A crackdown on illegal tour guides in Phuket led to the arrest of two foreign nationals. Police charged a 35 year old Ukrainian and a 31 year old stateless individual of highland origin, both accused of operating without proper permits.

 

Phuket Tourist Police, under directives from the National Police Office, has intensified efforts to purge the province of unauthorised tour guides, particularly in major tourist destinations. This move is part of a broader enforcement of regulations governing the tourism industry to ensure compliance with Thai law.

 

The operation, involving units from Tourist Police Division 3 (Phuket and Phang Nga), resulted in the detention of Ihor Shchedrov, a Ukrainian national, near the parking lot of an elephant camp on Wiset Road, Rawai, in Phuket.

 

He was apprehended for acting as a tour guide without the necessary license as stipulated by the Tour Business and Guide Act B.E. 2551 (2008) and its amendment, the Tour Business and Guide Act (No. 2) B.E. 2559 (2016). Additionally, Shchedrov was charged with working in a capacity beyond his visa privileges, reported KhaoSod.

The second individual detained, Fawang Saeluy, was found operating in the Talad Yai area of Phuket. Saeluy, a stateless person from the highlands, was similarly arrested for working without a work permit and for guiding tours without authorization, violating the same legal provisions. Both suspects were taken into custody and their cases have been submitted to the respective local police stations—Chalong and Phuket City—for further legal proceedings.

 

A similar event was reported last year. The Department of Employment had arrested two foreign nationals for illegally working as tour guides in Bangkok. They faced charges and potential deportation for violating work permit regulations.

The two foreign nationals were arrested by the Department of Employment (DoE) for illegally working as tour guides in Bangkok. They were caught near the Ratchaprasong intersection in the 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 tour guides were stealing their jobs.

 

by Nattapong Westwood

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-02-22

 

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Well if you dole out 90 day visas like confetti I guess it gives people time to set themselves up to earn a few bob.

Are these undercover coppers in the photo? 😱

11 minutes ago, VinnieK said:

Are these undercover coppers in the photo? 😱

poorly dressed if they are. 

21 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Well if you dole out 90 day visas like confetti I guess it gives people time to set themselves up to earn a few bob.

 

A Ukrainian and a stateless person. No Russians. Something tells me Boris and Natasha are getting a pass.

45 minutes ago, VinnieK said:

Are these undercover coppers in the photo? 😱

There were quite a few of these around at tourist places. They talked to quite a few people. but proving they're working as guides is not always easy. I do hope it serves as a warning and will scare off some of the illegal ones.

With many requirements for jobs that only can not do it is no wonder that "illegal" guides show up.. Thailand should do something to make things easy as it should be in the 21st century instead of staying behind in the pre WO II era

What about the burger sellers, clothes dealers, hairdressers and coke dealers in Bangkok?

18 hours ago, webfact said:

This move is part of a broader enforcement of regulations governing the tourism industry to ensure compliance with Thai law.

Thais only ?

Send him back to Ukraine. They need him there👍

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Police charged a 35 year old Ukrainian and a 31 year old stateless individual of highland origin, both accused of operating without proper permits.

Of Highland Origin, Is he Scottish? 

21 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Well if you dole out 90 day visas like confetti I guess it gives people time to set themselves up to earn a few bob.

I thought it was only Russians that get 90days Not Ukrainians even though Thais can get 90 days for the Ukraine. 

14 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Of Highland Origin, Is he Scottish? 

 

agreed... how did a stateless person get passed immigration and allowed in?

shouldn't this be everyday police work??

22 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

A Ukrainian and a stateless person. No Russians. Something tells me Boris and Natasha are getting a pass.

 

Any move against the local Russian mafia would result in a pushback and serious consequences for the island. 

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

 

agreed... how did a stateless person get passed immigration and allowed in?

Likely irrelevant as they live in Thailand as indigenous peoples but denied citizenship or visas because they lack necessary documentation.

• "Thailand has a registered stateless population of more than half a million – one of the largest in the world. Nearly a quarter of them live in Chiang Mai. They are mostly members of indigenous ethnic minorities from the mountainous border areas."
• "The 1954 Convention's most significant contribution to international law is its definition of a “stateless person” as someone “who is not considered as a national by any State under operation of its law.” For those who qualify as stateless persons, the Convention provides important minimum standards of treatment."

With regard to the latter Thailand seems to provide minimal "lip services" to it stateless peoples to comply with the Convention but keeps them very confined and controlled. My guess is such peoples would tend towards a progressive government like MFP and not with authoritarian governments if they were able to vote.

 

On 2/22/2024 at 5:51 AM, stoner said:

poorly dressed if they are. 

One appears to be wearing the famous elephant pants and must surely becwell dressed (unless they are Chinese made counterfeit)

7 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Any move against the local Russian mafia would result in a pushback and serious consequences for the island. 

Nonsense 

On 2/22/2024 at 12:29 PM, webfact said:

a stateless person from the highlands,

Did they say to him "See yas Jimmy, take the bloody high road " ?

On 2/22/2024 at 12:51 PM, stoner said:

poorly dressed if they are. 

Not properly dressed.  The undercover uniform is a black T shirt, wind cheater, shiny black boots and visible bulge from firearm,