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In yet another attempt to crack down on jet ski scams, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced an assistance centre for tourists who’ve been scammed.

Thai authorities hope to crack down on jet ski scams.

Thai authorities hope to crack down on jet ski scams. Image by Mark Leo / CC BY 2.0

The scam, which has been prevalent in Thailand for years, occurs when jet ski operators accuse tourists of causing damage and demanding they pay large sums to cover the repairs, often with threats of violence if they don’t.

The new scheme is in partnership with local authorities, and will mean that operators in or around Pattaya will be requested to have insurance and stickers on the front of the watercraft including information on the service area, zoning and number according to Travel Daily Media. The jet ski would then be covered by insurance in case of damage.

Though calls for some sort of action on the issue have also been happening for years, this latest effort comes after a fear of a potential boycott from Indian tourists after the Indian government contacted Thai officials due to ongoing complaints of the scam from their citizens.

According to officials from the Ministry of Tourism, any uninsured vendor will not be allowed to operate; however, enforcement may be an issue, according to the Pattaya Mail.