Desperately in need of over 4,000 tour guides, Govt lowers education criteria to 4th grade

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Desperately in need of over 4,000 tour guides, Govt lowers education criteria to 4th grade
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- The Thai government lowered the minimum education requirements needed to become a tour guide from grade nine to grade fourth on Monday.

With over 4,000 bilingual guides desperately needed, applicants fluent in Chinese, Korean, and Russian will no longer need to meet the previous education requirements.

The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Somsak Pureesrisak, said there are “vacancies for 2,000 guides for Chinese tourists, 1,500 for Russians and 1,000 for South Koreans.” Time is of the essence as Thailand’s tourism industry continues to grow especially for China, South Korea and Russia. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/08/05/desperately-need-almost-4000-tour-guides-govt-lowers-education-criteria-4th-grade


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-08-06

[BwindiBoy]

Lower??? Hahahahahahahahahahaha......

[lemoncake]

All the 4000 would be self taught ??

Have they considered to perhaps lowering the requirements for foreigners ? Ie native speakers ?

The amazing thing would be tourists would actually understand what has been told to them.

I once saw a Thai , Russian speaking guide. Only he knew what he was talking about, Russian group had no clue at all

[Thai at Heart]

4000 bilingual guides educated to grade 4.

Are they even able to speak Thai?

[Salapoo]

What M4 students aren't fluent in Russian?

[SlideRiceFC]

grade nine...grade four. On an educational level is there really a difference? I'm thinking not hence no reason to keep such requirements.

[Redhawk]

.....it is already on a low-low

[geriatrickid]

Perhaps they would have more success if they opened the position to the deaf and mute?

[Thai at Heart]

Why do you need an education certificate to be a tour guide anyway?

[theblether]

Why don't they just say......Can you speak Russian? Okay your a tour guide.

[dcutman]

All the 4000 would be self taught ??

Have they considered to perhaps lowering the requirements for foreigners ? Ie native speakers ?

The amazing thing would be tourists would actually understand what has been told to them.

I once saw a Thai , Russian speaking guide. Only he knew what he was talking about, Russian group had no clue at all

I do believe "cutting your nose of to spite your face" is Govt standard operating procedure.

[NongKhaiKid]

Line of least resistance, let's not get people up to a decent standard we lower the standard to meet what's available.

When uni " graduates " holding degrees in English can't string a sentence together where are the other foreign language speakers going to appear from ?

[theblether]

Why do you need an education certificate to be a tour guide anyway?

To keep the masses out of decent paying employment. A good tour guide can make serious money, they're sought after by the better hotels in particular and their tips outweigh any average Thais pay packet.

I know a guy that worked night and day as a tour guide for eight years, from 8.00 till 3.00am on his longest days, and made enough money to buy half a mountain by Mae Sai in Chiang Mai. He now runs his own tour agency and owns an elephant park, living the dream and only 32 years old.

[Briggsy]

While the official line is lowering of the requirements to bring in more applicants, the hand is extended under the table to be greased in order to look the other way regarding the use of foreign guides by Russian, Chinese, Korean tour companies.

Perfect and typical Thai solution. Draconian and inflexible laws which are intermittently enforced whilst employees of various public entities go around collecting undeclared income from 'law-breakers'.

You'll see this in every field from the times you can sell alcohol to the importing of luxury cars to the enforcement of road traffic laws. No wonder every Thai family wants to see a least one of their kids working in the public sector. 2 incomes for life, official and unofficial.

[NongKhaiKid]

Why do you need an education certificate to be a tour guide anyway?

To keep the masses out of decent paying employment. A good tour guide can make serious money, they're sought after by the better hotels in particular and their tips outweigh any average Thais pay packet.

I know a guy that worked night and day as a tour guide for eight years, from 8.00 till 3.00am on his longest days, and made enough money to buy half a mountain by Mae Sai in Chiang Mai. He now runs his own tour agency and owns an elephant park, living the dream and only 32 years old.

I once taught a class at a rural uni who were majoring in rural community development but nearly all of them said they wanted to be a tour guide because of the potential earning especially from tips.

A degree, any degree, was attractive to potential employers as it would show they had studied English BUT all were at basic conversation level and never rose above that. They had however mastered one phrase " again, again Ajarn ".

[theblether]

^^ Yup......fortunes to be made. The hotels need to know that they're guests are safe and in good hands, I know a guide just now who's basic rate is 1,500 baht per day plus expenses and she's booked four or five days a week even in low season.

She now owns four properties outright which is producing her even more money ( obviously ) and at the age of 37 she is already set for life.

ps. She tells the story of a family that gave her a 40,000 baht tip as she was with them night and day for two weeks. She couldn't believe it. That was a fluke but she expects to receive thousands in tips every week plus she gets taken to all the high flying spots, oh and that's never mind the backhanders she gets.

Stupid story, I went to Tiger Kingdom with my ex, she was driving, my Dad was with me. When she pulled up at the parking booth she was handed a slip of paper, and told to take it to the cashiers desk. She innocently went over and handed the paper in, and was asked how many people she brought and what package we had bought. The cashier then handed her 200 baht.

She came over to me and gave me the 200 baht, amazed at the sight of a Thai female handing me money..............I mean amazed............

I asked what was going on, to be told that it was a commission for taking us to the Tiger Kingdom. She declared it wasn't her money and gave it back to me, I still can't get over it.

Edited August 6, 2013 by theblether

[RefinedGentleman]

The best tour guides are usually native speakers who have been living in the area for a number of years. This goes for anywhere - I'd rather have an American or an Englishman who's been living in France for 5 years showing me around Paris than a Frenchman who was born there but can't speak any English. Same thing goes for Thailand - would much rather have an expat showing me around than a Thai who can barely communicate.

Edited August 6, 2013 by RefinedGentleman

[harrry]

I would prefer to have a tour guide who could have at least been able to read the signs.

[RefinedGentleman]

Thailand would really do itself a favor by opening up to foreign workers who are better qualified and more capable of doing certain jobs. Their unemployment rate is already less than 1% so it's unreasonable to talk about "stealing jobs" away from Thais.

[theblether]

Thailand would really do itself a favor by opening up to foreign workers who are better qualified and more capable of doing certain jobs. Their unemployment rate is already less than 1% so it's unreasonable to talk about "stealing jobs" away from Thais.

Who told you the unemployment rate was less than 1%? The Thai government? You'd be better off listening to the Tooth Fairy.

[Mampara]

4000 bilingual guides educated to grade 4.

Are they even able to speak Thai?

Solly, i noa undestand da inglish, watta you wanta

[monkeycountry]

"I know a guide just now who's basic rate is 1,500 baht per day plus expenses and she's booked four or five days a week even in low season."

I know a few of those guides too. They seem quite popular :-)

[RefinedGentleman]

Thailand would really do itself a favor by opening up to foreign workers who are better qualified and more capable of doing certain jobs. Their unemployment rate is already less than 1% so it's unreasonable to talk about "stealing jobs" away from Thais.

Who told you the unemployment rate was less than 1%? The Thai government? You'd be better off listening to the Tooth Fairy.

The CIA: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2129rank.html

But I guess you know better.

[arthurboy]

Anyone know of any government or private schools that teach Chinese, Korean and/ or Russian well enough and to a level where 4th grade students would be accurate and fluent enough to become one of the 4000?

[robblok]

Just to make a few things clear here its not that easy money. My wife is a tour-guide, did one of the most famous universities for tour-guides and speaks good English.While there is no denying its good work and that she makes nice money its also a job with much longer hours then most make, think 7am to 22pm or later at times. Of course there are days when it is less too. Now ad to that your gone from your family a lot (guiding the tourist for multiple days in a row) its only natural you get nice money. I believe 1.200-1.500 per day without the extra's like tips and commissions.

There are more drawbacks, you can't plan a thing as its a day to day freelance job some tourists are real asses ect ect. She loves the job and i do to gives me enough free / alone time that i need. But you only get loads of work when your good, you need good money management skills too and need to make reports for the company showing how the money was spend what options sold what money you got ect ect. You need to have patience with clients that try to scam hotels (drinking spirits putting water in the bottle back and claiming it was this way, breaking seals not drinking something and not wanting to pay) Loads of stuff, she once worked with Koreans and then there is often an Korean guide too (not official of course and bribes must be paid but as long as there is a thai guide its ok)

Soon companies know who are good and hardworking, those are in demand.. the lazy ones wont get much business.

[AleG]

I see the plan to improve the tourism sector to attract better tourists is in full swing.

[robblok]

Thailand would really do itself a favor by opening up to foreign workers who are better qualified and more capable of doing certain jobs. Their unemployment rate is already less than 1% so it's unreasonable to talk about "stealing jobs" away from Thais.

Who told you the unemployment rate was less than 1%? The Thai government? You'd be better off listening to the Tooth Fairy.

Thing is it would be a lot better if the wokrpermit thing was not as hard, 4 Thais... ridiculous but the Thai government does not want educated foreigners competing with Thais as Thais will often loose. They are too nationalistic to see the benefits.

[Payboy]

Previously, tour guides were required to hold a bachelor’s degree

I've met several who had obviously put their bachelor's degrees on hold - indefinitely.

[robblok]

Previously, tour guides were required to hold a bachelor’s degree

I've met several who had obviously put their bachelor's degrees on hold - indefinitely.

Many of my gf friends who are of course also tourguides don't even speak English.. its a shame. However they make a lot less money as they only work with Thai groups (contrary to belief there is a big Thai tourist market in group tours). Her friends that do speak good English work more with foreigners (usually not Europeans or Americans but other Asians or Russians / Indians) but make more money are work more independent.

[BrianCR]

Anyone know of any government or private schools that teach Chinese, Korean and/ or Russian well enough and to a level where 4th grade students would be accurate and fluent enough to become one of the 4000?

Yes, believe it or not, there is a very large (around 2900 students) school in Mai Sai which operates a multi-language section teaching English,Chinese, Korean and Burmese and you would be amazed at the standard spoken! By the way it's a government school and my guess is that if i know of one there must be a lot more around!