Illegal Foreign Tour Guides Exploit Thai Visa Loopholes

[webfact]

FILE photo courtesy: Thai Rath

 

Efforts to curb illegal tour guides in Thailand face new challenges as visa-free stays and lax law enforcement allow foreigners to dominate the industry, warns the Professional Tourist Guides Association of Thailand.

 

Recent uproar on social media highlighted the issue when a Russian guide, unlawfully operating at the Similan Islands, used a Thai guide as a nominal front. The guide struggled to enforce national park regulations as tourists indulged in risky behaviours like jumping from rocks into shallow waters.

 

Association committee member, Paisarn Suethanuwong, voiced concerns over foreigners exploiting Thailand’s thriving tourism sector. The introduction of visa-free policies, allowing stays of up to 60 days for tourists from 93 countries, inadvertently facilitates illegal work practices.

 

Official data suggests tourists typically remain for around 15 days or less. However, Mr Paisarn pointed out cases of foreigners, notably Chinese individuals, engaging in unauthorised work at construction sites in Bangkok.

 

Previously, foreign guides might poach jobs from licensed ones, but now they control business operations in places like Bangkok and Phuket. They openly target tourists from China, Russia, India, and South Korea, operating outside the law.

"Thailand forfeits tens to hundreds of billions of Thai Baht due to these illegal practices, diverting tourism income abroad," lamented Mr Paisarn. He stressed the importance of law enforcement to tackle this issue, noting that guiding is a profession reserved for Thai nationals.

 

Thailand has approximately 50,000 to 60,000 licensed tour guides, including 20,000 English-speaking and 10,000 Mandarin-speaking professionals. While Mr Paisarn acknowledged the potential shortfall, especially for languages like Russian and Polish, he adamantly opposes illegal foreign hiring.

 

“A feasible strategy is to have Thai guides work with foreign tour leaders for support," he proposed. "Dominance by foreign operators is unlawful."

 

He urges the government to connect legitimate tour guides with companies to provide employment opportunities, enhancing their practical skills and competitiveness against foreign counterparts.

 

The rise of independent travellers and the decrease in large tour groups due to the pandemic hasn't severely impacted Thai tour guides, who continue to lead small private tours that often require escort services, notes Mr Paisarn.

 

However, foreigners continue to seek and exploit loopholes, directly marketing to customers and further complicating the regulatory landscape. Robust regulatory and enforcement efforts are essential if the local industry is to thrive and maintain lawful practices, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-12-19

 

 

[lordgrinz]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Mr Paisarn pointed out cases of foreigners, notably Chinese individuals, engaging in unauthorised work at construction sites in Bangkok.

 

I hope Thailand doesn't forget to thank their overlord, XI.

 

Maybe one day Thailand will smarten up and see they are being used and stripped of their wealth.

[jollyhangmon]

... now, who'd have thunk such things would happen ... ?! 

LOL.

[Tropicalevo]

Is this an annual article?

I think that they say the same every year.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Official data suggests tourists typically remain for around 15 days or less. However, Mr Paisarn pointed out cases of foreigners, notably Chinese individuals, engaging in unauthorised work at construction sites in Bangkok.

 

(Illegal) Chinese tour guides at construction sites?? 😆 

 

Is that the latest tourism trend, after travelling for hours to Thailand to 'visit temples'?

[StayinThailand2much]

13 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Is this an annual article?

I think that they say the same every year.

 

Reads like a government announcement, declaring that the 60-day visa-free entry needs to be overhauled...

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Official data suggests tourists typically remain for around 15 days or less (...)

 

Well, maybe they want foreign tourists to stay '15 days or less'... Will keep that in mind, next time I travel to Thailand. 

[ikke1959]

The result of outdated laws.... Groups of tourists will come and wnat to see and knows things about the attraction, however a tour guide is only allowed to do by a Thai... as so many other jobs.. And the Thais are not educated in English, Chinese  Cantonese as Mandarin, of course some are good.. but all other languages are not possible....and are forbidden by the law.. If you wnat more visitors, they have to let the outdated law go and change ... enter the 21st century..

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Previously, foreign guides might poach jobs from licensed ones, but now they control business operations in places like Bangkok and Phuket. They openly target tourists from China, Russia, India, and South Korea, operating outside the law

Aided by Thais ?

[khunjeff]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The introduction of visa-free policies, allowing stays of up to 60 days for tourists from 93 countries, inadvertently facilitates illegal work practices.

 

No, it doesn't. They made exactly the same complaint before the visa exemption policies were changed, so clearly someone who wants to be an illegal guide can do so just fine on a 30 day stay. 

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"Thailand forfeits tens to hundreds of billions of Thai Baht due to these illegal practices, diverting tourism income abroad," lamented Mr Paisarn.

 

Hundreds of billions? Seriously? Pull the other one, Paisarn!

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“A feasible strategy is to have Thai guides work with foreign tour leaders for support,"

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

a Russian guide, unlawfully operating at the Similan Islands, used a Thai guide as a nominal front

 

Sounds like the Russian was doing just what Paisarn suggested was "feasible"...

[transam]

Perhaps instead of IO's spending hours fluffing around with A4 sheets of paper for near nothing, they should put more IO's out on the street investigating known businesses that may use non-registered help.

After all, these businesses must advertise what they do, plus have touts out there to look at......🤔

[ChipButty]

28 minutes ago, transam said:

Perhaps instead of IO's spending hours fluffing around with A4 sheets of paper for near nothing, they should put more IO's out on the street investigating known businesses that may use non-registered help.

After all, these businesses must advertise what they do, plus have touts out there to look at......🤔

They only need to look in the facebook groups, it's like everyone in Phuket is an agent, 

[transam]

16 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

They only need to look in the facebook groups, it's like everyone in Phuket is an agent, 

Yep, it's easy, but, could be something 'financial' going on...........

[Purdey]

There may be a clue in Chinese language signs at building sites I suppose.