At my hotel we have many customers who go and visit some of the tourist attractions in Phuket, such as Phuket Fanatasea. It makes business sense for me to provide vouchers for these attractions, so that I obtain the commission that is paid by that attraction. In order to comply with the regulations, I need to have a domestic tour agency licence, (ie just for Phuket tourist attractions & tours).

Does anyone know the procedure for applying for this licence? Pitfalls, problems etc? Just to comment that this is a licence so that we can sell tickets to these attractions, and not for me (illegal for a farang!) or any of my staff to act as tour guides.

Thanks

Simon

Simon, with your police connections and hotel business, I would have thought you were the one who could best find out the answer to your question. At least you should talk to the local TAT office.

Not sure how my police connections might help But asking the TAT will give me the 'procedural' requirements. what I'm also interested is to hear about the real-life scenario, pitfalls, problems etc.

Simon

Contact Khun Billy at Phuket FantaSea.

Gerd

It is very complicated to get this licence on the name of a company limited, and impossible if a foreigner is the only person who is authorized to sign on behalf of this company.

The procedure is easy though if the licence is applied for by a Thai person who fully owns the business (the tourcounter).

The requirements:

1) The business has to be registered at the orbortor changwat, the paper needed is called tabbian bou koun tammada

2) You need papers signed&stamped by 2 businesses whose tours/other tourist attractions you are reselling,stating that you are acting as their agent

3) You need to make a tourcounter like the ones you see in Patong and so on all over the place, make photos of it of the normal photobook size

4) You need to pay a 10,000 Baht deposit which will be put in a bank, you will get a copy of the bankbook.

Mind you this licence will only give the right to resell tours and so on organized by others.

I forgot to mention that before the application can be handled, you have to propose a name fot the tourcounter, plus two alternative names in case there already is a tourcounter bearing the proposed name. ("yeun chue").

its relatively easy and your lawyer / accountant should be able to organise it for you

for phuket only the "bond" is 10k baht