Foreign Tour Operators Flood Phuket, Taking Jobs from Locals

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Richardsamui said:

You can sell tours, but you can't guide them. 

A bit of jealousy I guess...? You need a Thai to accept the money for the sell.

Isn't the entirety of tourism a protected occupation? I know of foreigners who operate public real estate businesses also. Very surprised that's legal even.

[Sig]

3 minutes ago, madmitch said:

If the business is legal and the foreigners selling the tours have work permits then they are doing nothing illegal. No different to to the many foreign owned dive shops that have been operating for years.

 

Many Russians prefer to deal in their own language 

Yes, I agree.
And at the same time as I prefer to do business in my native language... at the same time, I prefer to support the local people, so I would choose an agency run by locals. I do the same in my hometown too. But too each his own. If it is legal, then I don't see the point of the article and any sort of complaining by anybody at all. Unfortunately, the article was not clear at all about this. I don't know the intricacies of the law, but as I mentioned, I look for businesses run by locals anyway, so it isn't something that I care to know about or spend time trying to figure out....
Of course there are exceptions to every "rule". I definitely will go to a business owned by anyone if it is a service or product that isn't being filled to my satisfaction by a local.

[Sig]

19 minutes ago, 818Pilot said:

The solution is so simple and why they can’t figure it out so perplexing.

 

Take a big bus, start rounding them all up, put them in a deportation center and when they’ve got a plane full, which should take about 30 minutes, have a huge photo opp in typical Thai style and deport them. 
 

Rinse and repeat a few times and others should get the hint . 

Of course, this is with the assumption of illegal work, which I don't even know this article was actually even truly talking about....
With that assumption, add a 5 or 10 year ban with that deportation. I think that would make a lot of people think twice before doing such stupid things, although, of course, it wouldn't deter all of them. I knew a Korean who risked their university education by teaching Korean part time at a local language school. She ended up banned and lost her study opportunities and wasted 3 years of study time at Thammasat. Another student, a Chinese girl that I knew, decided she would open a little Chinese restaurant with her Chinese boyfriend (both studying at Kasetsart Uni). They also got booted and lost the years of time they spent toward getting a uni degree. It made the foreign students in those universities think a lot more about trying to make a few extra baht while they were here for studies.
I remember back in the early 2000's (in Mae Sot) seeing trucks with cages on the back, loaded up (and I mean jam packed) with Burmese illegals being hauled back to Burma. They definitely didn't look thrilled with their situation. I'm sure some will just come back, but with their names being on the naughty list, I'd imagine it deterred a lot of others from trying to cross back in again.

[Ironmike]

It's high time to deport all the Russians doing everything and anything they please, this is not just tours but everything,, gym trainers, bar, hookers, real estate, building, taxis, selling weed and that's just a start, sh+t can there 3 month visas and make them pay as was before, once there getting arrested they will go somewhere else. 

These scum have already destroyed the economy of Sri Lanka, Malta and Cyprus and now they are here like locusts. 

[Snackbar]

Crackdown looms

[AustinRacing]

1 hour ago, sibarnes2000 said:

It doesn’t say where this particular company is operating illegally? Surely that is the important point. 
As a counter to this sort of article my Thai wife worked in the UK for 5 years. She took a job from the “locals” but why is this an issue? Perhaps Thailand needs to work out that question first before they get outraged and work out why it’s an issue?

Company operating legally is irrelevant. The work conducted by the foreigner is illegal. 

[Photoguy21]

5 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Phuket, a Russian colony?

Pretty much it is.

[shackleton]

Phuket seems to attract lots of The foreign investors and businesses 

💰 is everything in Thailand 

Buys you lots of influence and friends 🤑

[thesetat2013]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Commenters voiced their concerns, some describing Phuket as a “lawless land” and pointing out that this issue has persisted for a long time. Others noted the growing presence of foreign operators in popular areas like Kata and Karon and questioned why authorities haven’t intervened.

WE all know the reasons when police do not intervene. 

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The 23-second video shows the man serving customers at a tour counter near Kata and Karon beaches, an area known for attracting tourists. The post included a caption stating, “Who needs Thais? Selling tours ourselves! No wonder locals are upset.”

If they know where the business is and that it is being worked at by foreigners. They should really put the noose out and it should not be so hard when Thais are out looking for this and posting vdos of them in social media. 

[Cadan]

1 hour ago, portisaacozzy said:

at least 10000 Thi women are taking jobs from english people,in nail shops and cashiers. !!!!!!    How do you that? Nail shops are exclusively reserved for Vietnam. There are thousands of them in the US/Canada. Nothing wrong with that 

Edited October 10 by Cadan

[NoDisplayName]

1 hour ago, kuzmabruk said:

There is no enforcement in Thailand.  That is why the Chinese and Russians love it here.

 

Wait, what?  Are you saying the Chinese and Russians don't enjoy the unenforced traffic laws, the bribing of immigration officials and the underage prostitutes, as so many of our western expats do?

 

What is the world coming to!

[Frankie baby]

No Suprise this is taking place right in the middle of Karonski. 

[Asquith Production]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

There was no evidence of officials on-site enforcing regulations, raising questions about the oversight of such activities.

You want Officials to walk around looking for people in contravention of the regulations? Not even the Police walk around looking for offences

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, BarraMarra said:

Its the same problem in the UK  818 with migrants crossing the English Channel turn one boat away a day later another1 takes there place.

Except the small boats are not being turned away, but welcomed by the mindless labour louts.

[baansgr]

2 hours ago, sibarnes2000 said:

It doesn’t say where this particular company is operating illegally? Surely that is the important point. 
As a counter to this sort of article my Thai wife worked in the UK for 5 years. She took a job from the “locals” but why is this an issue? Perhaps Thailand needs to work out that question first before they get outraged and work out why it’s an issue?

Job protection, why not

And.you can guarantee those foreigners working illegally are not paying tax or SS...

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, Sig said:

Yes, I agree.
And at the same time as I prefer to do business in my native language... at the same time, I prefer to support the local people, so I would choose an agency run by locals. I do the same in my hometown too. But too each his own. If it is legal, then I don't see the point of the article and any sort of complaining by anybody at all. Unfortunately, the article was not clear at all about this. I don't know the intricacies of the law, but as I mentioned, I look for businesses run by locals anyway, so it isn't something that I care to know about or spend time trying to figure out....
Of course there are exceptions to every "rule". I definitely will go to a business owned by anyone if it is a service or product that isn't being filled to my satisfaction by a local.

So a foreigner working here legally on Phuket for 25 years, would lose your business to a Thai that has just arrived from Chiang Mai?

[retarius]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

I don't think the issue is undercutting, but they're taking away business because of their language.

The the Thais should learnt o speak Russian and english

[Katatonica]

2 hours ago, sibarnes2000 said:

It doesn’t say where this particular company is operating illegally? Surely that is the important point. 
As a counter to this sort of article my Thai wife worked in the UK for 5 years. She took a job from the “locals” but why is this an issue? Perhaps Thailand needs to work out that question first before they get outraged and work out why it’s an issue?

Very good point and imagine if someone took a picture of your wife from a car window in the UK and posted it on social media saying look at this (non-local colour) foreign person working here.

[off road pat]

2 hours ago, khunpin said:

Maybe it is because tourists prefer good service and cheaper rates over poor service and rip-offs. 🤷🏼‍♂️ 

Just a thought ... 

And they like to be served in their language !

[Maitdjai]

Most of those "Tour Guides" are obsolete anyway. 
There is nothing to "guide" here anymore, what every idiot couldn't find out by himself without being ripped off. Just by staring at his phone.

Even better translated.

Edited October 10 by Maitdjai

[NativeBob]

1 minute ago, Maitdjai said:

Most of those "Tour Guides" are obsolete anyway. 
There is nothing to "guide" here, what every idiot couldn't find out by himself without being ripped off. Just by staring at his phone.

Even better translated.

Great point!

In some cities in ol'Europe there are QR-codes attached to buildings. After scanning with your phone you can enjoy high quality overview narrated buy professional. Full story, details >>> everything! 

 

Who needs Thai guide whose main idea is to take you to commish shop?

Foreign tour guides are even worse - clueless uneducated leachers. Send them to the border and ban forever

[geisha]

6 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Phuket, a Russian colony?

Definitely, since a long time now. As for tour shops , plenty in Pattaya and Jomtien on the corner around the night market. Guess what nationalities they are . Been there for years. 

[BerndD]

7 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Phuket, a Russian colony?

Phuket, conquered without the use of weapons, only with the natural charm of the Russian invaders!

Edited October 10 by BerndD

[LukKrueng]

3 hours ago, Richardsamui said:

You can sell tours, but you can't guide them. 

A bit of jealousy I guess...? You need a Thai to accept the money for the sell.

You have to have a registered business, you have to get permit (and put a bank guarantee) from TAT, of you employ foreign national they must have a proper work permit and pay taxes. If those foreigners work legally - all is good. If not they might actually cut local's prices as they don't have those expenses. 

[Andycoops]

 No doubt as elsewhere the Thai eye is blind to such activity because of the bung being given, unless of course it's just gross incompetence in which case both scenarios fit the situation perfectly.

[RichardColeman]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Commenters voiced their concerns, some describing Phuket as a “lawless land”

Seriously , if you invite more Russians and chinese and other 'suspect' countries what do you expect. 

[black tabby12345]

8 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Phuket, a Russian colony?

 

Could be in Poo-tin’s mind.

[Funkymover]

and how many countries do they go too, taking jobs 

[Reddavy]

4 hours ago, NemoH said:

Sad this is what you get… 

the earlier residents migrating to Thailand are all into spending money in Thailand .. but when you open up borders n prostitute yourself to all people .. then you will get the worker class migrating into Thailand to earn money within your land and take advantage of all your resources from healthcare to childcare to transport n you will end up sponsoring a lot of social spendings to cater to this second group of people coming into your country …inflating all prices for your population..this will be what open migration does. Social spending to cater to large number of residents who will tax all your current resources … look at Singapore whose population grew from 4m to now 6m and all social structure is teetering on over use n breakdowns …,So it’s a penny wise pound foolish policy. Short term gains but long term pain … 

I have never heard so much 💩in a post on here for a while. I suppose it was overdue 🙈

[black tabby12345]

The video quickly sparked outrage online, with many expressing frustration over foreigners taking over jobs typically held by Thai locals.

 

Commenters voiced their concerns, some describing Phuket as a “lawless land” and pointing out that this issue has persisted for a long time. Others noted the growing presence of foreign operators in popular areas like Kata and Karon and questioned why authorities haven’t intervened.

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Thailand's No-Foreigners Business list according to the Foreign Business Act 1999:

1. The Press, radio broadcasting station or radio and television station business
2. Rice farming, plantation or crop growing
3. Livestock farming
4. Forestry and timber processing from a natural forest
5. Fishery, only in respect of the catchment of aquatic animals in Thai waters and specific economic zones of Thailand
6. Extraction of Thai medicinal herbs
7. Trading and auction sale of antique objects of Thailand or objects of historical value of the country .
8. Making or casting Buddha images and monk alms-bowls
9. Land trading

As far as seen from that lists, Tour Operator is not included.

Can they still expect the intervention of Thai govt while they are not violating any laws?

 

If any expert among the readers, please share your knowledge.

I am no expert to this topic.

 

Business Activities That Foreigners Cannot Be Permitted to Do in Thailand – MSNA Group