Tourism stakeholders in Thailand denounce police corruption

The Thai tourism sector is raising the alarm about police corruption in tourist areas.

Professionals are calling for urgent reforms to protect the country's image.

Entrepreneurs and tourists in popular destinations are often targeted by corrupt officials who demand bribes for offenses.

Tourism operators are urging the government to reform law enforcement and regulations, as businesses and tourists are suffering from worsening corruption problems, which are damaging the country's tourism reputation.

A decline in the 2025 global corruption index

Anti-corruption protest in Thailand. Photo: Bangkok Post

Thailand's score in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index fell by one point to 33 out of 100, while its global ranking dropped nine places to 116th.

See: Record corruption in Thailand by 2025: net decline in the global index

Cases of police corruption in the country regularly make headlines in local and foreign media.

See: Police corruption in Thailand: new revelations shake the country

Phuket, a symbol of the problems in tourist areas

Crime suppression division officers interrogate Russian and Thai suspects.

Chinnawat Udomniyom, chairman of the Phuket Boutique Accommodation Consortium, stated:

"The poor corruption score reflects the concerns of the tourism sector in Phuket, such as corruption and the lack of enforcement measures against criminals."

He added that Phuket had attracted many businesses, some of which are breaking the law.

Common examples include:

• entertainment venues open late during restricted hours
• foreigners working without permits as tour guides, drivers or sex workers
• companies operating illegally using front companies

These cases create loopholes that allow authorities to collect bribes from offenders, enabling them to continue their activities, according to Mr. Chinnawat.

Phuket is also recording more offences committed by foreigners, such as renting motorbikes without a permit or failing to comply with traffic laws, a situation which, according to him, penalizes the activity and income of the inhabitants.

See: The problem of foreigners responsible for motorcycle accidents in Thailand

Once again, some officers are responding to these cases by accepting bribes instead of enforcing the law, said Mr. Chinnawat.

The government must address these problems more seriously through a dedicated working committee, he added.

New incentives and tougher penalties should be put in place to encourage compliance with the law, which could reduce opportunities for officers to collect bribes, Mr. Chinnawat concluded.

Corruption is common in tourist destinations

Tourists and locals on Khao San Road in Bangkok. Photo:

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, chairman of the Khao San Road Traders Association in Bangkok , said that corruption is common in Thai tourist destinations due to the ineffectiveness of law enforcement structures.

Police officers and civil servants earn low wages, which incentivizes them to seek opportunities for corruption, he added.

See: Corruption in Thailand: many police officers are heavily indebted

Their employment needs to be restructured, with more social benefits added and penalties increased for corruption and professional misconduct increased, he stressed.

The example of wearing a helmet

<a>Motorcyclists without helmets in Thailand. Photo: The Thaiger</a>

A well-established technique for taking money from tourists is to let people ride motorcycles without helmets most of the time rather than penalizing them for even the slightest infraction

Travellers see that everyone is riding without a helmet and adopt this dangerous practice.

Then the police set up roadblocks and penalize all motorcyclists without helmets, mainly tourists.

Even if locals and other travelers ride without helmets, it should be noted that wearing one is mandatory and that in the event of an accident without protection, insurance may refuse any coverage.

Hospital costs can also be very high in Thailand.

See: Why is crowdfunding the last resort for tourists injured in Thailand?

Complex licenses and system flaws

Six police officers who participated in the extortion of a Taiwanese actress during their arrests.

Similarly, the process for granting business licenses should be streamlined to offer more one-stop-shop services to incentivize operators to register, thereby reducing illegal activities, he said.

For example, operating an entertainment venue requires applying for licenses from numerous organizations, which discourages some operators, Sanga added.

"Corruption resulting from restrictions that should be legalized must be addressed in order to bring them out of the shadows, while anything that is clearly illegal must be prosecuted according to the law," he said.

Otherwise, according to Mr. Sanga, Thailand's tourist image will deteriorate further, as happened a few years ago when police officers demanded bribes from a Taiwanese actress for using a vaping device.

See: The Thai police admit to extorting money from the Taiwanese actress

If the officers had followed normal procedures, this would not have made headlines or affected tourist sentiment, he said.

Businesses say that corruption in law enforcement is harming tourist destinations and must stop.

It remains to be seen whether the new government, currently being formed, will respond to this call.

See also:

What to do if the Thai police stop you and try to extort money from you?

Thailand: former police chief accused of massive corruption scandal

Thailand: the police accused of being 'the largest criminal gang in the country'

The 'Joe Ferrari' affair sheds light on police corruption in Thailand

Source: Bangkok Post