Phuket Ghostbusters: Illegal Guide Crackdown Looms

[webfact]

Phuket Ghostbusters: illegal guide crackdown looms

The guide crackdwon is unlikely to affect the many street touts that operate along Soi Bangla after dark.

The Bangla Police Box will be the center of operations during the crackdown on illegal guides.

PHUKET: -- Kathu Police are setting up a new center aimed at cracking down on unregistered ‘ghost guides’ operating in Patong, the local police chief says.

Kathu Police Superintendent Arayaphan Pukbuakhao told the Gazette that the new center, to be based in the police box on the beach at the foot of Soi Bangla, is scheduled to open in about one week.

The Bangla Police Box was chosen as tour buses organized by up to 50 different tour companies stop in front of it to let passengers alight and explore the nightlife of Soi Bangla, a walking street blocked to vehicular traffic from 6pm daily.

Work is already underway to create a database of registered tour guides and the companies they work for, Col Arayaphan said.

The majority of guides were from tour companies catering to groups from China and Korea, he said.

Creating a database will help police to identify unlicensed guides working in the area, he said.

“We know most of them. If any unfamiliar ones appear we will ask to see their licenses. We will fine anyone caught working illegally according to regulations,” he said.

Currently about seven or eight officers rotate shifts at the Bangla Police Box.

Kathu Police plan to assign one permanent head to take charge of operations at the box in order to provide better security in the area, he said.

According to one local media report, the initiative was also geared toward ridding the area of street touts who get a commission for bringing foreign tourists into establishments that advertise a variety of entertainments, including sex shows.

Hundreds of such guides line the streets of Soi Bangla every night, using laminated plastic ‘menus’ that provide descriptions of the entertainments on offer. These, too, feature sex.

When asked about this, Col Arayaphan said the effort was directed more at unlicensed guides leading large groups of foreign tourists who arrive by coach.

The issue of tour guides has long been a contentious one in Phuket.

Thai law reserves the profession for Thai nationals, but many tour companies are known to employ expats to lead foreign tour groups.

However, anyone caught leading a group tour in Patong is subject to a license check, Col Arayaphan emphasized.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-07-07

[CrossBones]

Ghost guides? <deleted>? What is the background to this article? Why are there many ghosts in paton?

[khaowong1]

only in amazing Thailand... I am an American and have never seen a policeman there ever ask a tour guide if they had a license to operate a tour guide service. how many pieces of pie do the Thai police have their fingers in?

[SamuiRep]

Not only the illegal Tour Guides,

the Problem with the Tourism industry is bigger than having a check point for tour Buses with catching some russian assistants of the Tour Company.

It should be solved with the Tour Company.

Isn't it true, that Inbound Tour Companies need to employ at least one official Tour Guide to run the business ? So where is the Problem

And another factor, many Hotels are running Tours and Transfers illegally (it is not legal for a Hotel/Resort to make a Tour or an Airport-Transfer).

Who are stopping them ?

There are things, which will never change...

[scorecard]

Quote from article:

"Work is already underway to create a database of registered tour guides and the companies they work for, Col Arayaphan said.

The majority of guides were from tour companies catering to groups from China and Korea, he said.

Creating a database will help police to identify unlicensed guides working in the ..."

In other words there is currently no database / record of registered tour companies in the area or registered tour guide.

Surely, in regard to the tavel / tour companies, the police and other minicipal authorities have access to the Thai company registry which is divided into various categories. And surely as guides are officially approved there is some form of official listing maintained, surely each approved guide has a specific number, so where's the list by numbers, it must exist so that the appoving office can assign a next number to each new appovals.

O well, I guess another budget will be approved to establish what should already be available from other official records.

Inneficiency seems to be one word applicable to this situation, but of course not the only word.

Edited July 7, 2010 by scorecard

[asiawatcher]

Just another skimming scam for the local BiB.

[alstaxi]

only in amazing Thailand... I am an American and have never seen a policeman there ever ask a tour guide if they had a license to operate a tour guide service. how many pieces of pie do the Thai police have their fingers in?

That would be all the pieces, but the pies are drying up, so something new has to be scammed up.

[jbhh]

It's quite common for police to check for tour guide licences at tourist destinations such as the floating market. I guess there are less tourists at the typical sites, so less illegal tour guides to bust, got to look elsewhere now...

I know a few guides, they love the job. It's not that hard to get a license and tour guides make quite good money (when they get work...). If the price hasn't changed it's around 50,000 Baht to get a tour guide license, and Hua Hin had a "special promotion" for 15,000 Baht recently.

[robblok]

only in amazing Thailand... I am an American and have never seen a policeman there ever ask a tour guide if they had a license to operate a tour guide service. how many pieces of pie do the Thai police have their fingers in?

That would be all the pieces, but the pies are drying up, so something new has to be scammed up.

My wife is a licensed guide and she has been checked many times. So it does happen.

[Tokay]

A licensed ghost guide?

Awesome. How do I get one?

[stevenhb]

It's amazing how the existing tout's (who are clearly seen everynight) are not being "cracked down on",I suppose there is no incentive?

How about the Tuk Tuk vermin? It's okay for them to overcharge and bully people,but lets focus on more important issues which might damage the tourism industry such as unlicenced guides???

Hilarious.

[Valdezugar]

What will this do for those tour companies that do border runs? Are their guides also going to be checked? Might be some interesting fines being handed out in the process . . . .

[Navalator]

Ghost guides? <deleted>? What is the background to this article? Why are there many ghosts in paton?

Just one more example that makes Phuket such a shit hole.

[fraksken]

Hundreds of such guides line the streets of Soi Bangla every night, using laminated plastic ‘menus’ that provide descriptions of the entertainments on offer. These, too, feature sex.

When asked about this, Col Arayaphan said the effort was directed more at unlicensed guides leading large groups of foreign tourists who arrive by coach.

Why not do something about this? Why not protect a bit of dignity of the Thai people? Mind you: I'm all for the Thai laws, and every farang should abide by it, or get out.

[4u2mad]

So, being a farang, speaking Thai and offering flexible personal itineraries and transport on the web is illegal is it?dam_n! another business shot

[TPI]

So, being a farang, speaking Thai and offering flexible personal itineraries and transport on the web is illegal is it?dam_n! another business shot down!<br>     <img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/annoyed.gif"><img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/angry.gif"><img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif"><img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/violin.gif"><br>

Yeah! Its always been illegal for farang to work as tour guides....its on the 1st list.

[shawndoc]

One of my wife's friends, who ran a tour company in Samui and Phuket recently decided to get out of the business due to too many unlicensed guides stealing a large chunk of her business. Apparently there's a big problem with European's living in Thailand working as undocumented tour guides to small groups of tourists coming from their home countries. When confronted by police they say they are friends with the people and just showing them around.

Don't know if these are the "ghost guides" the police will be going after, but the article makes me think these will still be getting a blind eye while the police concentrate on the easy pickings from the large Chinese/Korean/Japanese tour groups dropping busloads off at a time.

[moe666]

<BR>

Hundreds of such guides line the streets of Soi Bangla every night, using laminated plastic ‘menus’ that provide descriptions of the entertainments on offer. These, too, feature sex.<BR><BR>When asked about this, Col Arayaphan said the effort was directed more at unlicensed guides leading large groups of foreign tourists who arrive by coach.<BR>

<BR>Why not do something about this? Why not protect a bit of dignity of the Thai people? Mind you: I'm all for the Thai laws, and every farang should abide by it, or get out.<BR>

<BR><BR><BR>Only four post and he is one of the love it or leave it crowd. hehehehehe. It will only get worse.

[DickFarang]

Quote from article:

"Work is already underway to create a database of registered tour guides and the companies they work for, Col Arayaphan said.

The majority of guides were from tour companies catering to groups from China and Korea, he said.

Creating a database will help police to identify unlicensed guides working in the ..."

In other words there is currently no database / record of registered tour companies in the area or registered tour guide.

Surely, in regard to the tavel / tour companies, the police and other minicipal authorities have access to the Thai company registry which is divided into various categories. And surely as guides are officially approved there is some form of official listing maintained, surely each approved guide has a specific number, so where's the list by numbers, it must exist so that the appoving office can assign a next number to each new appovals.

O well, I guess another budget will be approved to establish what should already be available from other official records.

Inneficiency seems to be one word applicable to this situation, but of course not the only word.

Thai company registry can be checked by anybody at http://www.dbd.go.th/corpsearch/index.phtml?type=m

You only need to register first.

[seri thai]

Ghost guides? &lt;deleted&gt;? What is the background to this article? Why are there many ghosts in paton?

Because of the tsunami and the crime/suicide traffic accident rate. Thats why thai and until recently asian tourists avoided it

The thrill of cheap sex appears to be overpowering such phobias however...

[robblok]

One of my wife's friends, who ran a tour company in Samui and Phuket recently decided to get out of the business due to too many unlicensed guides stealing a large chunk of her business. Apparently there's a big problem with European's living in Thailand working as undocumented tour guides to small groups of tourists coming from their home countries. When confronted by police they say they are friends with the people and just showing them around.

Don't know if these are the "ghost guides" the police will be going after, but the article makes me think these will still be getting a blind eye while the police concentrate on the easy pickings from the large Chinese/Korean/Japanese tour groups dropping busloads off at a time.

I think its real hard to prove if they are in a small group. I also don't see the problem why a foreigner can't do that work. The biggest problem is that Thais don't speak their languages so the foreigners come in.

My wife is a guide so i know what i am talking about, many guides (friends of her) are real bad in their languages. I really see the advantage of a foreigner guiding. A Thai who is fluid in the language would be even better but unfortunately the standards are not that high. Also many Thai companies just rip the tourist off, (not saying the farangs aren't doing the same just look at the fishing guides)

[LivinLOS]

It's amazing how the existing tout's (who are clearly seen everynight) are not being "cracked down on",I suppose there is no incentive?

How about the Tuk Tuk vermin? It's okay for them to overcharge and bully people,but lets focus on more important issues which might damage the tourism industry such as unlicenced guides???

Hilarious.

Nothing amazing at all.. Payment per person to the MIB.. Thats why the short lived vests appeared, so the police could work out who was paid up and who wasnt.. Then they realized it was too obvious in its permission and now they are organized like a union in that ones that dont pay are policed by the ones that do.

Of course payment comes with right.. Hence they can muscle and strongarm, beat people up, etc and the police wont give them a problem.

[cup-O-coffee]

What the...?

Another crackdown?