Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2014 9:09:34 GMT 7
Monitoring bands to keep scammers out of airport
The Nation March 29, 2014 1:00 am
A foreign technician shows how the electronic monitoring system can be used at a press conference at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday.
An electronic monitoring system is being used for the first time at an airport in Thailand in a move to keep unauthorised tour guides and taxi drivers out of Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
The bands could also be applied to scammers and thieves convicted of preying on tourists, or to people restricted from entering the premises for other reasons, Awirut Charnchaikittikorn, the chief judge of Samut Prakan Court, told the press yesterday.
The airport comes under Samut Prakan's jurisdiction.
The use of electronic bands is also an option for petty offenders though the Corrections Department will continue using the rehabilitation method for now, the judge said. The band is currently being used with 49 offenders, seven of whom are on probation, while 28 are serving suspended sentences and 14 are follow drug rehabilitation programmes.
No details were provided about who would be kept out of the air?port using these monitoring bands.
Last year, 11,584 complaints were lodged by tourists, which saw 1,397 suspects arrested.
Last month, however, only 107 arrests were made - a drastic drop that has been put down to the use of the electronic monitoring bands.