FILE photo for reference only. Courtesy of Thai Rath

 

Illegal foreign tour guides are shaking up Thailand's tourism industry by dodging the rules and bribing officials. The Professional Tourist Guides Association of Thailand has raised red flags about this persistent issue affecting top tourist spots.

 

With a focus on places like Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, these foreign guides, many from China, Russia, India, and Vietnam, are operating under the radar by paying off officers regularly to continue their businesses.

 

These illegal workers often exploit visa regulations, entering on 60-day visa exemptions or other visas like student or long-stay visas, to sell packages online and via social media.

 

More worrying is the revelation that about half of Thailand’s inbound tour companies are nominee businesses controlled by foreigners, who employ tour guides of their nationality to specifically cater to tourists from their homelands.

 

 

 

Despite crackdowns, many foreign guides remain active, using bribes as insurance against the law.

 

The Association suggests shortening the visa-free period from 60 to 30 days might mitigate the issue, by forcing frequent re-entries, which may cut down on illegal work.

 

Authorities are urged to bolster law enforcement to curb the unlawful operations that tarnish the sector.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Department's constant monitoring targets connections between foreign guides and nominee businesses.

 

Offending companies face blacklisting and potential deportation. Efforts are being made to clamp down on these illegal practices, aiming for a cleaner and fairer tourism landscape for Thailand.

 

Based on a story by Bangkok Post

 

-- 2025-04-17

 

 

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

With a focus on places like Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, these foreign guides, many from China, Russia, India, and Vietnam, are operating under the radar by paying off officers regularly to continue their businesses.

 

Now I wonder how many people would have guessed this would happen .............LOL 😁🤣😂😎

"..dodging the rules and bribing officials." 

Isn't that standard operating procedure here?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Despite crackdowns, many foreign guides remain active, using bribes as insurance against the law.

 

Well they are in luck, because this is the land of bribes, corruption is endemic to Thai society as a whole.

Bribes in Thailand....Jing lor.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Illegal foreign tour guides are shaking up Thailand's tourism industry by dodging the rules and bribing officials

Oh my

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite crackdowns, many foreign guides remain active, using bribes as insurance against the law.

 

The Association suggests shortening the visa-free period from 60 to 30 days might mitigate the issue, by forcing frequent re-entries, which may cut down on illegal work.

Ya don't say?  Have ya ever thought that the officials being bribed might get their bribers the necessary visas for a price? 

How is it illegal?  I pay them for a service, and they provide it.

Cracking down on the guides and the tour companies is fine but how about going after the Thai officials that are accepting the bribes.  I didn’t see this mentioned in the article.

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

How is it illegal?  I pay them for a service, and they provide it.

'cause it's a 'Thai' only occupation   😎

1 minute ago, JoePai said:

'cause it's a 'Thai' only occupation   😎

 

Tour Guide, or corruption? If the latter, yes, that would be a very protected Thai-only occupation.

4 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

 

Now I wonder how many people would have guessed this would happen .............LOL 😁🤣😂😎

what a useless reply.. by a useless m0r0n!

Well I guess it comes as no surprise to most of us that the officials can be bribed here, so where does the responsibility fall? On tour guides who simply take advantage of the system or on corrupt Thai officials who will do anything for money? 

 

The other thing that comes to mind is just how many Thais are fluent in Russian or Azerbaijani or Hungarian? 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

these foreign guides, many from China, Russia, India, and Vietnam, are operating under the radar by paying off officers regularly to continue their businesses.

 

 

Impossible !!! Cannot be 🤣

Bypass Thai Law with Bribes

 

Pretty common thing in this kingdom...

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

foreign guides remain active, using bribes as insurance against the law.

 

The Association suggests

Jail time for any officials caught taking a bribe. 1 day per 1 baht in bribe paid.  10,000 baht = ~30 years.   That will stop it in its tracks.   Penalties need to be severe.  No helmet, no more motorcycle.  

If I were caught over staying I'd be on the next plane back to the USA, afetr a week or 3 in a Thai jail.

Greetings from Florida. Ron Desantis will KICK your illegal tail off to ...someplace "else".

 

Married to a Thai lady 24 years ago. 19 year old daughter with two passports.

 

If Thai Immigration cops catch me on an expired visa? Guess what happens? I go to jail and get deported.

 

Rocket science....Oh wait...Katy Perry (whoever that thin lipped gal is?) and Botox Betty Lauren Sanchez just told us all about rockets.

 

Immigration laws are LAWS.

 

3 hours ago, blaze master said:

Bribes in Thailand....Jing lor.

Jing jing

How can a 6 foot Russian with bright blue eyes "slip under the radar". Surely it must be Burmese and people with similar body type to Thais? Well, good luck to them. It's one way of the Thais to help their poorer neighbours.

Foreigners have wholeheartedly embraced Thai culture in their life then. Govt should issue citizenship to them!

5 minutes ago, jaywalker said:

If I were caught over staying I'd be on the next plane back to the USA, afetr a week or 3 in a Thai jail.

Greetings from Florida. Ron Desantis will KICK your illegal tail off to ...someplace "else".

 

Married to a Thai lady 24 years ago. 19 year old daughter with two passports.

 

If Thai Immigration cops catch me on an expired visa? Guess what happens? I go to jail and get deported.

 

Rocket science....Oh wait...Katy Perry (whoever that thin lipped gal is?) and Botox Betty Lauren Sanchez just told us all about rockets.

 

Immigration laws are LAWS.

 

But some are stupid and unjust- most are in fact.

For me I see it as an article trying to put certain nationalities in bad light. Times are changing, till the time EU countries and few others were benefiting from 60 + 30 + 30 days visa it was ok... now with the changing economic conditions across the globe the other nationalities are also traveling... spending money and also investing. Just lamenting certain nationalities won't help the cause. Other nationals making inroads into thai tourism is causing business turf war... some will gain... some will lose... but nothing illegal can be done without involvement of the local authorities... and their connivance. 

15 minutes ago, kuzmabruk said:

Jail time for any officials caught taking a bribe. 1 day per 1 baht in bribe paid.  10,000 baht = ~30 years.   That will stop it in its tracks.   Penalties need to be severe.  No helmet, no more motorcycle.  

 

I suddenly recalled some joke I heard decades ago.

It was about the thieves in Egypt.

What If they implement Sharia Law(captured thieves will get their right hand chopped off)  in their country? 

Half of the population may have to live without right hand.

Or no one loses his hand(bribing the executioners and dodge the punishment).

16 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

But some are stupid and unjust- most are in fact.

the way things stand it looks like you could be kicked out of Florida too and end up in that supermax that your beloved leader is supporting and wants to build 5 more of.  I am from Australia fortunately but I think if you have been married for an extended time, have step children and or children of your own then its time for Thailand to embrace you as a permanent citizen.  I am the same as you.  Married 38 years, 4 children.  Great to visit and see her family but I don't like feeling the eternal outsider.

 

47 minutes ago, damo1967 said:

what a useless reply.. by a useless m0r0n!

Ditto.

Things here will never change until those taking bribes are suitably punished.

Professional Tourist Guides Association of Thailand 

44 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Well I guess it comes as no surprise to most of us that the officials can be bribed here, so where does the responsibility fall? On tour guides who simply take advantage of the system or on corrupt Thai officials who will do anything for money? 

 

The other thing that comes to mind is just how many Thais are fluent in Russian or Azerbaijani or Hungarian? 

 

Looks like they are simply filling in the vacant positions in the Niche Industry where very few Thais apply for/qualified.

They certainly don't give any negative impact on Thai labor market.

 

Perhaps this article should be more focused on the officers taking the bribes?

hmmm … bribes in Thailand , it’s so hard to believe?