Phuket guides 'too greedy' say tour operators

[spidermike007]

Anytime someone is as emotional as this woman was, at this meeting, there is alot of money at stake. Perhaps she is viewing her highly lucrative franchise as being threatened? Who are you to tell me I cannot make 150,000 baht per month? Who are you to tell me I have limitations on my ability to fleece my customers? Who are you to tell me that there is a specific service that I have to provide in exchange for the money my customers pay? I do not like limitations. A free for all benefits me, and I do not want anyone to impose restrictions on the way I behave, what I do, what I earn, nor how I earn it.

There is a new sheriff in town. Some are having a hard time wrapping their minds around the possibility that discipline is being imposed on them, and that they cannot behave how they want, when they want, without any threat of repercussions or penalties for their behavior.

[utkb]

The guides here could learn some lessons from guides I encountered in Russia at the Kremlin.

Waiting in a long line to tour the Kremlin, I was approached by a an average dressed girl with badge around her neck and offered a tour guide of the Kremlin for about $100 (I was with a friend on business).

We were skeptical but said why not. Best $100 guide ever. They cut us in front of every line at each building and we went through 3x more sites in the Kremlin than if we had gone alone. They also new their facts as she took us around.

While I have very few (none actually) good things to say about Russia, the guide experience was the exception.

My point here is that if they want 1000 Baht to be a guide, be sure to offer something that going alone wouldn't get you.

that seems to be the case for a lot of tours that I went on in Italy as well, where guides can cut infront of lines and get you tickets that you wouldn't be able to obtain days in advance for popular destinations, but at the same time a lot of those guides in Italy are also run by mafias.

For Russia "run by the government" and "run by the mafia" are the same.

But your point is well taken.

[LivinginKata]

An unnecessary troll post removed.

[Jeremy50]

I cannot count the many times various drivers have offered to be my guide. Almost none of them speak English and believe a guide and driver are the same thing.

I learned the very hard way to never hire a guide for long trips. I thought I would drive to Laos from Chiang Mai on a visa run, enjoy the country, etc. I asked for a contract but he said his English speaking wife (he also spoke English) could explain things. Idiot that I am at times, I went along with this. After one day out of CM, the guy starts asking for more money. I kept reminding him of our verbal contract. I was in the car with these two for four days and his demands for more money became badgering. He even drove me to an ATM at one point. I stuck to the contract and when I got home I was about to scream when he said, "call me anytime if you want to see the temples".

Another woman, employee of a tour company, offered to be my private guide to Doi Suthep for 500 baht. You can take a songthaw for 70 baht round trip. Since she obviously could not use a company car for her sideline work, she wanted me to rent a car for her to drive me up the mountain.

Fool me once.......

I can't think of anything worse, someone telling where to go. I would have kicked him out onto the roadside.

[tingtongtourist]

The cost of living is very high, and we cant afford [to live on B1,000 a day].

haha i laugh with you..farangs on here are divided by this talk

some argue they can live in Thailand say they must have 60k minimum per month and will call him who lives on a 15k a month the farang kee-nok

For me when in BKK can live on 20k per month but can spend a 100k if i want

[baboon]

1000 Baht a day is the kind of money European governments expect their welfare recipients to manage on. It isn't like these guides have to fork out for foul weather clothing and winter heat either - are theythey (the guides) not being a little unreasonable here?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Min wage 1000B a day, really ?

[NamKangMan]

Is it possible that in recent years, 50 tourists would fly into Phuket, all unconnected to each other. A lot of these were couples and/or friends. So, these people would hire about 25 guides for at least one trip aroud the island.

Now, 50 people fly in, all on a package holiday, mainly Russian and Chinese, and they all hop on one coach bus, requiring only one guide.

Thai Business 101 is implemented - "work go down - put price up" and now we have them charging 1000 baht.