Thailand grapples with surge in illegal foreign workers in tourism

[Foek]

Many Thai guides went to do something else during covid and have a steady income now.

So a Big shortage for guides now even when salary is 850.-  per 1/2 day or 1,700.- for a full day.

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So start jailing the Thai business operators who employ them.

That's just being silly, the loss of bribe money would be sorely felt.

[DonniePeverley]

Wasn't this one of the predicted worries of lifting visa free access to Chinese and allowing Russians to stay 6 months. 

[MangoKorat]

8 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

So nothing to do with tourism as the title states.

No and the photo seems to be of construction workers - unless tour guides have taken to wearing hard hats.

[Phil1964]

There's a lot of Thais, amongst many other nationalities working illegally here in the UK, without work permits, paid under minimum wage, housed for 'free' by business owners etc under the radar of incompetent border security and tracking of migrants.

 

[Kenneth White]

Lord, don't let Thailand turn out to be like America. Illegals are a huge problem in America. 

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Should rather legally hire foreigners in shops for instance due to local sales staff who often cannot speak a work of english. Or at most hire all the bar stool girls as sales staff,  who have great language talents.

Edited March 26 by Middle Aged Grouch

[UbonEagle]

I’m sure one of the main issues is many Thai kids don’t want to do dirty jobs they think below them.

This is propagated by the modern habit (in most countries) of parents not pushing their kids to get out and get a job, anything to start, and you go from there…

instead they often prop up their lazy entitled lifestyles, they are imo doing their kids a disservice in the long run

[Sydebolle]

You cannot find Thai staff willing to work - simple as that. I lost a maid in charge of mopping the restaurant floor and three rest rooms clean at a staggering pay cheque of THB 17'500. In addition to this, she got her share of the service charge; never under THB 7'000, a free quality Thai meal, one day off a week and one month paid vacation. 

She left as I had two, three suggestions to improve while facilitating her job like keeping the rest room door open after (daily) mopping and using a floor fan to speed up the drying prior to opening. Apparently she lost face ....   A kitchen helper doing crockery and glassware was asked to help the kitchen staff in helping to wash up pans (every dish is cooked in a clean new pan). She was not busy at the time but said, that she is here for crockery and glassware and not for pans. When I mentioned to her to help her colleagues (exceptionally) she took of her apron. While everyone thought she went to the look - she had left the restaurant and never returned. 

Burmese, Laotians and Cambodians perform much, much better for the same amount of money - problem there is that you hardly get an official permit. The Thai bureaucracy is in full steam and hence quite a few of other restaurant and hospitality operators just hire them illegally as they cannot be a"*ç%*%d with all that paper nonsense. 

You're welcome! 

[BTB1977]

I know many farang who run businesses and have headaches over thai staff. Mostly due to them not wanting to work. Or working is too hard. I can't work a full 8 hours. I need time on my phone or a 2 hour break or I can only work 3 to 4 days a week. 

[NoDisplayName]

On 3/25/2024 at 10:09 AM, webfact said:

jobs reserved for Thai citizens, including roles such as tour guides

 

Seems you might stimulate interest in Thailand tourism if the potential customers can be assured of a tour guide that speaks their language.........

[Karlik Pu]

Why dont your mention Russians working without permit in Pattaya and Phuket???