A nighttime view of the bustling area outside Shibuya Station in Tokyo. The Tourism Department advises travellers to verify Thai tour licence numbers on its website before booking to ensure protection under the Tourism Business and Tour Guide Act.
The Tourism Department is helping victims of fraudulent and illegal tours visiting Japan to file civil lawsuits, as total damages now exceed 4 million baht.A travel page called Japon Japan on Facebook received complaints for defrauding travellers, claiming to book services such as trains, flights and hotels in Japan, though the bookings were not delivered as promised following payment.
Jaturon Phakdeewanit, director of the Tourism Department, said it opened a channel for victims to file complaints in this case.
The department has gathered the information of the owner of this social media page and is planning an investigation, he said.
The agency has monitored similar cases involving travel-based social media, as many of them are not registered as tour companies, despite claiming to act as travel agents for customers on platforms, said Mr Jaturon.
