Crackdown On Foreign Tour Guides

[george]

Phuket bans foreign tour guides

PHUKET: -- The provincial authorities in Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket have abolished a long-standing practice which allowed foreign tour operators to illicitly use native speakers, instead of Thais, as guides, the provincial governor Udomsak Assawarangkul told TNA.

So-called 'sitting guides' have been hired by foreign tour companies, mostly Korean owned firms, for the sake of legal formality.

Under the Thai law, those firms can no longer hire foreign guides, but only Thai nationals to service their clients.

The governor said Thai guides would be regularly offered training courses in Korean and other languages.

There is an acute need for Korean-speaking Thai tour guides in Phuket, he said.

There are also a large number of foreigners working in other positions legally reserved for Thais, including sales people and business brokers, Mr. Udomsak said.

A campaign to inspect local businesses and identify foreigners working illegally would be launched soon, he said.

--TNA 2004-10-23

[astral]

Why not solve the problem by getting the people trained,

before enforcing the law?

Does he want tourists to go elsewhere?

[Highwayman]

There is an acute need for Korean-speaking Thai tour guides in Phuket, he said.

A campaign to inspect local businesses and identify foreigners working illegally would be launched soon, he said.

I heard this story the other day, and on the face of it this has got to be one of the more insane things l've heard recently.

Getting rid of the people who can do the job without having anyone available who can replace them. Shooting yourself in the foot l believe it's called.

[sriracha john]

The governor said Thai guides would be regularly offered training courses in Korean and other languages.

They should be ready when? in 2007?.... ok listen up, Korea... send ALL your tourists elsewhere until then, ok?

[george]

Update:

Foreign tour guides to face arrest in Phuket

PHUKET: -- Authorities in Thailand's southern resort town of Phuket said on Saturday that they would begin a crackdown on foreign national tour guilds early next week.

Tour guide is considered among career reserved for Thais.

Hence, no foreigner is allowed to take up the job in the kingdom, said the authorities.

Mr. Vicharn Boosapawanich, the Phuket provincial permanent secretary, said the province had set a special team to look for foreign guides who would be arrested for breaching the Thai migrant labor law by working without work permits, or illegally taking jobs reserved for Thai nationals.

''This special team is preventing and suppressing illegal migrant workers who came into the kingdom to work in the jobs we keep for the Thais only. The team will also draw a plan to strictly deal with illegal workers who are not holders of Thai work permits,'' said Mr. Vicharn.

The measure would begin on 1 November, he said, but related provincial authorities would inform local tour operators before taking the action.

''We will not yet punish any foreign tour guide if he or she is caught for the first time. A legal action will be taken against the second-time-offenders,'' he said.

Phuket has had 113 tour agencies, with over 200 foreign tour guides being hired, said the senior provincial official.

--TNA 2004-10-30