DerekMarshall Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 How does one go around becoming a T.A.T registered tour guide. I am asking for a Thai friend, what do they have to study, where (preferably Chiang Mai) how long does it take and what is the salary (average) and is there work year round and general working conditions. Thanks in advance, and hope you all had a great Valentines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericnoodeeka Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 tourist guide is on the banned list for foreigners jobs in thailand. google banned jobs in thai for farrangs.cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel1 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 He asks for a thai friend..... But he/she havr to studty tourism. And apply for a guide license. For all info why not drop down at a tour company?? Im sure they will know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 what do they have to study How to read a map, would be elementary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payboy Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Susan Dusit Rajabhat University offers travel & tourism courses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhaoNiaw Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Many universities run tourism and travel courses but a degree in the field doesn't qualify you to be a guide. You still have to take the specific qualification that allows you to legally work as a guide. Some universities include this in their degree course, some don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farma Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Going back a few or more years now my niece qualified as a tour guide. If I remember right she attended a specialised tour guide course at a college on the outskirts of Bangkok. Your friend should be able to find the address of colleges offering these courses using an internet search. I think the course took 3 months. At the time she said it took a bit of study to pass the course and the tour guide licences are for a particular area. I.E. north, south, NE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longstebe Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 My missus has just finshed her degree in Tourism. Most Universities offer the course. He/she would then need to apply for a license. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct99q Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 The TAT issue the licenses but they have no information on their English website about this (as it is - almost exclusively a Thai occupation) but the link here to their website you can email them for information in Thai. Just an FYI it is possible to get a TAT license as a foreigner depending on your location in the country. Mostly as a Travel Agent or Wholesaler but it is quite easy to get as a Thai person. http://www.tourismthailand.org/About-TAT Here in the Northeast a licensed guide/driver can make upwards of 3,000-5,000 baht a day (minimum for shuttle van drivers is 500baht/day) but for private tours (if you own your own van/vehicle) you can make the 3-5,000 baht during peak season. Remember though high maintenance costs, insurance, fluctuating fuel costs etc...all eat into your gross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rene123 Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 what do they have to study How to read a map, would be elementary. I had to laugh at that. I know exactly what you are saying. When I first arrived in Thailand with a hand full of maps (written in Thai and English) I tried asking local people where certain places were. Not one Thai knew how to read a map. And, surprisingly enough, many tuk tuk drivers were totally clueless about maps, but they could find any temple or hotel I could mention. Thais can get on a bus and ride for 16 hours, and find some obscure little village anywhere in the Kingdom, but they couldn't point it out on a map even if it is written in Thai. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 GF is a tourguide did her 4 years on university for it. How much your going to make depends on what kind of work you do and who you know. Usually with Thai client and being a tourguide (experience not just license) 1000-1200 a day. Working with foreigners depends on the company sometimes you get commission from options you sell or from shops where you bring them. Usually the base day salary is lower but there is a chance to make more. But you really need to know people in the business to get started they are all constantly calling each-other for work and to keep in touch. Good money can be made especially if there are some nice tips but some days its just bad. But it does mean being from home a lot usually a few days in a row. Often doing the same tour many times, and long days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rene123 Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Thank you for your post, Roblok. I know that you are into fishing in Thailand and I thought there would be a market for Thais who knew who to contact and arrange fishing trips for tourists. I don't mean just at the fishing parks that just about anyone can find. There are big reservoirs to explore if you knew who had a boat. Not understanding a language makes it almost impossible to do it on your own. I've only just become familiar with motorbike riding in Thialand away from the common routes, and I'm loving it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Thank you for your post, Roblok. I know that you are into fishing in Thailand and I thought there would be a market for Thais who knew who to contact and arrange fishing trips for tourists. I don't mean just at the fishing parks that just about anyone can find. There are big reservoirs to explore if you knew who had a boat. Not understanding a language makes it almost impossible to do it on your own. I've only just become familiar with motorbike riding in Thialand away from the common routes, and I'm loving it. Yes I am and my gf has though about it but it would mean high prices for those and a select group of people. If she has to make at least a 1000 for herself then things get expensive fast. There are though some guides in Bungsamran, (We = one of them) who travels with other foreigners to other fishing lakes and has good information about them. Its just that its a market that will get expensive quite fast if you try to make any kind of money. Then a bit later you got people bashing you for trying to make a few bucks. Anyway i have taken many a person fishing around Bangkok just for free. I like the company but setting it up as a business would ruin it. Besides i make more money an other way. You should also look on the site of Bangkokhookers (before it was a site to share info but now some trips are being sold) but still good information there. Edited February 16, 2013 by robblok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisb Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 GF is a tourguide did her 4 years on university for it. How much your going to make depends on what kind of work you do and who you know. Usually with Thai client and being a tourguide (experience not just license) 1000-1200 a day. Working with foreigners depends on the company sometimes you get commission from options you sell or from shops where you bring them. Usually the base day salary is lower but there is a chance to make more. But you really need to know people in the business to get started they are all constantly calling each-other for work and to keep in touch. Good money can be made especially if there are some nice tips but some days its just bad. But it does mean being from home a lot usually a few days in a row. Often doing the same tour many times, and long days. 4 years uni to become a tour guide!... She must know the whole world after that much study? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 GF is a tourguide did her 4 years on university for it. How much your going to make depends on what kind of work you do and who you know. Usually with Thai client and being a tourguide (experience not just license) 1000-1200 a day. Working with foreigners depends on the company sometimes you get commission from options you sell or from shops where you bring them. Usually the base day salary is lower but there is a chance to make more. But you really need to know people in the business to get started they are all constantly calling each-other for work and to keep in touch. Good money can be made especially if there are some nice tips but some days its just bad. But it does mean being from home a lot usually a few days in a row. Often doing the same tour many times, and long days. 4 years uni to become a tour guide!... She must know the whole world after that much study? Its just a uni that is specialized about tourism, next time I will ask her what one it was. There is a large difference in the quality of education in this country. Some quick courses are not highly recommended by those working in the sector. Anyway in the end its knowing a lot of other tour guides and having good contacts and working hard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekMarshall Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 site of Bangkokhookers Interesting name for fishing website! must get a heck of a lot of unwanted traffic. Thanks guys and gals for the info. Really appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhaoNiaw Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 (edited) Just to clarify. You can take any tourism degree you like but if you haven't taken a component that passes TAT authorization you cannot legally operate as a tour guide. Some universities have approved modules, but others don't. If this has not been approved as part of a university course, official guide status has to be acquired separately through the officially administered exam. Edited February 16, 2013 by KhaoNiaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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