If nothing went wrong, as claimed by NBT TV Phuket in their spirited response to the original story (We were there as part of media. We did not see you there), I guess the good Colonel has been moved to a post at TAT where his PR skills, diplomacy and judgment can be put to better use.

Posted by John L on November 24, 2009 16:37

Whilst the immigration chief may not have been tactful in his actions, my understanding of the reported situation is that he was 100% correct to challenge those people who were 'airside' without having been individually checked by airport security and issued appropriate passes.

Dr Pongwat states that his students have been welcoming visitors airside for 20 years. Does that mean that this type of security risk has existed all that time?

By all means let's welcome arriving tourists with a traditional Thai dance. But keep their safety in mind also. Keep airside strictly for arriving passengers and security-cleared airport staff. All others should perform their duties outside of the security area.

Posted by Simon Luttrell on November 24, 2009 18:47

Simon, Your concern is understandable because security is an important consideration. The welcomers at Phuket airport go through the same scanning process as all airport passengers and visitors.

They then have to be checked off a list with security guards, who escort them past the Immigration counter to a confined space fronting the doors through which international passengers first emerge. It's hard to see how security could be a problem, although the dancing and drumming may divert the attention of officers at the Immigration counter for, oh, five minutes, maybe.

Immigration officials need to be scrupulous in checking incoming tourists, but they also need to join in the welcoming process, too. A balance is required. Smiles wouldn't hurt occasionally.

Posted by Angelfire on November 25, 2009 07:44

In response to Angelfire's reassuring comments, I can categorically state that welcomers at Phuket Airport are not subject to the same scanning process as all airport passengers and visitors.

On at least two occasions since 2007 in my role as a volunteer officer with the Thai Tourist Police, (stationed at the airport), I have been taken 'airside' without any security checks. The press and camera crews who were present also went airside without any checks.

As an expat and a police volunteer, I am in a difficult position when it comes to raising concerns over airport security. But the practice of taking 'unscanned' welcomers airside seems commonplace.

If you are concerned with airport security, what about addressing the unmonitored access that is possible from the nearby beach to the runway? Both myself and another foreign resident raised that security concern at least 2 years ago and nothing has been done about it.

Go visit the beach yourself and see the unimpeded access to the runway. At the very minimum this access should be blocked and CCTV cameras installed along the perimiter fence - Simon

Editor: Yes, indeed. A Phuketwan writer made the point recently how easy it was to shake the hand of Thailand's deputy PM when he and 30 other dignitaries gathered in Patong. He had a large, unchecked camera pack on his back. Phuket airport must be secure, without weak points.

Posted by Simon Luttrell on November 25, 2009 15:01

Hilarious. This episode gave me my Monday morning chuckle.

It also gave all of us a perfect parable for one of Thailand's continual tourism problems: the Tourism Ministry and Immigration do not cooperate. It is doubtful they have ever even posed in the same publicity photo (until now).

Posters on Thailand forums often wonder why the TAT does nothing about immigration issues. In fact, the TAT is just the marketing arm of the Tourism Ministry - it holds absolutely no sway with Immigration.

As usual, the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. (It's too busy shooting the foot.)

Posted by Jeff Studebaker on December 1, 2009 02:53