Daily News Thai Caption: Laying down the law!
Chonburi immigration was paid a visit yesterday by a top brass assistant commissioner determined that they clean up their act as more tourists and migrants enter the country following decisions to reopen from central government.
Pol Lt-Gen Prajuap Wongsuk was laying down the law, reported Daily News who used vocabulary akin to "rod of iron".
The Lt-Gen and his entourage first paid an inspection visit to the Ban Laem crossing now open in Chanthaburi where he checked matters and advised staff how to help visitors to Thailand and migrant workers.
Picture: Daily News
Then it was off to Chonburi's immigration office where Prajuap had a nine point checklist for immigration staff.
#7 was an order for the office to have contingency plans ready to cope with an expected influx of more tourists now the country was more fully open again.
He said that immigration was a first contact in Thailand for many tourists and they needed to present a good face to protect the image of the country.
This meant having a "service mind" when it came to dealing with visitors to immigration.
That meant a swift service and no waiting in outside tents or in long embarrassing queues.
Picture: Daily News
#8 was even more direct.
Get off your phones and don't take bribes, he ordered.
Other orders were to ensure efficiency, strike a blance between following the rules and giving possible leeway, helping tourists, checking visa extensions diligently and making sure the blacklisted were caught.
Also he urged checks on overstayers, checks on people on warrants, correct use of technology in doing their job as well as advice to agents and people from Myanmar to have all their paperwork in order.
All this was important for the image of Thailand, he said.