Blockade-Sparked Tour Counter Blitz, 'well Received'

[Lite Beer]

Blockade-sparked tour counter blitz, 'well received'

Phuket Gazette -

The order for all 'Russian counters' to close, which was part of the agreement that ended the tuk-tuk and taxi blockade in Kata-Karon, has been lifted. Photo: Christian Mouchet

PHUKET: A blockade of the Karon beachfront road by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers has sparked a police blitz on all tour counters in the area using Russian nationals to sell tours.

So far the blitz has been “well received”, Karon Police Deputy Superintendent Narong Laksanawimon told the Gazette on Wednesday.

The tour counters allegedly specializing in Russian services were individually owned and operated by Thais – not backed by major inbound tour handlers – Lt Col Narong said.

“The tour counter operators have cooperated well with police and they no longer have Russian nationals sitting at the counters selling tours to Russian tourists anymore,” he explained.

“We have checked and confirmed that the tour counters belong to Thai nationals. The operators of these small tour counters are mostly people who set up counters in front of their homes. They explained that they hired Russians to sell tours because they found it very difficult to find Thais who can speak Russian,” Col Narong added.

The order for all “Russian counters” to close has been lifted, with the only business ordered to remain closed being a massage parlor on Taina Road in central Karon.

“That owner does not have the correct license for operating such a business, so we ordered the business to close until the owner has been issued the appropriate license,” Col Narong explained.

“I have raised the issue at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that Phuket [authorities] must clarify which occupations foreigners can do and which occupations they cannot. This would make it clear for everyone and easy for officers to take action against transgressors,” he added.

However, Phanompol Thammachatniyom, president of the Phuket Professional Guide Association, remains far from complacent on the issue of Russians being heavily involved in providing local tourism services.

“The Russian [tour] counters are telling tourists not to use tuk-tuks or taxis in Kata and Karon, They are even telling tourists not to use any service provided by Thais,” Mr Phanompol alleged.

“I have been told that up to 90 per cent of Russian tour agents in Kata- Karon do not have the proper work permits to sell packages at the counters. Some tour counters are staffed by foreigners, with not a single work permit issued among them,” he added.

“Also, these tour counter operators are not bringing Russian tourists to the island. They are just picking up tourists off the street. This doesn’t have the same positive effect that Russian tour companies who bring tourists to the island do,” he concluded.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ived-19945.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-01-13

[Chicog]

Ah poor little diddums, someone interfering with their extortion operation.

[Jimi007]

“I have raised the issue at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that Phuket [authorities] must clarify which occupations foreigners can do and which occupations they cannot. This would make it clear for everyone and easy for officers to take action against transgressors,” he added.

Maybe they should read this: http://www.bdo-thaitax.com/bdo/employment-foreigners

I guess the Russians may be considered to be a shop attendant? Which is a Thai only job, along with street vendor. They certainly aren't tour guides or conducting tours, yet another restricted job...

[taninthai]

You can bet that within 6 months ferang selling tours will be on the list of thai only jobs.

[Songhua]

Of course, what the Deputy Superintendent could have gone on to say was, 'Some say we have a serious issue at hand here which will ultimately affect all tourism on the island. We have bounced left at the whim of one mob and then bounced right on the say-so of the other mob. Unfortunately the bigger picture is still not clear to us at this stage and we have no further strategies ... but we did close a massage parlor'.

[steelepulse]

“I have raised the issue at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that Phuket [authorities] must clarify which occupations foreigners can do and which occupations they cannot. This would make it clear for everyone and easy for officers to take action against transgressors,” he added.

Maybe they should read this: http://www.bdo-thait...ment-foreigners

I guess the Russians may be considered to be a shop attendant? Which is a Thai only job, along with street vendor. They certainly aren't tour guides or conducting tours, yet another restricted job...

What about all the Nelapese workers that pay between 1-2K per month to the police to work for the Thais in the various shops in the area?

You also won't find one Thai in a tailor shop. Granted all tailor shops are either owned by a Nepalese or a Sikh ( although I must say most Nepalese and Sikh owners are Thai citizens, their employees are not)., yet there are no Thai employees.

[Jimi007]

“I have raised the issue at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall that Phuket [authorities] must clarify which occupations foreigners can do and which occupations they cannot. This would make it clear for everyone and easy for officers to take action against transgressors,” he added.

Maybe they should read this: http://www.bdo-thait...ment-foreigners

I guess the Russians may be considered to be a shop attendant? Which is a Thai only job, along with street vendor. They certainly aren't tour guides or conducting tours, yet another restricted job...

What about all the Nelapese workers that pay between 1-2K per month to the police to work for the Thais in the various shops in the area?

You also won't find one Thai in a tailor shop. Granted all tailor shops are either owned by a Nepalese or a Sikh ( although I must say most Nepalese and Sikh owners are Thai citizens, their employees are not)., yet there are no Thai employees.

I don't see working as a tailor on the restricted list. I do see working in agriculture and fisheries is banned. But of course there aren't any Burmese or Cambodians working in those industries in Thailand... Yeah right... As usual the Thais enforce laws on a very selective basis.

[NamKangMan]

Wow. A "blitz." I thought this would only warrant a "crackdown." It must be serious. These Russian tour sellers must be taking food off the table of these Thai tuk-tuk guys. :)

Great to see the Royal Thai Police acting as security and enforcement on behalf of the tuk-tuk mafia here.

[Konini]

The Hub of Blitz's

[Arkady]

You can bet that within 6 months ferang selling tours will be on the list of thai only jobs.

Working as a retailer already is on the list of restricted occupations.

[Arkady]

'“The Russian [tour] counters are telling tourists not to use tuk-tuks or taxis in Kata and Karon, They are even telling tourists not to use any service provided by Thais,” Mr Phanompol alleged.'

Even the Russian touts are clearly illegal, avoiding tuk-tuks and taxis does sound like very sensible advice.

[taninthai]

You can bet that within 6 months ferang selling tours will be on the list of thai only jobs.

Working as a retailer already is on the list of restricted occupations.

Retailer maybe ,but according to another report on here working a tour desk is not one of the restricted occupations,who really knows I suppose it depends how much money you pay to certain people

[NamKangMan]

You can bet that within 6 months ferang selling tours will be on the list of thai only jobs.

Working as a retailer already is on the list of restricted occupations.

Retailer maybe ,but according to another report on here working a tour desk is not one of the restricted occupations,who really knows I suppose it depends how much money you pay to certain people

Maybe they were "consultants" on all things Russian.

[warfie]

Apparently, it seems, offering good services at a reasonable price, is unlawful...