Paid guided motorcycle tours without a work visa. ???

[BTB1977]

There is a well known biker group that has been going on rides every other week and longer rides about every 3 months.  The organizer hasn't charged anything up until now. He wants 50 baht per bike. There are between 15 and 20 bikes per ride. He says it is to cover his expenses of checking out new roads every ride. Our rides are 160 to 220 kilometers per ride. And he has been doing these rides for about 4 years now. So I would think he knows all the roads in a 200 kilometer distance from where we live. 

    If he doesn't have a work visa doing guided tours and charging for these tours can he get in trouble with his retirement or marriage visa by charging 50 per bike. I would think so. 

[jackdd]

It doesn't matter if he gets money or not.

This could obviously be done by a Thai tour guide, thus it's taking a job away from a Thai, and what he does could easily be seen as working illegally.

Depends on the type of bike he rides if he makes a little bit profit from this or not.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by jackdd

[bwpage3]

How petty to question a service you use for 50 baht.

 

If it offends you so much, stop using the service.

 

Right or wrong, 50 baht seems extremely cheap for someone who would spend the time to map out such a long route.

 

Think of it as a donation to ensure your smooth riding trip.

 

Try making the rides yourself, and when you break down, get a flat, have an accident in the middle of know-where, you would learn the hard way the 50 baht was well spent when the others come to your assistance.

 

It always appears someone gets bent when others make a few baht and they cannot.

 

There isn't anything in the world I would waste my time for 50 baht.

 

 

[ttkeric]

Was it in Chiang Mai that once that a bunch of fellows, Thais and foreigners, used to get together for morning walks. Part of what they did was to give a guided tour especially to newcomers. Wasn't even a planned thing, more of a "hey! you're new! Welcome and this is Chiang Mai". 

 

Nothing fancy, just a bunch of people getting together for health and friendship. 

 

That was until someone "reported" it and they had to "shut down"? 

[VocalNeal]

OP. Why even ask. He knows what he is doing. I suspect there are motorbike tour companies in CM. They will "shop him". You don't have to do it.

As my mother used to say: If you can't say anything nice about someone. Don't say anything."

Edited May 20, 2021 by VocalNeal

[johng]

Why all the sad faces for the original question ?

 

16 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

If he doesn't have a work visa doing guided tours and charging for these tours can he get in trouble

 

The answer is yes he could get into trouble..maybe he doesn't know ?  some seem to think just because they are married to a Thai that entitles them to "work"  it doesn't  not without a "work" permit.

[Ventenio]

Report to police.  He is trying to take money from Thais!!!!  In a time of need, during COVID......50 baht can buy a bowl of noodle soup for two Thais.......

 

Use that number to report falang.  He is breaking the law!!!

 

Plus I want to see his picture and we can troll him when he gets arrested.

 

If not, you are a conspirator .....

 

no work permit, no work!!!!!  

 

Next thing he will want is 100 baht, then 500, then all your money!!!!!!!!!!!!  lol

[1FinickyOne]

15 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

There isn't anything in the world I would waste my time for 50 baht.

and yet you post here for free... and we all live for your opinions from Fla... 

[lordblackader]

He doesn't just need a work permit, he also has to be a registered guide and that involves a course in Thai which he can't do as it's a Thai-only profession. 

[phetphet]

20 bikes at 50 baht is only THB1000. if he has a big bike it won't pay much more than his petrol money.

 

I went on a similar tour with a foreigner and thoroughly enjoyed it.

He was upfront that he wasn't a tour guide so couldn't be paid,  but if I paid for his accommodation and petrol I could follow him and he would show me around. Like a group leader.

Told me where we would be heading, but there were stops on the way for snacks or visits to places of interest. Was well organised.

There were three of us on the trip.

He booked a nice bargain accommodation, found a nice restaurant for dinner and we got to see some parts of Thailand that I never would have found or gone to on my own on some interesting roads. 

Was well worth it and I would gladly do it again.

[Thujone]

This springs to mind.

 

[Ventenio]

17 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

He wants 50 baht per bike.

 

if we allow this, we are allowing every person to demand money and disregarding Thai laws....don't worry, the police are reading these posts.......so that's good.  

 

then the big crackdown will happen........

 

falangs coming to Thaiand and think they are above the law.....think they can work illegally and nothing will happen to them.....oh they are wrong!!!

 

send him a message, let him know he's breaking the law.  ask for work permit info.  If he gets aggressive, then you know this behavior will get soooo much worse.

 

he is not asking nicely, i suspect...

 

he WANTS.....

 

gives all of us such a bad name.........

 

 

[Ventenio]

1 minute ago, Thujone said:

This springs to mind.

 

 

Pol pot, Mao, Stalin, and hitler said the same thing!!!!

 

Now China tells us......"mind your own business!!!"

 

Burma tells us to "mind your own business."
 

Find another quote on the back of a cereal box.....this one is not going to work this time!!!

 

lol

[recom273]

Lol .. 50B ..

 

Why would someone want to live a life where they feel the need to take 50B of a fellow bike rider? Takes all sorts.
 

What does 1000B do for him? Must be desperate.

 

I know a Thai guy who guides / guided Singaporeans and Malaysians (paying proper money) through Thailand, but he planned the trips from start to finish but then if he rode on a day with an “unorganized” Thai LINE group he would never charge, neither would any other Thai who was taking a leader role. Certain Thais would be generous enough buy everyone lunch sometimes.  
 

Seems a bit petty, if he’s desperate you could all take it in turns putting petrol in his tank or go somewhere else.

 

 

[kynikoi]

17 hours ago, jackdd said:

It doesn't matter if he gets money or not.

This could obviously be done by a Thai tour guide, thus it's taking a job away from a Thai, and what he does could easily be seen as working illegally.

Depends on the type of bike he rides if he makes a little bit profit from this or not.

 

 

 

Regardless of the illegality I think it's a legitimate way to recoup his planning.

 

A few decades ago I had some very snowflake executive friends come and visit me in Nepal. So read very demanding but not yet making huge sums of money. They also wanted a comfortable backpacker experience.

 

I arrived early in Nepal from India and rather than just sitting about in a bar which I should have I wondered about Kathmandu and pokara sizing up where we should stay and what we might do together. That cost money.

 

I mentioned that I did all this for my friends and they were very cheap and did not offer anything to me this compensation. This after I have been traveling on the road for almost 2 years.

 

So yes there are costs to planning these kind of things. He's been doing it for a number of years obviously he's doing a good job

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, johng said:

Why all the sad faces for the original question ?

 

 

The answer is yes he could get into trouble..maybe he doesn't know ?  some seem to think just because they are married to a Thai that entitles them to "work"  it doesn't  not without a "work" permit.

And even with workpermit, guiding is a protected profession so for Thai only.

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, johng said:

Why all the sad faces for the original question ?

 

Because it comes across as unnecessarily petty. Not everything that is (or could be) technically illegal needs to be policed. Clearly those 50 baht menrioned are just to cover cost.

[Muzzique]

17 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

There is a well known biker group that has been going on rides every other week and longer rides about every 3 months.  The organizer hasn't charged anything up until now. He wants 50 baht per bike. There are between 15 and 20 bikes per ride. He says it is to cover his expenses of checking out new roads every ride. Our rides are 160 to 220 kilometers per ride. And he has been doing these rides for about 4 years now. So I would think he knows all the roads in a 200 kilometer distance from where we live. 

    If he doesn't have a work visa doing guided tours and charging for these tours can he get in trouble with his retirement or marriage visa by charging 50 per bike. I would think so. 

 

Are you serious? I would think 1000 baht for 200km just about covers his gas money.

 

For 4 years he hasn't taken a penny

 

Not sure what your point is here? 

 

It would be a tough thing to say he was working if the only thing it covers is his gas.

 

I'm sure there are many volunteer drivers for other community groups that ask for help to cover the gas costs for their efforts from the community they support. I wouldn't call that working. 

 

If you can't afford the £1 then don't go on the ride. 

[2 is 1]

1 hour ago, Ventenio said:

Report to police.  He is trying to take money from Thais!!!!  In a time of need, during COVID......50 baht can buy a bowl of noodle soup for two Thais.......

 

Use that number to report falang.  He is breaking the law!!!

 

Plus I want to see his picture and we can troll him when he gets arrested.

 

If not, you are a conspirator .....

 

no work permit, no work!!!!!  

 

Next thing he will want is 100 baht, then 500, then all your money!!!!!!!!!!!!  lol

Op can get maybe 3000 bth from police if report him! CALL HOTLINE! LOL