Thai tour guides’ latest complaint over Russian workers falls on deaf ears

PATTAYA:--Pattaya police chief brushed away new complaints from Thai tour guides that Russians are stealing their jobs, saying Thai companies should consider Russian-speaking guides helpful, since Thai companies don’t have enough employees speaking their language.

Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho told the Aug. 13 meeting of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association the Pattaya Tour Guides Club has filed a complaint at the district’s new Complaint Center, alleging Russian guides are working illegally, stealing their jobs and may be connected to organized crime.

Police Chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong said there was no evidence any Russian guides or companies were tied to criminal gangs. In fact, he said, owners of these companies “consider Pattaya their second home and have invested in the city.”

“Besides, there are not enough Russian-speaking guides at (Pattaya Tour Guides) Club member companies,” Supathee said. “So it’s better if the Thai guides consider the Russians as helping.”

Supathee noted that no charges will be filed against the Russian tour companies and pointed out that, in fact, the owner of the largest Russian tour company is a Thai.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/thai-tour-guides-latest-complaint-over-russian-workers-falls-on-deaf-ears-40501#sthash.mUZe04IU.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2014-08-22

Forget the General, I think Police Chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong should become the new PM.

Add English to that list.

A clear case of the market deciding. Why would a non English speaking Russian want to go on a tour with a Thai guide who speaks rudimentary English and no Russian?

I have to say I admire the Russian no nonsense approach. Give the people what they want and deal with the rules as they come up. Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

Pity the rest of the expat population don't have the cojones to do the same. It might make the Thais buck up their ideas of service. Buddha help them when Asean comes into force and the Phillipino's join the workforce.

Going to a bar where the music is played for the tastes of the customers not the staff would be a good start. I know some do and those are the ones where I spend my money but wouldn't it be nice if there was more bars doing this?

Forget the General, I think Police Chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong should become the new PM.

TBH I cannot see him lasting much longer, the total failure to address or complete the process of MB taxi reform - beach scams and cleanup etc etc

Pattaya has always been full of meetings and proposed actions but they are always left either unfinished or never get beyond the discussion table

There just seems to be a complete unwillingness for authorities in Pattaya to actually take action, what's needed here is the transfer of the hard hitters that are working their way through Phuket to take on Pattaya, I have no doubt that the first thing that would happen would be the rolling of a few senior heads in local administration

Surely the new PM can see what is going on here - absolutely nothing - only talking and inaction

It's time someone got drafted into Pattaya as it's pretty obvious the local administration are part of the problem if not the whole problem

A clear case of the market deciding. Why would a non English speaking Russian want to go on a tour with a Thai guide who speaks rudimentary English and no Russian?

I have to say I admire the Russian no nonsense approach. Give the people what they want and deal with the rules as they come up. Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

Pity the rest of the expat population don't have the cojones to do the same. It might make the Thais buck up their ideas of service. Buddha help them when Asean comes into force and the Phillipino's join the workforce.

Going to a bar where the music is played for the tastes of the customers not the staff would be a good start. I know some do and those are the ones where I spend my money but wouldn't it be nice if there was more bars doing this?

There is also a late night bar on Pratumnak soi 5 operated entirely be Russians "Tropicana" its not a clip joint, the Russian staff are friendly to any nationality

If work permits can only be given to people who can do a job that a thai cannot

Then having a Russian tour guide for Russians does make sense unless the Thai can speak Russian

As long as the Conpany does employ 5 thai staff and pays it's taxes

<snip>

Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

<snip>

Perhaps the Thai staff are on permanent holiday?

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Forget the General, I think Police Chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong should become the new PM.

I agree with that. The guy sounds like a free market laissez-faire capitalist. I would endorse the guy. Although, It would be nice to see him elected democratically not appointed.

they can hardly speak any descent english, why they think they could speak other wordly languages that is not thai

If work permits can only be given to people who can do a job that a thai cannot

Than every faring can get a Work Permit

Perhaps the embassies concerned should help to organize/police language proficiency certificates for tour guides. I do not mean that the embassy actually do the work itself but rather that (as with visas) a third party supplier (a REAL language school for example) certify language skills to a set grade(1,2 3 etc.). And if the Thai holders of such certificates are available, they need to be hired. If they are not then temporary permits should be given to native speakers - which will help with minority languages. How many Thais speak Turkish?

Five posts removed, as just illustrated picking up other members English language posts hijacks the topic.

3. If possible please proofread your post first, poor grammar and spelling can make the post difficult to understand. However be aware that not every member is a native English speaker and excessive posts regarding others spelling and grammar not only hijacks the topic but is poor netiquette.

Are the Russian guides working illegally? Forget about the convenience to tourists. Are they illegal or not? As I understand it Tour guiding is reserved for Thais only and it is against the law for a foreigner to do it. It seems to me that the Pattaya police chief is condoning the breaking of this law.If this is so, does he have the right to ignore the law to suit wealthy business owners?

"Supathee noted that no charges will be filed against the Russian tour companies and pointed out that, in fact, the owner of the largest Russian tour company is a Thai."

A "nominee" perhaps?

If work permits can only be given to people who can do a job that a thai cannot

Than every faring can get a Work Permit

Not for driving taxis and stuff like that

I know what u r saying

I just wonder if these your guides have the work permits or are doing on tourist visas

Most of them probably legit but some of them had better watch out

"Supathee noted that no charges will be filed against the Russian tour companies and pointed out that, in fact, the owner of the largest Russian tour company is a Thai."

A "nominee" perhaps?

Yes sounds like jealousy

End of the day we all sleep

Apart from that maybe other tour company's have a problem but at least Thais don't need a work permit, don't need visa, don't need to pay high taxes and cannot be deported

So there is allot of opportunity for them

Strange to see many people supporting Russian guides, bar staff, whatever.

Just yesterday a Norwegian man who appeared to be doing a good service to the community at large, was arrested for not having a work permit and visa irregularities. Some of the comments about him, such as being no more than a criminal, were over the top.

It would appear to some of us that the proverbial "blind eye" has been used for some tim for some nationalities, but unfortunately for the chiropractor, Norwegians aren't protected.

A clear case of the market deciding. Why would a non English speaking Russian want to go on a tour with a Thai guide who speaks rudimentary English and no Russian?

I have to say I admire the Russian no nonsense approach. Give the people what they want and deal with the rules as they come up. Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

Pity the rest of the expat population don't have the cojones to do the same. It might make the Thais buck up their ideas of service. Buddha help them when Asean comes into force and the Phillipino's join the workforce.

Going to a bar where the music is played for the tastes of the customers not the staff would be a good start. I know some do and those are the ones where I spend my money but wouldn't it be nice if there was more bars doing this?

Tell me about it. Asking nicely (after purchasing a dozen or more drinks)if they can play my compilation CD of classic rock, Led Zep, Clash, REM, Beatles etc. only to have the volume turned down or stopped entirely and CD returned to yours truly. Chek-bin please (for the final time). Out I go and on goes the vile dance pop at top volume. I thought it only happened to me...555

EEiiihhhhh

Request - Demand, did you ever hear about it dear Thai tourist guides ???

Or do you speak Russian ?

Pity the rest of the expat population don't have the cojones to do the same. It might make the Thais buck up their ideas of service. Buddha help them when Asean comes into force and the Phillipino's join the workforce.

ASEAN won't happen, the Thais will revolt at the mass flight of jobs to the Filipinos. I really don't think they realise what they've been signed up for.

It's nothing like the EU as the countries were initially on the same economic level as each other. ASEAN has in contrast has massive economic disparity.

Edited August 22, 201411 yr by makescents

<snip>

Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

<snip>

Perhaps the Thai staff are on permanent holiday?

You may actually be on to something. The thai paid Staff is simply paid told not to show up. 300 baht per day for not going to work. They are on books,Quotas are met. Taxes and social security paid. If this establishment can afford to do that, it might be a good business formula for others to consider.

I don't see why the tour companies could not do something similar, unless their profits margins are too thin.

there are russians handing out leaflets to all farangs right under the big TV at the start of walking street. no conversation is required as its all written down in the leaflet.........i wonder where the 4 thais for each employed russian leaflet monkey are? they must have work permits, right??

i dont often stick up for russians,but....grow up thailand...god...stop your whining..you want it all ...

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5555555

A clear case of the market deciding. Why would a non English speaking Russian want to go on a tour with a Thai guide who speaks rudimentary English and no Russian?

I have to say I admire the Russian no nonsense approach. Give the people what they want and deal with the rules as they come up. Go to Harats, the Russian owned Irish bar in Jomtien. Not one thai working there. The barmen are Russian. How do they get away with it? I don't know but they do.

Pity the rest of the expat population don't have the cojones to do the same. It might make the Thais buck up their ideas of service. Buddha help them when Asean comes into force and the Phillipino's join the workforce.

Going to a bar where the music is played for the tastes of the customers not the staff would be a good start. I know some do and those are the ones where I spend my money but wouldn't it be nice if there was more bars doing this?

Russians have much more experience in corrupting all kinds of government authorities in their home country and that is probaly why they are so successful in avoiding problems with the government authorities here in Thailand. Russians feel like fish in the water when paying bribes. Westerners, on the other hand, feel much less comfortable bribing someone and perhaps are not greasing their business operations in that respect sufficiently. On the surface it looks like Russian business operators in Pattaya have the local authorities in their pockets. One also should note that perhaps due to the huge number of Russian tourists in Pattaya Russian oriented businesses turn much more profit than the ones geared to Western clientele and therefore can afford to allocate much more on bribing. Corruption rules in Russia and Thailand if you look at the international surveys in that respect.

If work permits can only be given to people who can do a job that a thai cannot

Then having a Russian tour guide for Russians does make sense unless the Thai can speak Russian

As long as the Conpany does employ 5 thai staff and pays it's taxes

4 Thai staff not 5 and no way in hell a Thai can speak good enough Russian to guide people.

Learn a few words in Russian and see if Russians understand it

Edited August 22, 201411 yr by konying

If work permits can only be given to people who can do a job that a thai cannot

Then having a Russian tour guide for Russians does make sense unless the Thai can speak Russian

As long as the Conpany does employ 5 thai staff and pays it's taxes

4 Thai staff not 5 and no way in hell a Thai can speak good enough Russian to guide people.

Learn a few words in Russian and see if Russians understand it

Can't tell if you are having a go at me

But it seems as if you are agreeing with me apart from the 4 thai staff

Maybe it changes

Anyway I agree that Russians should be tour guides for Russians just as Japanese for Japanese and Chinese for Chinese and so on