History

Chaing Mai Tourist Police

•       In 1982, the government announced that this year would be the year of Tourism. At that time, The Tourist Department of the Ministry of Interior Services was responsible for tourist safety along with the Police and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Their mission was helping and servicing tourists in case they were the victims of crime, or if someone took advantage of them. This responsibility was distributed to the local areas which are popular tourist destinations, such as Chiangmai, Pattaya, Phuket and Hat Yai.
  
  
  In March 1982, the Police Department established a special police force to specifically care for the safety of tourists in these traveling areas. This was the begining of Chiang Mai Tourist Police, which was located at Thapae gate road, Amphur Maung, Chiang mai. Originally, there were 30 police officers assigned to the department. Later in the same year, the government further recognized the importance of the mission of the Tourist Police and established the bureau of tourist police permanently.
  
  This Crime Division, Located at Chiangmai, was responsible for all 17 Northern provinces. However, with the rapid growth of the tourism industry, both in terms of the increasing number of tourists and widespread tourist attractions all over the country, the structure of the tourist police organization at the Direction level was not in line with its responsibilty to provide tourists with safety and general services.



• The government thus promoted the Tourist Police organization to the Tourist Police Division, under the Central Investigation Bureau, according to the Royal Decree on the division of government organization in the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Interior (the 17th), 1991 Section 8, Direction division 3. The Tourist Police Commander Headquarters is responsible for the provinces of Chiangmai, Lamphun and Lampang.
  
  Later, the Resolution of Police subcommittee at the 9th/2003 on 14 October 2003, the Resolution of Police committee at the 15th/2003 on 24 October 2003 and the Resolution of Cabinet on 25 November 2003 as well created the new structure of the Tourist Police Commander Headquarters. As of 18 December 2003, the new structure provided Tourist Police Station 1 (Chiangmai) Tourist Police Operation Unit 2, and Tourist Police Commander Headquarters, responsible in areas of three provinces: Chiangmai, Lamphun and Lampang. The Headquarters is located at 608 Rimping Plaza Building, Chalernraj Road, Faham, Muang Chiangmai
  Tel. 0-5324-7318, 1155 Fax 053-247317 .