The Governor of Surat Thani chaired the launch of a transport vehicle control operation in Koh Samui this Thursday to combat excessive fares, illegal cars and abuses against tourists, in order to restore confidence and the image of this world-renowned destination.
This Thursday 5 June at 1:30 pm, in front of Central Samui in Phru Chaweng, Surat Thani Governor Jumphat Wannachatsiri presided over the official ceremony launching the checkpoints and law enforcement aimed at organising transport in the Koh Samui district.
Accompanied by the chief of Koh Samui district as well as the provincial transport office services, local administration, police and relevant partners, the operation marks an unprecedented mobilisation to clean up the sector following the horrific mafia murder that occurred ten days ago.
The Surat Thani Governor stressed that regulating public transport in a world-renowned tourist destination such as Koh Samui is an absolute priority directly linked to the image, safety and confidence of visitors.
He asked all services to enforce the law in a strict, fair and courteous manner in order to raise service standards and restore confidence among both residents and tourists.
See also: Koh Samui: Thais also face abusive motorcycle taxi fares
For his part, district chief Amorn Chumchui recalled the recurring problems: exploitation of tourists, inflated fares, use of non-compliant vehicles or black-plated cars, as well as altercations between drivers, which seriously damage the tourist image of Koh Samui and Surat Thani province.
The authorities have therefore decided to guarantee transparency, safety and fairness through reinforced checks, while reducing the risks of offences and crime.
After the ceremony, Governor Jumphat Wannachatsiri gave the signal for teams to begin and inspected the first checkpoints, encouraging all officers to continue their mission for a stable and secure tourist image of the island.