It’s being suggested that backpackers are tagged so that officials can keep track of them. If that sounds far-fetched, tourists might or might not be placated by the thought that it would be in the interests of their own safety.
The suggestion, by Thailand’s tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, follows the murders of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller a fortnight ago.
Wattanavrangkul said additional safety measures could include issuing travellers with wristbands detailing who they are and where they are staying, assigning dedicated ‘minders’ to look after tourists and even fitting backpackers with ‘some sort of tracking device’.
Other measures include the introduction of beach party curfews. The bodies of Hannah and David were discovered on a beach on the island of Koh Tao after a late-night party.
