Many people travel to Thailand for leisure. Sadly, some people come to the kingdom to make a living through legal or illegitimate methods, and some foreigners end up being both accused and victims of these crimes.
As they were in Thailand on non-immigrant visas, many of these foreigners were unable to seek justice because such cases often drag on for weeks or even months. Many of them would consider returning to attend a hearing to be impractical because they had to spend a lot of money on their frequent travels to and from Thailand in order for their testimony to be heard.This depressing reality has negative repercussions for Thailand that could result in a decline in tourist arrivals. If this situation were to occur, both the local and national economies would be negatively impacted because many services and businesses are geared toward meeting the needs of these visitors.
The government, through the Ministry of Justice and its partner organizations, established a Tourism Court in Pattaya first, and subsequently in Phuket, in an effort to maintain and further develop the faith and confidence of the tourist community in Thailand. These courts will soon be opening in Bangkok (2 of them), Samui, Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Suvarnabhumi Airport.
What is the difference between a Tourist Court and the Regular Court?
The Tourist Court follows the same procedure as the Regular Court in that the complainant must first file a report with the police, who must then investigate the complaint and forward their findings to the prosecutor, who will then have to file the case in court. In essence, there is not much of a difference between the two.
The employment of the same legal processes and the application of the same laws is another resemblance.
If there is ever a distinction between the two, it has to do with how soon the Tourist Court will decide these matters. The resolution of the case must be made as soon as possible while the tourist involved is still in Thailand, or even at the Suvarnabhumi Airport where he can still provide his testimony and such will be transmitted (through video conference) to the tourist court where the case is being heard. A tourist cannot stay in Thailand long enough for his case to be resolved due to his visa and schedule.
Also, a case filed in Regular Court typically takes several months to be resolved, whereas a case filed in Tourist Court might be handled for a tourist within a day of filing or up to several days depending on the amount of testimony, evidences and the gravity of the case.
Other benefits for the Tourist involved
Regular Courts frequently experience translation issues because they strictly speak Thai. Nonetheless, interpreters are permitted to be utilized in a tourist court, obviously for a quicker conclusion of such a case.
The Tourist Court supports expedited resolution by encouraging parties to negotiate a settlement.
Limitations of the Tourist Court
Although cases involving tourists are handled by the Tourist Court, it does not hear cases that are highly complex in nature. These cases will be sent to the Regular Court for resolution after being filed with the Tourist Court.
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