News Forum - 2 foreigners arrested while acting as illegal tour guides

[Thaiger]

Two foreign nationals have been arrested by the Department of Employment (DoE) for illegally working as tour guides in Bangkok. They were caught near the Ratchaprasong intersection in Pathumwan district. The suspects, a Chinese and a Vietnamese national, were detained after the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand (PGAT) lodged complaints last week that foreign …

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[Grumpish]

"He added specifically that the influx of Chinese tourists since the country loosen it’s rules in January hasn’t helped tour guides, as Chinese operators prefer hiring Chinese guides."

And choose Chinese owned (or financed) hotels, souvenir shops, transport,  and so on.  But of course that doesn't happen,  as the Chinese complied fully with the move to abolish the zero-dollar tours, which means that the Chinese make a huge net contribution to Thailand's tourist earnings.

[Ramanathan.P]

"Foreigners who operate as an illegal guide without a permit can be fined up to 50,000 baht."  Nothing to worry about. Thai authorities are very considerate when comes to foreigners they can understand that foreigners are suffering a lot in Thailand without any permanent source of income. Anyway the money that these tour guides earned will be eventually spent in Thailand and it will not leave the country. That will create a multiplier effect to the local economy. Hence at the most they will be fined 500baht or sometimes just a simple warning not to repeat again. So it is ok....nothing to worry. 

[PeterGoodwine]

It is quite a pitiful confession of incompetence when you forbid competition only because you know they are better than yourself. Some people would try to get better, they'd copy or at least be inspired. Here they get rid of them... how to be sure to never improve 

[kalyan]

Tour Guide association needs to better up, everywhere you will listen employing an thai tour guide is a disaster, greedy, cheats, run away half way, what the association is going to answer.

 

Dissatisfaction calls for alternate methods, if Thai guides are so good, why foreigners are looking for their country men as tour guide ?

Certainly not a good approach, if thailand has a primary declared business as tourism, better up, get a tour guide course and get all the tour guide enrolled and train them for area specific tour and how to explain and how to excel.

I believe whole heartedly the Hon. Prime minister will certainly review my comment and come with a solution. 

 

[Khunmark]

3 hours ago, PeterGoodwine said:

It is quite a pitiful confession of incompetence when you forbid competition only because you know they are better than yourself. Some people would try to get better, they'd copy or at least be inspired. Here they get rid of them... how to be sure to never improve 

I don’t know how arrived at the ‘forbid competition’ conclusion. Thai tour guides are required to have an operating license. What you are in effect advocating is that foreigners should be able to run tours sans a license, whilst their Thai counterparts should not be able to. The whole idea of the licensing arrangements is to weed out the rogue operators.

[HolyCowCm]

Ooops. Better to get a Thai proxy to carry that little red flag walking next to you!

[Guest1]

5 hours ago, PeterGoodwine said:

It is quite a pitiful confession of incompetence when you forbid competition only because you know they are better than yourself. Some people would try to get better, they'd copy or at least be inspired. Here they get rid of them... how to be sure to never improve 

they speak the language of the travelers, that's mostly it.

In Phuket, usually they hire a Thai guide, to sit in the bus, or to hold the flag for the Chinese tour guide. Who is doing all the talking

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, HolyCowCm said:

Ooops. Better to get a Thai proxy to carry that little red flag walking next to you!

That´s what they most often do, yes.

[HolyCowCm]

1 minute ago, Guest1 said:

they speak the language of the travelers, that's mostly it.

In Phuket, usually they hire a Thai guide, to sit in the bus, or to hold the flag for the Chinese tour guide. Who is doing all the talking

Don't know except from what I have seen as par for the course. It is not Thai toting the flag being the person of command. 

 

[Viggen840]

18 hours ago, Ramanathan.P said:

That will create a multiplier effect to the local economy. Hence at the most they will be fined 500baht or sometimes just a simple warning not to repeat again. So it is ok....nothing to worry. 

Chinese 'guides' using Chan-o-cha family-run buses and guiding to Chinese-owned tourist venues (okay, with a pretend Thai owner) and the money stays in Thailand? Pull the other one!

[Viggen840]

12 hours ago, Guest1 said:

they speak the language of the travelers, that's mostly it.

In Phuket, usually they hire a Thai guide, to sit in the bus, or to hold the flag for the Chinese tour guide. Who is doing all the talking

Get rid of the Chinese completely. 

[Viggen840]

18 hours ago, PeterGoodwine said:

It is quite a pitiful confession of incompetence when you forbid competition

I don't understand your reasoning. As with most jobs in Thailand, they are reserved for Thai workers. Unless you jump through hoops, or have financial backing from an employer, farang (and that includes Chinese) can not work - legally. 

[Karolyn]

Better watch my back then