Senate Seeks Action On Foreign Tour Guides In Phuket

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Senate seeks action on foreign tour guides in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

Phanomphon Thammachartniyom, an adviser to the Senate Standing Committee on tourism, wants to see an end to the problem of illegal foreign guides. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- An adviser to the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism has spoken out against the long-standing problem of foreign tour guides operating in Phuket.

Phanomphon Thammachartniyom, an honorary adviser to the upper house committee, told a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that he had been working for 10 years to solve the problem of Russians, Chinese and Koreans working as tour guides, but to little avail.

Work as a tour guide in the Kingdom is restricted to Thai nationals by Ministry of Labor regulations; violators are subject to stiff penalties – if they can be caught.

“We have discussed the matter with Russian, Korean and Chinese tour operators, but it seems they don’t want to employ Thai guides. Even though our guides are highly qualified, the operators still say they are not good enough,” Mr Phanomphon said.

Despite his stated confidence in the quality of Thai tour guides, Mr Phanomphon pointed out that tour guide training courses were insufficient in many regards.

“Though Phuket universities have produced more than 300 guides, many courses are only two or three weeks long. Having undergone only two weeks training, many Thais guides are hired only as ‘sitting guides’, while foreign guides actually conduct the tours,” he said.

"Sitting guides" are quite literally guides who just go along for the ride, having little person-to-person contact with tour guests.

Capt Siramate Thanapansiri of the regional Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town said that an investigation by that agency failed to find any foreigners working as guides in Phuket.

This was echoed by an official from the Phuket Revenue Office, who despite receiving numerous complaints on the issue, was unable to identify any illegal foreign tour guides.

However, Mr Phanomphon said it was impossible that officials would be unable to find foreign guides – if they were serious about the search.

“If you spend three days at some of the popular tourist venues, such as Wat Chalong and Laem Phromthep, you would find a hundred of them,” he said.

Responding to a request by Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa, Capt Siramate said he would inspect locations where foreign tour guides were allegedly working and report his findings in 30 days.

Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) Vice President Sarayuth Mallam agreed with the need to better enforce the restriction.

“We don’t think that enforcement will affect tourism. The law is the law; they must follow it. The important thing is that our officers must not accept money [from tour operators for looking the other way]. This problem would end right away if the appropriate action were taken,” said the legal expert.

“We will put in place short- and long-term measures to solve this issue. In the meantime, we need to invite tour companies from Russia, Korea and China to discussions,” said V/Gov Sommai.

Also at the meeting was Phuket Provincial Employment Office worker Puang Songnam, who reported that some 6,800 foreigners were legally employed in Phuket.

British workers formed the largest group, with 1,095, followed by the Filipinos. Russians accounted for 403 and Koreans 284, employed mainly as executives in tourism-related businesses.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16406.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-13

[steffi]

You should ban all tourists and then you won't need any tour guides.

[Shot]

" The important thing is that our officers must not accept money [from tour operators for looking the other way]. This problem would end right away if the appropriate action were taken,” said the legal expert."

This would solve a lot of problems.

[Moruya]

what a complete numpty.

I came, I saw, I registered nothing

[steelepulse]

Why not employ a competency test for the Thai guides in the language of the tourists? If they can pass a reading and speaking test in Russian, Mandarin, or Korean, they're hired. I think the reason why these groups use their own tour guides is they can actually speak the language, not a few basis words as is the case of most Thai tour guides.

[stevenl]

Why not employ a competency test for the Thai guides in the language of the tourists? If they can pass a reading and speaking test in Russian, Mandarin, or Korean, they're hired. I think the reason why these groups use their own tour guides is they can actually speak the language, not a few basis words as is the case of most Thai tour guides.

Sure that is probably a reason. But another reason is that the guests will trust someone from their own country more.

[keith101]

Can these trained Thai tour guides speak Russian,Chinese and any other languages or only Thai and possibly English.If they cant speak these languages fluently i wouldnt want them as a tour guide either,as most tourists dont speak Thai.Some laws regarding which jobs we farang can do i find utterley rediculous even though i will never work again.

[virtualtraveller]

Usual BS, Phuket has a lot bigger challenges that foreign tour guides, at least they aren't ripping people off. When last did you meet a Thai who could speak Russian well enough to be a guide? Get real, find something significant to moan about.

[Operator2002]

As I know - the Thai guides don't speak Russian - only several words - so how can they work as tour guides for the Russian tourists? And the tourists are often asking different questions regarding not only the tours they take. It would be very poor service and tourists satisfaction level if touroperators took the Thai guides.

[NamKangMan]

Why not employ a competency test for the Thai guides in the language of the tourists? If they can pass a reading and speaking test in Russian, Mandarin, or Korean, they're hired. I think the reason why these groups use their own tour guides is they can actually speak the language, not a few basis words as is the case of most Thai tour guides.

Sure that is probably a reason. But another reason is that the guests will trust someone from their own country more.

Are you saying they would not trust a Thai on Phuket. I can't believe that. This is the Land of Smiles. :) :)

[NamKangMan]

Why not employ a competency test for the Thai guides in the language of the tourists? If they can pass a reading and speaking test in Russian, Mandarin, or Korean, they're hired. I think the reason why these groups use their own tour guides is they can actually speak the language, not a few basis words as is the case of most Thai tour guides.

Well, are they "tour guides" or "interpreters?" We know they are both, but it's the "tour guide" part the Thai authorities have a problem with, and that's because Thai's are missing out on secret commissions and kickbacks from overcharging.

[laurentbkk]

knowing Russian very well I can tell 95% don't even speak English ...so unless Thais can speak Russian I don't see the point . It goes also for other nationalities . I have seen in Paris, London and other major tourist places any nationalities guide without any problems.

[Katipo]

" The important thing is that our officers must not accept money [from tour operators for looking the other way]. This problem would end right away if the appropriate action were taken,” said the legal expert."

This would solve a lot of problems.

This would solve just about every problem

[northernboy]

I think the problem does stem from the fact the TAT does not have a proper training and testing of guides as far as linguistic skills go. The long term solution has to have guides achieve proficient in whatever language they have a legal qualification to work in. As now they can work for any nationality in spite they are useless at their job, in a given language. Having said that the companies have to accept responsibility train legal guiding staff, it is not the responsibility to bend or break laws to assure the company makes a profit short time by hiring illegal workers.

What would European governments do if a Thai tour company was breaking laws. Westerners can not have it both ways, all the time.

[newermonkey]

This guy must have been trained by Robert Mugabe next step is to go around and beat up or burn all the forigners to death and steal thair businesses.

But I think Thailand should just prevent tourism, it make life too complicated.

[PalleBo]

Thai tourism will bite them self in the tail if they want to kick out the foreign tour guides as tour operators want their own guides and the guest trust the tour guides from their own country more than Thais. I am sure that the Thais cannot speak Russian, Korean, Italian, German, Danish, Swedish, Chinese, and Japanese etc. as it is very difficult to find a Thai who can speak perfect English!!

Instead make it easier for foreigners to get a work permit this will support the tourism industry in Thailand

[Sydebolle]

Well, then teach your Thai "guides" to speak foreign languages as, while Thai is the national language, you want the foreigners (foreign) money. To the best of my knowledge not a single foreign guide has ripped off a tourist with THB 200 for an 800 metres trip nor killed, smacked, stabbed or raped anybody.

Get your shithole Phuket in order, boot out the corrupt and you'll be left .......... with foreigners only!

What a farce. If I would be running a tour agency I would avoid Phuket alltogether and send visitors there, where they get some return of their (foreign) money by locals speaking the foreign lingua without fear of the above-mentioned scams and bodily harms

[Misterwhisper]

Even the tourism office in my small, central German home town employs native speakers of various languages to serve as city guides for groups of their respective countrymen, because the office has recognised the importance that tours be conducted in the visitors' own languages. Thus, we have Japanese nationals for Japanese groups, Chinese for Chinese, Russians for Russian - and yes, Thais for Thai groups. It just makes sense. Besides their mother tongue, the guides are required to also have an advanced command of either German or English, because in-depth training on our city's history and culture is conducted in either one of these. Afterwards, they're officially permitted to work as tour guides, although exclusively for the tourism office.

I have never heard of any local who would have complained that they're taking aways jobs from German tour guides. If a native tour guide is proficient enough in Russian, Thai, Mandarin or whatever language, they'd be given preference anyway.

I am not really sure what prevents Thailand's authorities to introduce a similar system, but I suspect - as other posters have already pointed out also - that they're being pressured by certain elements, because a lot of native tour guides and businesses would lose out financially if they couldn't drag unsuspecting tourists into scammy shops any longer.

A local tour guide I know personally once admitted that some 80% of his monthly income was derived from "feeding" tour groups to certain shops where they're coaxed into buying grossly overpriced products, for which in turn he receives commissions and bonusses. Milk the cow! That is apparently the only reason why being a tour guide is such a coveted and jealously guarded profession and why foreigners must under any circumstances be prevented (even by national law!) from infiltrating the industry.

[gark]

knowing Russian very well I can tell 95% don't even speak English ...so unless Thais can speak Russian I don't see the point . It goes also for other nationalities . I have seen in Paris, London and other major tourist places any nationalities guide without any problems.

with 100 percent certainty I can tell you only 1 percent of Russians can communicate in English, and very rudimentary one, for that matter. The only Thais who speak Russian fluently work as diplomats, not tour guides! How on Earth are they going to get decent tour guides???

[TantraMantra]

''Capt Siramate Thanapansiri of the regional Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town said that an investigation by that agency failed to find any foreigners working as guides in Phuket''.

''This was echoed by an official from the Phuket Revenue Office, who despite receiving numerous complaints on the issue, was unable to identify any illegal foreign tour guides.''

At least we can see here an example of the police covering for foreigners too and not just their own people

Or someone is greasing the right palms.....Sorry, paying the proper tea money.

[zepplin]

This guy must have been trained by Robert Mugabe next step is to go around and beat up or burn all the forigners to death and steal thair businesses.

But I think Thailand should just prevent tourism, it make life too complicated.

Thailand is so corrupt,thai men areso lazy,and 1000"s of thais would suffer if no tourists come over to spend their money,the small% that the foreign guides get is nothing in comparrism,to the amout thais would loose out if no tourists came.

Stop whinging,start improving things!

[Nonja]

Nationalism re tour guides is ridiculous. This does not just happen in Thailand: I have had unfortunate experiences both in Greece and Albania, where it was compulsory to have a local guide as well as an English-speaking professional from overseas. The local guide came along like a sack of potatoes: paid, but silent. I have been on tours in Thailand where the so-called English speaking guide can't string two words together. This is counter-productive. I would try to ensure that licensed guides can actually speak English.

[Hyponeros]

What has the most negative impact on tourism in Thailand? The cheatings made by Thais or the competent foreign tour guides (I assume they are competent otherwise TO wouldn't hire them)?

But as usually it is so much easier to blame foreigners!

[clinique]

Such a typical political move. Dont worry about sorting out all the Thai local scams like jetskis etc..which give Phuket a bad name BUT . Lets shine the torch on the foreign tour guides .. who probably help to bring legitimate tourist incoem to Phuket..

Bizarre!! Only from a Thai advisor..

[Colabamumbai]

Yes and your officers do accept money and look the other way.....A Thai problem nor a foreign tour guides problem. So mant things in Thailand are back asswards.

I think I will start advertising as a Canadian tour guide in Thailand for Canadians wishing to visit.

[madmitch]

The most logical option is to remove tour guiding from the restricted jobs list but only allow work permits to be issued to guides from countries such as Korea, Russia and Japan where it is difficult to find a Thai person with sufficient language abilities to do the job.

But logic and Thailand are two words that do not always fit together very well.

[fred110]

Why not employ a competency test for the Thai guides in the language of the tourists? If they can pass a reading and speaking test in Russian, Mandarin, or Korean, they're hired. I think the reason why these groups use their own tour guides is they can actually speak the language, not a few basis words as is the case of most Thai tour guides.

It would be easier to require all tourists to Thailand to speak English.

[tonysilly]

I speak Spanish and English. You think the company would hire me? I'm ready

[vijer]

" The important thing is that our officers must not accept money [from tour operators for looking the other way]. This problem would end right away if the appropriate action were taken,” said the legal expert."

This would solve a lot of problems.

Sure but it is only likely to happen where it affects foreigners paying for the corrupt officials to look the other way.

[vijer]

I am sure the bigger problem is

1) The stupid Thai logic, "you must have a degree to even take the course". My wife speaks English quite well and has a great personality to boot. She applied to be a guide but was rejected because she doesn't have a degree. Now thars sume smert thankin goes in on.

2) Having any kind of interest in your own country. I recently asked some Thai adults what were the most interesting places to visit in Thailand, all said Phuket (one of the worst places to visit) and none could provide me with more than two places to visit. I can easily give you half a dozen and none of them are temples.

3) Having a desire to know something more than what is the best skin whitening cream or what Thai super stars are doing or the stories in insipid Thai soap operas. My wife, her parents, and my wife's friends will watch Thai soap operas all day. Not that you have much choice as the 5 major TV stations show nothing but idiotic Thai soap operas or more deplorable Thai slapstick comedy shows. No science channel, no history channel, no science fiction, no crime dramas, nope just stupid soap operas all with the same basic theme. Hour after hour after hour. The Thai teachers at my school have this shit on all day. Clearly very few brain cells being exercised.

4) Who would want to listen to a Thai tour guide massacre the English language? Better to have people speaking the visitors native language give the tour. Oh wait a minute that's what they are doing. Ya ya I forgot this is about protectionism.

I'm waiting for some bright individual in the Thai bureaucracy to come forward and make a statement like "we need pass law stop them Native English Speakers from teach English, our Thai's knows do it just as gooder is them peoples"

5) [wink] [nod] If we pass a law against this then we can force these tour operators to pay even more tea money, er ah I mean higher Thai tour guides. Ya ya that's what I mean, higher Thai's.

Considering they only trained 300 Thai's to be tour guides I guess you could assume there isn't much desire by the Thai people to become tour guides. Maybe this guy should focus his energy elsewhere.