In the name of better security, the government of Thailand has announced plans to require visiting yachts to carry a device which tracks their position and delivers it to Thai authorities in real-time.The device would be issued when the yacht is checked into Phuket and returned when the yacht is checked out of the country. In announcing the rule, local officials said the device would help patrol boats keep tabs on vessels in local waters.

“After the yacht and its passengers have been registered [as arriving], they can berth or moor at any marina around the island,” the Phuket Marine Office 5 Chief was quoted as saying. The Thai government has also ordered its technology office to devise a software system cross-linking Customs, Immigration and Marine Office databases.

I know, I know. It's their country and we are visitors. But if the government in Thailand is citing security concerns for requiring a tracking device, how far behind can other countries be? Also, it seems a slippery slope from real-time monitoring of visiting yachts to real-time monitoring of domestic yachts. And when I tuck into that cozy little cove and fire up the barbecue, the last thing I want to think about is a patrol boat zooming in to make sure my steak is USDA approved.