The original volunteer police movement was started during the recovery period after the 2004 tsunami. Realising that communication between foreigners and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) would be better served by the use of foreign nationals as liaison officers, the Tourist Police Department (TPD) founded a foreign volunteer programme – which is still in existence today. Some of those volunteers saw the need for similar liaison with the immigration services and the Immigration Bureau agreed to lend its support to the starting of the Phuket Immigration Volunteers (PIV) programme as a separate entity from the TPD.
PIV officers man the Phuket Town Immigration Office and when necessary the Patong Immigration Office. They are trained and prepared to answer immigration related questions and to liaise with the Immigration police officers.
The PIV offered its services to the “Tourist Assistance” programme started by Kathu police to have foreign citizens patrol with RTP officers in Patong. PIV officers offer advice and information to tourists and expatriates, attend accident and crime scenes involving foreigners and try to maintain Patong as a safe and pleasant place to visit. More recently, the PIV role has expanded to include looking after visiting foreign military personnel and also added Chalong, Kata and Karon to its patrol areas.
