Safer tourism needed now

The ongoing altercation between suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her former interior minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, about the reduced volume of Chinese tourists recently is getting uglier — with no foreseeable end in sight.

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Mr Anutin started the war of words a few days ago by blaming the Pheu Thai Party-led government's policy of promoting legalised casinos for scaring away Chinese tourists, one of the nation's top foreign markets.

Ms Paetongtarn hits back by blaming the ministry under Mr Anutin’s tenure for failing to improve tourists' safety.

She accused Mr Anutin of having deliberately dragged his feet before cutting electricity and internet signals to Myawaddy, a town in Myanmar where many scam group operators and casinos are located.

Many foreigners, including Chinese nationals, have been duped into working there under false pretences, and then effectively kidnapped to work for these call scam groups and other networks.

Mr Auntin refused to take such criticism quietly, saying the decision to cut electricity and internet signals between two states rests with the National Security Council, which is chaired by the prime minister.