File photo for reference only

 

Thailand's Minister of Labour, Treenuch Thienthong, has mandated strict inspections and legal actions against foreigners working illegally as tour guides. This initiative, announced on October 23, 2025, aims to protect local jobs during the upcoming peak tourism season. Such work is reserved for Thai nationals, with foreigners prohibited from engaging in "tourist guiding" or "tour organisation work."

 

The focus on illegal guides comes as Thailand witnesses an influx of tourists, especially from China, during its high season. Some operators have employed foreign guides in violation of Thai law, effectively displacing Thai workers. Under the Ministry of Labour’s regulations, 27 occupations are reserved solely for Thai citizens, making it impossible for foreigners to obtain work permits for these roles.

 

Foreigners caught working as tour guides without permits will face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban on work permit applications in Thailand. Employers who hire illegal guides could incur fines between 10,000 and 100,000 baht per foreign employee, with harsher penalties for repeat offences, including imprisonment and steeper fines.

 

Treenuch highlighted the economic impact, stating that employing foreign guides undermines efforts to stimulate the local economy by creating jobs for Thai citizens. The government is keen on keeping financial benefits within the country, aligning with its broader economic goals. Individuals can report illegal foreign workers through various official channels, including the Ministry of Labour hotline.

 

Key Takeaways

• Foreign tour guides face deportation and ban from obtaining work permits.
• Employers hiring illegal guides could face heavy fines and imprisonment.
• Thailand is prioritizing local employment to boost its economy.

 

Related Stories

Chinese Man Arrested for Illegal Tour Guiding at Wat Phra Kaew

Thai Police Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Foreign Activities

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-10-24

 

 

Good idea and than think that tourism in 2035 will 60 million...no foreign guides available and with the current low English speaking guides, nobody will book a tour anymore

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Some operators have employed foreign guides in violation of Thai law, effectively displacing Thai workers. 

 

Really? How many Thai tour guides are fluent in a foreign language, not to mention speak it in a comprehensive way?

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Really? How many Thai tour guides are fluent in a foreign language, not to mention speak it in a comprehensive way?

Its classified. 

12 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Really? How many Thai tour guides are fluent in a foreign language, not to mention speak it in a comprehensive way?

This is especially aimed at the Chinese market. There are enough Chinese speaking guides available.

A good way to stop people coming to Thailand a business is a business be it a local scooter hire shop or a Tops supermarket which are all foreign owned so why pick on the little guys let’s get rid of all the 7/11s for starters 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Such work is reserved for Thai nationals, with foreigners prohibited from engaging in "tourist guiding" or "tour organisation work."

Backwards nation

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Such work is reserved for Thai nationals............. engaging in "tourist guiding"

 

What Thai tour guides?

 

When I lived in Lanna and Isaan, I conducted my own tours which allowed me to go at my pace and to see what I wanted to see. Never had a Thai or any other tour guide. I must admit up north tour guides were not so common as in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui etc. etc.

There wouldn't be enough hours in the days over the next 5 years if they were to start busting places owned and run by foreigners. Not to then mention the amount of property and land in company names using nominees 🙄🙈

Well yes there must be loads of Thais that speak Russian, Hindi, Kamer, Arabic, etc. etc. They can barely speak English, well done the minister of labor, your finger is really on the pulse.... 🙄

17 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Good idea and than think that tourism in 2035 will 60 million...no foreign guides available and with the current low English speaking guides, nobody will book a tour anymore

yep,Tinglish is very hard to understand !

3 hours ago, brian69 said:

Well yes there must be loads of Thais that speak Russian, Hindi, Kamer, Arabic, etc. etc. They can barely speak English, well done the minister of labor, your finger is really on the pulse.... 🙄

I simply don't understand why I got thumbs down for my comment, instead can you please point out what you don't understand, it was sarcasm you know.... whoosh 

This is where the Thai authorities dont understand the need for developing infrastructure which includes teaching its citizens English starting from a young age. Despite there being many languages the majority of tourists if not fluent at least speak some English. Also it opens opportunity for Thais to work overseas or for Thai based foreign company's. 

20 years ago I had a scuba diving business in PNG, I had a Thai group book a 10 night trip and one of the ladies worked for Thai tourism where she travelled abroad as the tour coordinator yet she spoke very little English and no other languages apart from Thai, she was often asking me how to pronounce basic words. Thailand has been a tourist destination for more than 65 years yet many Thais cannot speak English and many that do have a very limited understanding. Its called investing in your citizens!!!

 

 

52 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

Also it opens opportunity for Thais to work overseas or for Thai based foreign company's. 

 

Most Thais working overseas work in manufacturing, agri- and horticulture, so 'no need to speak English'. (Even at Central Chidlom many years ago, when the store lost sales thanks to staff not being able to communicate in English with Singaporean tourists, the answer was "No need (to speak English)..." 😆 

 

Most Thais prefer working with, and selling to other Thais, so they can't be bothered to (properly) learn foreign languages. (There are exceptions, but these are mostly well-to-do Thais, who like to send their kids to foreign universities.)

On 10/25/2025 at 11:05 AM, paul1804 said:

This is where the Thai authorities dont understand the need for developing infrastructure which includes teaching its citizens English starting from a young age. Despite there being many languages the majority of tourists if not fluent at least speak some English. Also it opens opportunity for Thais to work overseas or for Thai based foreign company's. 

20 years ago I had a scuba diving business in PNG, I had a Thai group book a 10 night trip and one of the ladies worked for Thai tourism where she travelled abroad as the tour coordinator yet she spoke very little English and no other languages apart from Thai, she was often asking me how to pronounce basic words. Thailand has been a tourist destination for more than 65 years yet many Thais cannot speak English and many that do have a very limited understanding. Its called investing in your citizens!!!

 

 

 

 

I thought Thailand was overrun with foreigners working in schools in  TEFL. Is it possible most of them are lousy teachers?

 

I wonder how it works in the UK/US; do they let tour guides work right off the boat? In principle, British kids will all learn a second language at school; French, German or Spanish usually. Few will show any apitude in these languages later on.

 

On 10/25/2025 at 11:54 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Most Thais working overseas work in manufacturing, agri- and horticulture, so 'no need to speak English'. (Even at Central Chidlom many years ago, when the store lost sales thanks to staff not being able to communicate in English with Singaporean tourists, the answer was "No need (to speak English)..." 😆 

 

Most Thais prefer working with, and selling to other Thais, so they can't be bothered to (properly) learn foreign languages. (There are exceptions, but these are mostly well-to-do Thais, who like to send their kids to foreign universities.)

 

Same in UK/Ireland/US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand etc etc.

On 10/25/2025 at 5:05 PM, paul1804 said:

Thailand has been a tourist destination for more than 65 years yet many Thais cannot speak English and many that do have a very limited understanding. Its called investing in your citizens!!!

well if it has  been a tourist destination for more than  65 years as you say ,it would appear they are already doing something right, if it aint broke don't fix it as the saying goes,   up to them anyway , why should we even care , if it had not been for this article I would not have given the matter any thought whatsoever and won't be concerning myself unduly again

2 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

Most Thais prefer working with, and selling to other Thais, so they can't be bothered to (properly) learn foreign languages. (There are exceptions, but these are mostly well-to-do Thais, who like to send their kids to foreign universities.)

The "well to do " exceptions you refer to, rarely work as tour guides or shop assistants

2 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

thought Thailand was overrun with foreigners working in schools in  TEFL. Is it possible most of them are lousy teachers?

most of them are lousy teachers, if they were any good they would not be teaching TEFL for pretty much the minimum wage,   and most of the students being "taught" by them are completely disinterested and poorly motivated,  

On 10/24/2025 at 3:48 PM, ikke1959 said:

with the current low English speaking guides, nobody will book a tour

 

Correct/,  they want guides in their own languages.