of a cafe serving Japanese sweets “ohagi,” near the soon-to-be-blocked photo spot.

Motomochi mentioned littering, crossing the road with busy traffic, ignoring traffic lights, trespassing into private properties. She isn't unhappy though — 80% of her customers are foreign visitors whose numbers have surged after a pandemic hiatus that kept Japan closed for about two years.

Her neighborhood suddenly became a popular spot about two years ago, apparently after a photo taken in a particular angle showing Mount Fuji in the background, as if sitting atop a local convenience store, became a social media sensation known as “Mt. Fuji Lawson,” town officials say.

The mostly foreign tourists have since crowded the small area, triggering a wave of concerns and complaints from residents about visitors blocking the narrow sidewalk, taking photos on the busy road or walking into neighbors’ properties, officials said.

In Europe, concerns over tourists overcrowding historic cities led Venice last week to launch a pilot program to charge day-trippers a 5-euro ($5.35) entry fee. Authorities hope it will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents.

Fujikawaguchiko has tried other methods: signs urging visitors not to run into the road and to use the designated crosswalk in English, Chinese, Thai and Korean, and even hiring a security guard as crowd control. None worked.

The black mesh net, when completed in mid-May, will be 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) high and 20 meters (65.6 feet) long, and will almost completely block the view of Mount Fuji, officials said.

Dozens of tourists gathered Tuesday taking photos even though Mount Fuji was not in sight due to cloudy weather.

Anthony Hok, from France, thought the screen was an overreaction. “Too big solution for subject not as big, even if tourists are making trouble. Doesn't look right to me," he said. The 26-year-old suggested setting up road barriers for safety instead of blocking views for pictures.

But Helen Pull, a 34-year-old visitor from the U.K., was sympathetic to the local concern. While traveling in Japan in the past few weeks, she has seen tourism “really ramped up here in Japan from what we've seen."

“I can see why people who live and work here might want to do something about that," she said, noting many were taking pictures even when the mountain was not in the view. "That's the power of the social media.”

Foreign visitors have flocked to Japan since the pandemic border restrictions were lifted, in part due to the weaker yen.

Last year, Japan had more than 25 million visitors, and the number this year is expected to surpass nearly 32 million, a record from 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. And the government wants more tourists.

While the booming tourism has helped the industry, it has triggered complaints from residents in popular tourist destinations, such as Kyoto and Kamakura. In Kyoto, a famous geisha district recently decided to close some private-property alleys.

Locals are uncertain about what to do.

Motomochi said she cannot imagine how the black screen can help control the flow of people on the narrow pedestrian walk and the road next to it.

Yoshihiko Ogawa, who runs a more than half-century-old rice shop in the Fujikawaguchiko area, said the overcrowding worsened in the past few months, with tourists gathering from around 4-5 a.m. and talking loudly. He sometimes struggles to get his car in and out of garage.

“We’ve never thought we'd face a situation like this,” Ogawa said, adding he is unsure what the solution might be. “I suppose we all just need to get use to it.”

Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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How safe is Moscow for tourists?

Moscow is an enormous city. 12 million people live here and many others commute in from the Moscow Region for work each day. And although there is no particular danger for either tourists or locals, it is, as in any big city, always worth using common sense. We'll tell you how to avoid running into trouble and which areas you might want to avoid.

Is the city center safe?

“I was shocked to see people using their laptops in parks in the evening,” says Nicholas Font from Argentina, who visited Moscow in May. “Of course, I was careful with my belongings, but I wasn't afraid of wearing my bag in the city center.”

The city center (and it is a very big city center) is generally convenient and safe for walking around. Pedestrians enjoy wide sidewalks and relatively calm road traffic. There are tourist police (who speak English), not to mention the ordinary police. Of course, there is never any guarantee that you won’t encounter a thief, and so to stay on the safe side keep your documents and money in places that are inaccessible to others. Red Square, Nikolskaya Street and Arbat are the most touristy places, so it’s worth being a little more aware of pickpockets in these areas.

Remember that in Moscow the police can stop you to check your ID. But unless you have committed some kind of crime there is generally nothing to worry about: You just need to show your passport and visa. "I was asked to show my passport and visa three times. Once in St. Petersburg and twice in Moscow," says our reader Ghazali Khan from Dubai. "Police in Russia are polite and professional. Most of them don’t speak English, but they understand your gestures."

Can you walk around at night?

Have you heard the expression "Moscow never sleeps?" Well, this is very true. The city center is buzzing 24 hours a day, and even on the outskirts you are likely to see people out and about even late at night. On a Friday or Saturday night there are likely to be even more people out on the streets than in the daytime. Of course, when it is minus 20 degrees Celsius in the winter, it isn’t as much fun as in the summer, but the only time Moscow really feels deserted is on the morning of Jan. 1 . 

According to a recent poll conducted by The Economist , Moscow came in at 37 out of 60 big cities around the world in its Safe City Index. (Tokyo, Singapore and Osaka were at the top of the list). In other words, the Russian capital is pretty much average when it comes to safety.

Is it safe to go to the suburbs?

As a general rule, the police record more crimes in the city center than elsewhere. For instance, 2,846 crimes—mainly robberies and muggings—were recorded in 2018 in the Presnensky District between Arbat and Moscow City.  

At the same time, over the past year these numbers have gone down by 20 percent, according to the prosecutor's office. 

The city suburbs, with the exceptions of the Maryino and Perovo districts, are generally regarded as quite safe. So if you have a desire to see how ordinary Muscovites live, don't hesitate to hop on the metro and ride out to Vladykino, for example. Just work out your route in advance as you might not run into many people who speak English out there.

What about public transport and taxis?

When Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2018, there were many stories of unscrupulous taxi drivers charging tourists astronomical amounts, sometimes as high as a thousand dollars, for a trip from the airport to the center. In order to avoid such unpleasant surprises, avoid airport taxis altogether and instead download Uber or Yandex Taxi on your phone and then pay by card rather than with cash. You will see the cost of the journey at the time of booking, and this won't change when you arrive at your destination. And if you have a strong desire to leave a tip, you can do so online. For your information, the cost of a journey from the airport to the city shouldn’t cost more than $30 (unless you order a luxury car, of course). While you can also find official taxis at the airport, these will be significantly more expensive than ordering one off Yandex Taxi or Uber.

Travelling around the city by metro, bus or trolleybus is generally quite convenient. The Moscow metro is one of the most reliable and safe (not to mention beautiful) underground transport systems in the world. The trains are new and run at short intervals. CCTVs are everywhere in the metro, and there are police at every station. Gabriel Infante Carrillo from Mexico City says that while riding the Moscow metro he had to put his backpack through an X-ray machine, but that the official was very polite with him. "I was not surprised at all, I knew beforehand that this could happen due to security reasons," he said. 

Aboveground transport by and large uses specially allocated lanes, and while waiting you can pass the time at "smart" bus stops that have Wi-Fi, electric sockets and an electronic bus schedule in Latin script.

Can young women travel alone in Moscow?

It is generally rare for anyone in Moscow to pester women in the street or catcall them, especially if they see that she is a foreign tourist. Russian men are usually restrained and, even if they like a girl VERY MUCH, it is usually sufficient to politely decline their advances. So Moscow is a perfectly safe city solo women.

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