Call for police reform to boost tourism
Businesses say law enforcement corruption is hurting hotspots and needs to end
by Molpasorn Shoowong
February 14, 2026
Tourism operators are urging the government to reform law enforcement and regulation, as businesses and tourists suffer from worsening bribery issues, hampering the nation's tourism reputation.
Thailand's score in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index fell one point to 33 out of 100 points, while its global ranking was down nine places to 116th.
Chinnawat Udomniyom, president of the Phuket Boutique Accommodation Consortium, said the poor corruption score was a mirror of tourism concerns in Phuket, such as bribery and a lack of law enforcement against criminals.
He said robust tourism in Phuket had attracted many businesses, including some that violate the law.
Common cases include entertainment venues opening late during restricted hours, foreigners working without permits as tour guides, drivers or sex workers, or operating businesses illegally using nominees.
These instances open loopholes for authorities to collect bribes from violators, allowing them to keep operating, said Mr Chinnawat.
Phuket also has more cases of foreigners breaching the law, such as renting motorcycles without licences and violating traffic rules, which affects locals' livelihoods, he said.
Again, some officers react to such cases by collecting bribes instead of enforcing the law, said Mr Chinnawat.
The government must address these problems more seriously through a dedicated working committee, he said.
New incentives and increased penalties should be developed that encourage compliance, which could reduce opportunities for officers to collect bribes, said Mr Chinnawat.
Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, said bribery is common in Thai tourist destinations, stemming from inefficient law enforcement structures.
Police officers and civil servants earn low wages, which entices them to seek opportunities from bribery, he said.
Their employment must be restructured, adding more work benefits and increasing penalties if bribery and misconduct occur, said Mr Sanga.
Likewise, the business licensing process should be streamlined into more one-stop services to attract operators to register, which would decrease illegal operations, he said.
For instance, operating an entertainment venue requires applying for licences at many organisations, which discourages some operators, said Mr Sanga.
"Bribery stemming from restrictions that should be legalised must be resolved to bring them above ground, while anything that is clearly illegal must be prosecuted according to the law," he said.
Otherwise, Mr Sanga said Thailand's tourism image will deteriorate further, as happened a few years ago when policemen demanded bribes from a Taiwanese actress for using a vaping device.
If the officers followed normal procedures, it would not have made the news or affected tourism sentiment, he said.
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