Pakistan to introduce police force for tourists

PTDC aims to emulate Thailand's model on safety

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Managing Director Abdul Ghafoor said on Wednesday that they would introduce a special police force on Thailand's pattern to provide maximum security for tourists.

During a meeting in Thailand with Tourist Police Division Deputy Commander Nithithorn Chintakanon, the PTDC managing director said that Pakistan would soon take security measures for prospective tourists.

"We will establish a tourism police force on the model of Thailand to provide security for incoming tourists," he said, according to a press release.



Ghafoor added that the government was committed to promoting and developing tourism in Pakistan and wanted to uplift the foreign exchange earning industry by showcasing the country as a tourist-friendly destination. He also invited Thai officials to visit Pakistan and assist the PTDC in setting up such force.

"Tourism is a tool for economic and social development for any country and there is a need to concentrate on religious, sports and cultural values of our society and portray a positive image of Pakistan to the rest of the world," he said.

He appreciated the initiatives and policies of Thailand's government for the promotion and provision of facilities to tourists, which resulted in remarkable results for the country's tourism sector.



He added that Pakistan's government was considering simplifying visa procedures so that more tourists may visit every year.

Meanwhile, Chintakanon assured Ghafoor that Thailand's Tourist Police Division would extend maximum support for establishing the tourist police force in Pakistan. He also accepted the invitation for a visit to Pakistan.



Separately, the PTDC managing director also visited the World Medical Centre Hospital in Bangkok where he met the hospital's director, Professor Adisorn Patradul, and exchanged information regarding medical tourism in Pakistan.

"Medical tourism is flourishing in Pakistan where facilities for kidney, liver and hair transplant as well as cosmetic surgery have improved," he said. "Proper publicity may bring fruitful results and increase the flow of tourists."