Wristbands in Thailand: “It’s a marketing strategy more than anything”

In Thailand, the government is thinking of giving tourists the option of wearing wristbands with personal details such as their name, nationality and the address of their accommodation once they leave their hotel.

An idea that was initiated by the Tourism Department after the assassination of two British travelers. They were found dead, naked, on a beach of Koh Tao island, in mid-september 2014.

“This measure is meant to reassure travelers, believes Anik Le Jean from the French office of Other Ways a DMC located, among others, in Thailand and that collaborates with Voyageurs du Monde or Directours, particularly.

But, in general, clients who go abroad through travel agencies and are in the hands of DMCs once they arrive and are always well taken care of. For them, these wristbands won’t be useful. I think that this is more of a marketing strategy from the authorities.”

She just returned from a trip in the country and insures that there is currently no security problem in Thailand: “you are not bothered anywhere you go. What was said in the media in the last few months is completely false.”

A viewpoint that is completely shared by Christine Crispin, CEO of Climats du Monde, a tour operator of which Thailand is a key destination.

“We are not talking about an emergency response or security issue in Thailand simply because there is none,” she insures.

She reminds that during the protests when pro and anti government citizens confronted each other late 2013 and early 2014, all of the tourists sites remained opened.

"During the event, a bus lane for tourists protected by the police with the agreement of both opposing parties was established. Thailand is the only country in the world to have taken such an initiative,” adds the CEO of Climats du Monde.

According to her, the idea of wristbands shows Thailand’s will to “always provide more security to its tourists.”

As for the worry that this measure may bother visitors who might see it as a security drift or an attempt to monitor them, there is no risk according to Michel Calvet, Chief Executive of Asiajet.

“It is very clear and well specified by the government that this measure is simply offered and not imposed to improve the security of visitors who which to subscribe to it. We could equate that to the voluntary registration of travelers on the Ariane website.

Under these conditions, I can see no disadvantage or constraint for tourists who vacation in Thailand”, he reassures.

This could even dissipate the worries of those last travelers still hesitant to make the trip and allow the destination to officially confirm the recovery of foreign arrivals that is currently being observed.