Foreign visitors can now file for compensation if they are scammed in Thailand

 

 

Foreign tourists who feel they have been scammed in Thailand can now file for compensation from the Thai government.

 

Tourism Department Director-General Anant Wongbenjarat said foreign tourists can file compensation claims from the department if they were swindled by registered tour companies that fail to operate as planned or advertised.

 

He said the compensation will be paid by the Tourist Business Protection Fund, NNT reported.

 

The fund requires tour companies and operators who have a valid license to deposit anywhere from 10,000 to 200,000 baht depending on the size of their organisation and whether they offer inbound, outbound or domestic tours.

 

The fund will then be used to speed up the payment of compensation to tourists who have been scammed by unscrupulous tour companies.

 

Once the compensation has paid to the claimant the Tourism Department will then go after the tour company to recoup the money. If the company fails to comply they will lose their deposit and could have their license suspended.  

 

However, a compensation claim can only be made against a registered tour company or operator.

 

A claim can not be made against an unregistered tour company.

 

Because of this Mr Wongbenjarat urged all tourists to first check whether a tour company is registered with the Tourism Department.

 

Visitors can check if a tour company is legitimate by visiting: http://www.tourism.go.th/

 

Tourists who feel they have been scammed by a tour company in Thailand can file a claim for compensation in person at the Tourism Department office located at:

 

Department of Tourism (National Stadium)

Building 2, 5th Floor, Academic and Tourism Business Protection Fund,

Travel and Tour Guide Division,

Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan,

Bangkok 10330

 

Or by telephone: 0-2219-4010-7 Ext. 717 or 0-2214-1385

Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-11-05

9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Mr Wongbenjarat urged all tourists to first check whether a tour company is registered with the Tourism Department.

 

Visitors can check if a tour company is legitimate by visiting: http://www.tourism.go.th/

doubt many would do this as they wouldnt know that they should nor how to do it

From the above mentioned web site.

 

Quote

สถานประกอบการณ์ที่ได้รับมาตรฐาน

The 2015 List of Certified Thailand Tourism Standard Company

 

 

Accommodation Standard for Tourism

 

The web site has little English and no other non-Thai languages I could see, so the Chinese and Russians might have a challenge. They might also want to update the list of certified companies. 

Is there a limit to number of wives one has been taken in by ?

Well at least it's a start, i like it! 

 

Now clean up all the other scammers who aim for tourists.

11 minutes ago, Thian said:

Well at least it's a start, i like it! 

 

Now clean up all the other scammers who aim for tourists.

If the country had to cough up for every scam that the locals pulled on unsuspecting farang, the place would be utterly broke.

A gmail account, really??

I think the most likely outcome of the process is that the tourist is scammed again by the Tourism department.

 

5 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

A gmail account, really??

Also this one: Email : [email protected]

 

Only if scammed by a tour company, otherwise we could all put in a claim for something 

I went to that website, because I'm curious. I found my way to this page titled: (Thai language) The 2015 List of Certified Thailand Tourism Standard Company

I clicked on it and found further lists for Accomodation, Service, Activities, Attractions, Tour Guides...

Within "Accomodation" I found links for Hotels, Resorts, Long Stay

So I clicked on "Hotels", and this is what came up:

 

The 2015 List of Certified Thailand Tourism Standard Companies

Accommodation Standard for Tourism (Hotel)

No.  Hotel Name                 Address                 Star Level                                    Certification period                             Certification No.

1   SHANGRI-LA HOTEL CHIANGMAI 89/8 Changklan Rd., Mueang, Chiang Mai 50100 5 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580108-1

2   PULLMAN KHON KAEN RAJA ORCHID 9/9 Prachasamran Road Nai Mueang Mueang Khonkaen 40000 5 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580109-3

3   DUSIT D2 CHIANG MAI 100 Chang Klan Road, Tumbol Chang Klan, Mueang, Chiangmai 50100 5 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580110-5

4   AETAS LUMPINI 1030/4 Rama 4 Road, Thungmahamek , Satorn, Bangkok 10120 5 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580111-7

5   THE ROYAL PARADISE HOTEL (ROYAL WING) 135/23, 123/15-16 Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road, Kathu, Phuket 83150 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580112-9

6   ROYAL PRINCESS LARN LUANG HOTEL 269 Larn Luang Road Watsommanut Pom Prab Sattru Phai Bangkok 10100 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580113-1

7   REMBRANDT HOTEL BANGKOK 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 (Pichit) , Sukhumvit Road,Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580114-3

8   LONG BEACH GARDEN HOTEL AND SPA 499/7 Moo 5 Pattaya-Naklua Road Naklua Banglamung Chonburi 20150 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580115-5

9   GRANDE CENTRE POINT HOTEL RATCHADAMRI 153/2 Soi Mahatlek Luang 1, Ratchadamri Road, Bangkok 10330 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580116-7

10 CENTARA HOTEL& CONVENTION CENTRE KHON KAEN 999 Moo 4 Prachasamosorn Road, Muang, Khon Kaen 40000 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580117-9

11 ARNOMA HOTEL BANGKOK 99 Ratchadamri Road Lumpini Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 4 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580118-1

12 STAR HOTEL 109 Soi. Rayong Trade Center No.4, Sukumvit Road., Tha Pradu, Muang, Rayong 21000 3 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580119-3

13 LONG BEACH CHA-AM HOTEL 225/75 Beach Road, Cha-am Bay, Phetchaburi 76120 3 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580120-5

14 SUN HOTEL 43/33 Moo 5 Phetkasam Road Banmo Mueang Phetchaburi 76000 2 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580121-7

15 HADTHONG HOTEL 21 Suseuk Rd., Aumper Muang,Prachuap Khiri Khan 77000 2 Stars 2016 - 2018 TTS 202-003-580122-9

 

That's it. That's all the hotels in Thailand that are certified. Bangkok has two hotels that are certified by the Tourism dept. Sorry about the formatting... 

 

This could become the busiest government office in Thailand if tourists find out about it.

So next time I try to enter a National Park....oh wait...not a tour company so they’re exempt  and allowed to scam

And there is going to be an election next year 

 

As most of the scammers are policemen, this should get very interesting.

This is going to really happen in a country where you cant even get a faulty toaster  replaced  that breaks after a months use ?

The whole thing is a scam, most TAT licence holders only pay the licence deposit for local Thai tourists from their province (10,000 baht).  Not the licence to handle foreign tourists (50,000-200,000 baht).  There is a way to check if a tour operator is registered but not what licence they actually hold.  At a rough guess I would estimates the number of claims processed each year at 0 plus or minus 0.  In the unlikely event you tried to claim, what’s the betting they would wash their hands of the problem and say the tour operator doesn’t have the right kind of licence?  I also suspect all those deposits paid are more likely to have funded Rolex watches than be held in a government operated deposit account.  I would further speculate that when a tourism business closes down, they can’t ever get their “deposit” back.

Sounds like the quickest way to end up paying bribes to half the precinct. There is no way I would fall for this trap.

Are the Thai police registered as a tour company?

So "general" scamming isn't covered then. 

I believe the "red-tape" will make it near on impossible to actually get a refund. Like V.A.T. for example.

and here i was thinking the tax hikes was to purchase submarines

This is also going to be abused by dishonest tourists looking for extra baht. There are already so many bogus travel insurance claims for "stolen" personal items.  

Is jet ski hire a tour company?  ??Lol as if they would be registered for anything☡

 

 

1 hour ago, klauskunkel said:

 

That's it. That's all the hotels in Thailand that are certified. Bangkok has two hotels that are certified by the Tourism dept. Sorry about the formatting... 

 

 

I'm guessing, those are hotels where the tour desk has registered as a licensed tour provider...

 

They're not registering just as a hotel operator... That's my guess!

 

LSI (Limited Scam Insurance) 

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

If the country had to cough up for every scam that the locals pulled on unsuspecting farang, the place would be utterly broke.

what about all the scams farangs pull on other farangs. Brit boiler rooms, real  estate swindles, fake international driving licences etc etc. I have been scamed far more by farangs than Thais in the 35 years tha I have lived here. 

9 minutes ago, gamini said:

what about all the scams farangs pull on other farangs. Brit boiler rooms, real  estate swindles, fake international driving licences etc etc. I have been scamed far more by farangs than Thais in the 35 years tha I have lived here. 

 

Want to buy a bar ???

 

Ultimately both Thai and Foreigners are prepared to scam each other. Scamming is a facet of human nature not race, religion or nationality.

 

This could end up with many honest tour operators being scammed by govt dept/tourist alliance. The tour companies are the only organisations that have a deposit lodged with the govt. to get and keep their license. Me thinks the govt has its eye on the bank balance , then maybe I am just a big cynic, time will tell.

Maybe this could be countered by tour operators having clients sign a disclaimer saying that they have received all services paid for and release the company from any liability for additional services and compensation etc..

I know there probably are some problems somewhere but I really think tour operators are the least of their problems.

What happened to those tourist courts then? Justice served in a few days and all that. Another announcement forgotten the moment the ink dried on the press release.

 

"Foreign visitors can now file for compensation if they are scammed in Thailand"

 

A thoroughly misleading topic title.  The actual program is very narrowly defined, misses the majority of the scams an actual tourist is apt to encounter, and applies really only to "registered tour companies" and people who use them and end up scammed by them (and only by them).   How many members here on TV even use tour companies, registered or otherwise, for their visits?  This whole topic is pure click bait.