Rising Chinese tourist arrivals in Thailand

BANGKOK, December 18 (TNA) - Thailand's Immigration Bureau reports that the number of Chinese tourist arrivals in the country has been increasing lately. Immigration Bureau Chief Police Lieutenant Surachet Hakpal told journalists of the update on December 17 while visiting resort Phuket Province in the Thai South. According to the immigration bureau chief, the number of Chinese tourist arrivals in the country has been gradually rising to over 90,000 a month lately, showing the visitors' more and more confidence in security and safety measures in the Kingdom. The immigration bureau chief said, meanwhile, that Thai authorities will hold a press conference with authorities of the Chinese Consulate-General in Thailand next week to announce the closure of the official investigation of a case off Phuket on July 5, 2018, in which a tour boat, named Phoenix, carrying about 105 passengers and crew, capsized in the rough sea of up to about 4 meter-monsoon waves, killing nearly 50 people who were mostly Chinese tourists. The Thai immigration bureau chief stated that the thorough investigation based on the collective evidence, conducted by forensic science officials of the Royal Thai Police and a group of Chinese and German experts, has been concluded that the incident was caused by the substandard structure of the Phoenix boat. The immigration bureau chief revealed that the case, in which a government official has been charged for neglect, along with the captain and some other crew members, and some other senior government officials are believed to be additionally charged shortly, has been forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for its further action. (TNA)