Thai PM pushes tracking app for foreign tourists, denies it’s like “Big Brother”
Thailand’s prime minister and defence minister Prayut “Big Too” Chan-ocha was a busy man before a cabinet meeting on Monday, reported Thai Rath.
He has denied claims that a tourist tracker app is like “Big Brother” and has encouraged his compatriots to eat their vegetables.
Firstly he went to an exhibition for the “Thailand Plus” tourist tracker app that has been developed after input from the digital economy and society, transport, health, and foreign ministries as well as the kingdom’s immigration bureau.
He praised the app saying that it would inspire confidence for tourists coming in on the STV scheme and would create further confidence for Thais concerned by the arrival of foreign tourists.
He said that the app would not impinge on personal freedoms or risk leaks of personal data.
Picture: Thai Rath
It would help with tracking, tracing, testing, quarantine and add to all the stimulus and economic benefits that the special tourist visa is bound to bring.
It was unclear if the PM was aware that the STV scheme is in utter confusion after conflicting press reports about the arrival of the first batches of foreign tourists, notes Thaivisa.
If he was he was not spoiling the opportunity for the chance to deliver an upbeat message.
After praising Thailand Plus – that comes with the tagline “It gives you more than you thought” – Big Too went off to a promotion for the Vegetarian Festival.
He advised Thais to eat lots of veg for health and in so doing observe religious precepts.
No mention was made of the fact that the PMs security chief had delayed the arrival of Chinese tourists from Guangzhou last week citing fears that Thais would be put off attending the Phuket Vegetarian Festival by the presence of foreigners on the island.
Prayut is called Big Too in Thailand and is often referred to by the term of “uncle” not brother.
The word “too” means to grab something by force.
He rose to power in 2014 following a coup.
