Bogus Phuket Tour Guides, Gem Rip-Offs In Firing Line

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Bogus Phuket tour guides, gem rip-offs in firing line

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada to take stern action against Phuket’s illegal tour guides and rip-off jewelry shops. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Reputable jewelry stores were less likely to cheat customers as the harm done to their 'brands' would cost them business, said V/Gov Chamroen. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Phuket jewelry shops that overcharge tourists and tour companies that hire illegal guides are to be targeted by the latest campaign by provincial authorities to preserve a “billion baht” business, officials were told this week.

“I want tour companies to follow the law. Their main tour guides must be Thai. If they do not, they will be in trouble,” Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada told a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday.

“We have been trying to solve the problem with illegal guides for 15 years. I need to take stern action.

“We have received so many complaints about illegal tour guides of different nationalities that we have to try do something to manage them. Different agencies must coordinate in inspecting each operator we receive a complaint about,” he said.

He also cautioned that the authorities could not ease off on operators who keep breaking the law.

“As we have learned from the past, we cannot stop taking action as the problems always return and we find ourselves scrambling to find a way to solve the problems again. So we cannot stop taking action against this problem, and we must continue to inspect tour operators, follow up and evaluate whether our actions have been effective.” he said.

V/Gov Chamroen asked the Phuket Professional Guide Association to draw up a plan of action for tackling the ongoing problem of illegal tour guides working in Phuket.

“Although at this stage we cannot set a deadline for determining whether or not the plan is successful, we will continually carry out inspections of operators that we have received complaints about,” he said.

Turning his attention to rip-off jewelry merchants, V/Gov Chamroen called on Phuket Commerce Office chief Prakong Rukwong to draw up an action plan of corrective measures to take against jewelry shops that his office had received complaints about.

He also said he would ask officers from the Office of the Consumer Protection Board in Bangkok to come to Phuket to assist with inspecting dubious merchants.

Present at the meeting were representatives of five big jewelry shops in Phuket, including Wang Talang Jewelry and Gift Shop. All five representatives said they had not received any complaints about their stores.

However, V/Gov Chamroen pointed out that the smaller jewelry shops were more likely the culprits in ripping off tourists by charging inflated prices for lackluster jewelry.

“Recognized jewelry stores are not likely to have this problem because if they receive a complaint, it could ruin their reputation and cost their industry billions of baht,” he said.

Chief Prakong agreed.

“Most big shops don’t receive any complaints from tourists as their jewelry always comes with certificates confirming details of the item of jewelry and a statement of verified value.

“Small shops and stalls, however, usually do not offer such certificates for the jewelry they sell,” he said.

Chief Prakong said he would focus on having all jewelry merchants provide customers with certificates for the jewelry they buy, as required by law.

However, V/Gov Chamroen suggested using corporate branding as leverage in getting small jewelry merchants to comply.

“Phuket Commerce officers have to inspect small merchants to make sure they understand what is required of them by law, and they should support small operators in creating a brand for their stores.

“If small merchants create a successful brand, they will think more carefully about their reputation if they make any problems,” V/Gov Chamroen said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ares-17916.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-09-14

[BookMan]

As long as the important things are taken care of...

[Katipo]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

[lupin]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

That's a strange assumption. Certainly cheaper to get labor from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia etc.. etc.. or are you making the assertion these MUST be western tour guides? (don't see mention of that in the article)

[hedonist44]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

That's a strange assumption. Certainly cheaper to get labor from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia etc.. etc.. or are you making the assertion these MUST be western tour guides? (don't see mention of that in the article)

It's not an assumption, it's a know fact. Why would they hire people from Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia to be tours guides for all the Russians and Europeans and Westerners? It's been a big problem for years down there.

[lupin]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

That's a strange assumption. Certainly cheaper to get labor from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia etc.. etc.. or are you making the assertion these MUST be western tour guides? (don't see mention of that in the article)

It's not an assumption, it's a know fact. Why would they hire people from Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia to be tours guides for all the Russians and Europeans and Westerners? It's been a big problem for years down there.

Thats all good and well, but the article dosnt mention any of that does it

[hedonist44]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

That's a strange assumption. Certainly cheaper to get labor from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia etc.. etc.. or are you making the assertion these MUST be western tour guides? (don't see mention of that in the article)

It's not an assumption, it's a know fact. Why would they hire people from Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia to be tours guides for all the Russians and Europeans and Westerners? It's been a big problem for years down there.

Thats all good and well, but the article dosnt mention any of that does it

To anyone who has been here in Thailand for awhile, it doesn't need to be said.

[belg]

the main tour guides must be thai... mhhhh... i wonder why... only thais are allowed to ripp off tourists, right ? what other reason

[rbrooks]

Well Mr Vice Gov that puts my mind at ease to allow only Thais to be my tour guide. That will surely stop all the fuss about scams and rip offs. Jet ski operators are I am sure all Thai and look what an improvement we have there. OMG what a bunch of worthless public officials. It is hard to believe they even have the guts to print such BS which further supports the fact they are totally useless.

[market trader]

Note to self... Do not go within 200 km's of Phuket or Pattaya.

[cdnski12]

WHAT?? Bogus Tour Guides, Bogus Gems, Bogus Lady (boys), Bogus Booze & Food, Bogus Golf Balls, Bogus Auto Brakes, Fan belts, Auto/Bus/Truck Tires, Bogus Hotel Room Rates, Bogus Taxi Fare Rates ... what can this irresponsible reporter be think of? Bogus things in LOS ... No, not ever!

[Mrjlh]

>“We have received so many complaints about illegal tour guides of different nationalities that we have to try do something to >manage them. Different agencies must coordinate in inspecting each operator we receive a complaint about,” he said.

And just what type of complaints might I ask? Care to elaborate?

[fasteddie]

Given that employing a foreign tour guide is almost certainly more expensive than a local one, the logical conclusion is that the local guides are either a) unable to speak the language of the tour party, or incompetent.

Improved language skills and training are needed. yes, it will require time and money.... yes, 15 years should have been long enough. So why?

That's a strange assumption. Certainly cheaper to get labor from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia etc.. etc.. or are you making the assertion these MUST be western tour guides? (don't see mention of that in the article)

Not a strange assumption to us who have seen the many articles on the subject! Don't think the Burmese Laotians or Cambodians speak Russian very well!

[rfukata]

“I want tour companies to follow the law"

law of what? this place doesn't have any laws protecting tourists, expats, etc.

[Payboy]

to preserve a “billion baht” business

Wow, that's a lot of tea money!

[minikev]

When I applied for my work permit there was a list of occupations stating what you could gain a permit for and what you couldn't. A tour guide could not gain a permit so unless the law has changed a tour guide not from Asia would be working without a permit.

Not so difficult to control

[BookMan]

WHAT?? Bogus Tour Guides, Bogus Gems, Bogus Lady (boys), Bogus Booze & Food, Bogus Golf Balls, Bogus Auto Brakes, Fan belts, Auto/Bus/Truck Tires, Bogus Hotel Room Rates, Bogus Taxi Fare Rates ... what can this irresponsible reporter be think of? Bogus things in LOS ... No, not ever!

They have been talking with China and are going to stop all the bogus at the border now

[steelepulse]

Blah, blah, blah. I've heard the same drivel for over a decade here. Only complaints about foreign tour guides are from the Thai tour guides that can't speak the language, nor know the culture of the visiting group.