Abstract
The improvement of transportation and the ease of travel have resulted in an increase of people from different cultural backgrounds coming together. As a consequence, law enforcement agencies throughout the world have seen an increase in the amount of intercultural criminal activity. In an effort to attract foreign visitors to Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has embarked on a systematic program to display the Kingdom's many virtues and opportunities. As a result, The Kingdom of Thailand has experienced a steady increase in the amount of international sojourners visiting the country. Victims, witnesses, and perpetrators involved in international episodes have presented unique problems for the Royal Thai Police Department in their commitment to safety and protection o fall people in the Kingdom.
Although the extraordinary hospitality characteristic of Thai culture has been demonstrated, the issue of effective law enforcement communication with international sojourners cannot be overlooked. Research has demonstrated consistently that proficient and practiced communication skills provide the basis for effective law enforcement. Considering the cultural diversity of visitors to the Kingdom of Thailand, the Royal Thai Police Department must take appropriate steps to establish intercultural communication skills among their personnel. The ability to understand cultural differences as well as being able to manage their consequences appropriately emerges as a distinct challenge for Thai law enforcement, particularly personnel having direct contact with foreigners.
The purpose of this project is to design a fom1al intercultural communication training program to assist the Royal Thai Police Department in the performance of their duties through a better understanding of cultural differences. The unique Thai cultural values are combined with several intercultural communication theories to create an instructional package leading to increased effectiveness for Thai law enforcement personnel in their contacts with foreign visitors.