How To Become A Tour Guide In Thailand

[SunDaRi]

Hello,

I am seeking information on how to become a tour guide in Thailand. Is there any course that I need to take (and requirements for it)? I desperately seek a new career change.

I speak fluent Mandarin, English and good Thai

(I hope I'm posting in the right thread, I don't know where to post)

Kind Thoughts,

Sun

[endure]

Being a tour guide in Thailand is a 'restricted occupation' - one that's only legally open to Thai Nationals.

[SunDaRi]

I see lots of tour guides bring Taiwanese, China groups (I'm 100% sure because of their strong accent) around in Bangkok, Pattaya - those folks are working illegally?

[Goshawk]

Being a tour guide in Thailand is a 'restricted occupation' - one that's only legally open to Thai Nationals.

there's the key word, right there...

i know of many farang operating under this 'occupation' (usually involves an outside Thailand hosted website in english, aimed purely at western tourists coming to the Kingdom)

operate at your peril i say.. it only takes one disgruntled/unhappy 'customer' (or an undercover $$ in eyes journo') to bring the house down.

some do use local guides.. some do not.

[SunDaRi]

Oh My God, it sounds like I can just approach any agencies and see if they are willing to use my services! That sounds too easy and too good to be true, I was anticipating further training of a year or so- and internships at the basic level.

I do think foreigner tour guides are more appropriate for taiwanese, china market - I have never met a single thai who can speak really good Mandarin. A small handful who can speak good english.

I shall get some local mandarin papers and see if there're local agencies.

Edited July 14, 2011 by SunDaRi

[SteeleJoe]

Oh My God, it sounds like I can just approach any agencies and see if they are willing to use my services! That sounds too easy and too good to be true, I was anticipating further training of a year or so- and internships at the basic level.

I do think foreigner tour guides are more appropriate for taiwanese, china market - I have never met a single thai who can speak really good Mandarin. A small handful who can speak good english.

I shall get some local mandarin papers and see if there're local agencies.

It's late and I can't be bothered to say all the things someone else no doubt will but I will ask this: aside from anything else (legal and ethical issues etc) -- do you actually know anything about Thailand? Have you considered there's more to being a guide than language skills?

[SunDaRi]

I'm understand a good deal about the local attractions etc., the traveling agencies normally have a translated version of the brochure and I shall memorize the brochures and combine them with my knowledge. I've been in Thailand for pretty long, I know Bangkok and Pattaya very well but not else where. I shall check to see if there's internships in those agencies, it will not be this easy I know.

[endure]

I should check out the facilities available at the IDC while you're at it.

[SteeleJoe]

I should check out the facilities available at the IDC while you're at it.

I understand there are some nice Nigerian and Pakistani gentleman there who offer internships.

[SunDaRi]

I should check out the facilities available at the IDC while you're at it.

I understand there are some nice Nigerian and Pakistani gentleman there who offer internships.

What's IDC? I don't think I will qualify with those folks, I'm seeking mandarin group tours really.

[Nisa]

You can try standing around the airport and molesting confused looking travelers as they come out of customs. ;-)

[endure]

I should check out the facilities available at the IDC while you're at it.

I understand there are some nice Nigerian and Pakistani gentleman there who offer internships.

What's IDC? I don't think I will qualify with those folks, I'm seeking mandarin group tours really.

If you work in a restricted occupation, without a work permit or without an appropriate visa you most certainly will qualify for the IDC - it's the Immigration Detention Centre. It's the place where they lock you up before they deport you.

[Nisa]

I should check out the facilities available at the IDC while you're at it.

I understand there are some nice Nigerian and Pakistani gentleman there who offer internships.

What's IDC? I don't think I will qualify with those folks, I'm seeking mandarin group tours really.

If you work in a restricted occupation, without a work permit or without an appropriate visa you most certainly will qualify for the IDC - it's the Immigration Detention Centre. It's the place where they lock you up before they deport you.

If the OP was to contract with the groups before they came to Thailand and all fund/payment transfers were done outside Thailand ... would it then be considered working in Thailand.

I'm sure they are not going to harass a teacher in the following circumstances but it would seem to be no different than a teacher bringing students over and being their chaperone and guide while visiting. I would think it would be the same scenario if his company was based in the country where his target marker is.

Other examples would be a family who brings their nanny along for a vacation or a wealthy person who visits with their personal assistant. Again, maybe technically these too would be illegal but are just overlooked. Obviously being a tour guide needs to be done by the books since you are likely going to ruffle the feathers of local guides.

[endure]

Are you willing to serve his time in the IDC?

[Ijustwannateach]

I would guess that it IS possible (not legal, but possible) for OP to walk into some travel agency, ask for work, and get employed without any sign of past experience. I've heard stranger stories. However, OP should be aware that the Thais themselves *do* get formal training for that occupation; usually is several years at one of the Rajhabat vocational universities. You'd somehow need to demonstrate pretty conclusively that you would either be better than a Thai for them at EQUAL pay (very low) or MUCH better than a Thai for better pay, all while being inexperienced and illegal, to convince someone to hire you. And please do be aware that it's very unlikely that if you were caught, the company would suffer any major issues. However, if you have a falling out, they may be the ones to report you.

[robblok]

I see lots of tour guides bring Taiwanese, China groups (I'm 100% sure because of their strong accent) around in Bangkok, Pattaya - those folks are working illegally?

Let me elaborate, my gf is a real tour guide who went to university for it. They do take foreign tour guides with them but this is illegal and the police is bribed. So yes it does happen but it is illegal.

[robblok]

I would guess that it IS possible (not legal, but possible) for OP to walk into some travel agency, ask for work, and get employed without any sign of past experience. I've heard stranger stories. However, OP should be aware that the Thais themselves *do* get formal training for that occupation; usually is several years at one of the Rajhabat vocational universities. You'd somehow need to demonstrate pretty conclusively that you would either be better than a Thai for them at EQUAL pay (very low) or MUCH better than a Thai for better pay, all while being inexperienced and illegal, to convince someone to hire you. And please do be aware that it's very unlikely that if you were caught, the company would suffer any major issues. However, if you have a falling out, they may be the ones to report you.

As far as i know there is indeed formal training but not all go to universities for it. My wife is one of those guides. She worked with Koreans, Indians, Iranians, Thai (real big portion of the work), some other nationalities too. Not really westerners because most of them do it individual.

The guides must have a license and wear it around their neck. Many work free lance and get contacted by middle men / companies. The better your quality of work is the more clients you will get. She has done the city tour stuff too (free tours given by an Indian company where she had to make the money of the shopping of the tourists too she did not like that much)

She worked with Korean and Iranian and Russian guides, always they had to be accompanied by a Thai guide and the immigration / labor had to be bribed because many times the buses were checked for foreign tour guides.

[SteeleJoe]

Way back in the day (20+ years ago) I seem to recall the dodge was that the foreigner was a "Group Leader" and, yes, always accompanied by a Thai guide. Not claiming that it was legal, but I happen to know it was done.

[SunDaRi]

I think I understand now, it'll be at my own risk if I were to work as a tour guide (it was in my every intention to be legal) and also, get a license whenever possible. I don't think I will qualify for those vocational schools because the studies is in thai language.

To Nisa:

I do know for sure if the customers paid abroad, and the person is in contact in Thailand - it's not considered working. It's like a accompanied tour guide from the foreign counterpart to "accompany" this group in Thailand (in my case).

I will not risk anything illegal and will take a look first.

[endure]

If you act as a tour guide it's working no matter where you get paid. Even unpaid volunteers require a work permit in Thailand.

[Nisa]

If you act as a tour guide it's working no matter where you get paid. Even unpaid volunteers require a work permit in Thailand.

Is there no wiggle room here at all for employs of foreign companies? Not to get carried away with scenarios but what if an executive of a Pepsi (example) came from the US to implement some new procedures at the bottling plant in Thailand, would he really have to register for a work permit during a 2-week stay?

[bobdown1]

i think u were aleady told unless your a thai citizen you cant do the job

then u still have to be certified by the tourism authority

[TheWalkingMan]

If you act as a tour guide it's working no matter where you get paid. Even unpaid volunteers require a work permit in Thailand.

Is there no wiggle room here at all for employs of foreign companies? Not to get carried away with scenarios but what if an executive of a Pepsi (example) came from the US to implement some new procedures at the bottling plant in Thailand, would he really have to register for a work permit during a 2-week stay?

The executive would need to get a permit. A friend of mine occasionally goes to Thailand to either attend a conference or to make a presentation at a conference. She told me that she (her company) needed to fill out some paperwork for a permit if she was giving a presentation.

TheWalkingMan

[Cuban]

Working legally you need a Work Permit (WP4).

As mentioned you can not be a "tour guide" if you are not a Thai national.

The job title in your WP4 can not be "tour guide".

You can get a WP4 as an assistant for 'farang relations' working with a Thai tour guide. In my experience this is the path taken by the various Russian nationals working as tour guides Coordinators (Farang) Tourist Escort Assistant, as it might be worded in their WP4.

[From talking with a Russian Tour Guide I knew, my WP4 which was also for a Thai reserved occupation, but worded to fit within the rules.]

[endure]

To the OP:

Are there any tour companies in Taiwan that specialise in tours to Thailand? It might be an idea to get in touch with them and see how they work.

Edited July 15, 2011 by endure

[bifftastic]

Lots of Chinese tours around the Golden Palace, Wat Phra Gieow, etc last time I was in Bangkok, all with Chinese guides, no ID badges on show, all went through the 'foreigners have to pay' line as opposed to the 'Thai nationals get in for free' line.

I guess they're illegal, due to Tour Guide being a restricted profession (maybe they call it something else to get around the restriction?) but they're doing it right out in the open, and very noisily too!

[moe666]

I have a friend (Thai) who works for a big American tour company and they have no need for a English speaker with them as all employess speak very good english. He attended university for his training.

[endure]

The OP is from Taiwan and speaks Mandarin as well as English.

[Nisa]

If you act as a tour guide it's working no matter where you get paid. Even unpaid volunteers require a work permit in Thailand.

Is there no wiggle room here at all for employs of foreign companies? Not to get carried away with scenarios but what if an executive of a Pepsi (example) came from the US to implement some new procedures at the bottling plant in Thailand, would he really have to register for a work permit during a 2-week stay?

The executive would need to get a permit. A friend of mine occasionally goes to Thailand to either attend a conference or to make a presentation at a conference. She told me that she (her company) needed to fill out some paperwork for a permit if she was giving a presentation.

TheWalkingMan

Wow, that is crazy. I would "think' this is not typical in countries where you can visit for a short period of time without a visa but the only country I've done this a number of times is Singapore. I've always told them I was visiting for work and they never bat an eye lash but then again maybe it is because there are so many satellite offices of foreign owned businesses there.

[robblok]

Thailand is just really obsessed by making it hard for foreigners to earn a living here. Like if you want to set up a small company selling websites to clients in your home country you still need to employ 5 Thais to get a work permit plus you cant own 100% of the stock in your own company.

My wife the tour guide loves her work and studied for it, but at times she understand the need for native speaking guides too.