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The
plan, however, sparked uproar online, drawing criticism that it
compromised national sovereignty, and a rebuke from the
country's police chief.
"There are many alternative ways to build confidence for
tourists in Thailand ... but we will not have joint patrols,"
Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol told reporters on
Tuesday.
"The Thai police force is already adequate and are working hard
to restore confidence," Sudawan said.
Thai authorities have rushed to tighten security after last
month's shooting spree at a luxury mall in Bangkok in which two
people, including one Chinese national, were killed, fanned
safety concerns.
Restoring confidence is critical for Thailand's tourism
industry, especially among Chinese visitors.
They accounted for 11 million out of record 39.9 million foreign
tourist arrivals in Thailand in 2019, but their return after the
COVID-19 pandemic has been sluggish, prompting the government in
September to waive visa requirements for Chinese nationals.
So far this year, Thailand has welcomed 23.2 million foreign
arrivals.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
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