Three cheers for Big Joke - these bogus guides are wrecking tourism!

[webfact]

Three cheers for Big Joke - these bogus guides are wrecking tourism!

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai media has given a big thumbs up to crime buster Surachet Hakpal, the deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau.

 

In an opinion piece in Thai Rath columnist "Pleungpayak" praised Surachet for his work in trying to bust the network of fake and illegal tourist guides that prey on tourists.

 

They said that while others over the years had just arrested a few of the guides Surachet and his team were going behind to get the ringleaders who organize bogus ID and fake schemes.

 

The columnist referred to a case recently where fifty six year old Sanguan Netrasaoor "Daeng" and his sidekick Ketsara Dalek were running a scam allegedly in cahoots with the TAT.

 

They offered a guide training course for 20,000 baht including certification - but if attendees did not pass they had to fork out 200,000 baht so that "Daeng" could oil the palms of corrupt officials.

 

At their Samut Prakarn base were a host of fake guide IDs as well as copied driver's licences and other diplomas.

 

Regarding fake guides Pleunngpayak said that these people had been a thorn in the side of tourism for many years. They have little knowledge about Thai culture and some are just rip off merchants annoying foreign tourists.

 

The cost to tourism is in the billions said the columnist without giving details.

 

It was great now that a concerted effort was being mounted by Surachet - known as Big Joke in the Thai media - to flush out the bogus guides and those helping them prey on tourists.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-04-05

[starky]

Great now they got the minnows looking forward to Big Joke going after the TAT then if they or anyone in their employ was complicit in this scam.

[Misterwhisper]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

They have little knowledge about Thai culture and some are just rip off merchants annoying foreign tourists.

Well, considering that "Daeng" claimed he used some of the ill-gotten money to grease the palms of corrupt TAT officials, I'd say his understanding of Thai culture is actually quite excellent. 

Edited April 5, 2018 by Misterwhisper

[JOC]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

The columnist referred to a case recently where fifty six year old Sanguan Netrasaoor "Daeng" and his sidekick Ketsara Dalek were running a scam allegedly in cahoots with the TAT.

And when will Thailand's new superhero knock down the doors of TAT?

Never....!!

Easy to catch the small guys....

[JOC]

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

They have little knowledge about Thai culture and some are just rip off merchants annoying foreign tourists.

A profession reserved for the "real" guides....

[tubby johnson]

What's all this nonsense mentioned about the bogus guides: "They have little knowledge about Thai culture" ??

 

Overcharging for a fake course.

Organizing bogus ID and fake schemes, copying driver's licences and other diplomas.

Running a scam in cahoots with the TAT.

Greasing the the palms of corrupt officials.

 

.... That is a cornerstone of Thai culture.

[Megasin1]

You gotta admire 'Big Joke', he's like a one man army

unfortunately nowadays I'm more of a seux hiy, i think id prefer his moniker