Tour guides in Thailand demand crackdown on foreign tour guides

[webfact]

Tour Guides in Bangkok Demand Crackdown on Foreign Tour Guides
BY JACOB MASLOW



BANGKOK: -- Tour guides in Thailand protested in the street of Bangkok on Monday morning. The protestors are urging the government to intervene against foreign tour guides that are causing business to slow in the country. Approximately 500 tour guides hit the street and petitioned Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister, to take swift action against the violators.

The group asserts that foreign tour guides operating illegally have threatened the tourism sector, one of the biggest sectors in the country.

The group walked to the Government House before going to the Tourism and Sports Ministry where the protests continued. The group eventually walked to the Labour Ministry before ending the protest for the day.

Full story: https://ethailand.com/business-news/tour-guides-in-bangkok-demand-crackdown-on-foreign-tour-guides/2223/

-- eThailand 2016-04-12

[lkv]

Do I notice a Chinese family on the elephant?

So you thought Chinese are as stupid as we were when we injected enormous amounts of cash into your economy?

Ya ya. Tell the Chinese what they should or should not be doing. Good luck.

[jaidam]

Protectionism is not helping Thailand. Guides upping their game is the only real answer, far too many lazy, slovenly "guides" making no effort to communicate or entertain and they only get away with it because it is so darned hard to employ professional farang guides.

[Bluespunk]

"Guides in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket state that Chinese tour operators are used illegally because they are priced much lower"

No, they are used because they speak the language of the tourists, they are able to answer their questions and are not so arrogant to feel the tourists are there for the guides benefit rather than the opposite way round.

[uthaithanirules]

Yeah, LOL its the foreign tour guides causing a downturn in their business, couldnt possibly be them.

[bangkokfrog]

The group asserts that foreign tour guides operating illegally have threatened the tourism sector, one of the biggest sectors in the country.

Actually, the availability of foreign guides probably helps the overall tourism sector rather than threatens it. All it threatens is the comfort of local tour guides!

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Funny. Government Help Sought to Get More Chinese Speaking Guides

[apetley]

The reason there is so little work for tour guides is because there is way too much oversupply of said guides.

My Thai wife recently completed a course and qualified as a guide. It consisted of two classes, about 80 students. So far it appears 2 have taken up employment in the sector.

As an aside the course was for English speaking guides, nobody failed despite most of them having little or zero English language skills.

Instead of blaming foreigners Thailand should put it's own house in order and address the problem of seriously unqualified homegrown tour guides.

[SOTIRIOS]

..........jeez......why don't they look in the mirror .....

[alant]

Protectionism is not helping Thailand. Guides upping their game is the only real answer, far too many lazy, slovenly "guides" making no effort to communicate or entertain and they only get away with it because it is so darned hard to employ professional farang guides.

Agree, I believe that rather than the damaging protectionist behaviour they should look to legalise overseas guides and whilst they are at it some of the guides may want to revise their pricing. It is not all about pricing but many guides have adopted this is my price take it or leave it attitude. It is hard work finding good guides nowadays.

[Roomuck]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

[BEVUP]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

Fair enough. Thais should put more effort into learning different languages (as above), but at least they go to classes & learn. No need to try & jump the border in Australia as they just give out Visas & automatic residency to unskilled & semi - skilled workers throwing their own on the scrap heap (from personal exp ).

Just look at the list of jobs Falangs cannot do that protect their own

[ourmanflint]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

So international tours are illegal? And anyone leading an international tour must empoy a local guide when they arrive rather than lead the tour themselves?

[Roomuck]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

Fair enough. Thais should put more effort into learning different languages (as above), but at least they go to classes & learn. No need to try & jump the border in Australia as they just give out Visas & automatic residency to unskilled & semi - skilled workers throwing their own on the scrap heap (from personal exp ).

Just look at the list of jobs Falangs cannot do that protect their own

It ain't easy learning another language. By reading your post I am sure you can not. The recent Chinese wave just replaced the Russian one. You think you can learn Chinese in a year or two, not even living there? No way. Do you live in Thailand. Could you speak fluently after two years? No bloody way.

You seem bitter that you were replaced by a foreigner, why should the Thais cop it?

In Australia they make new comers learn English and if they don't pass an IELTS exam they don't get the visa.

The list of jobs only for the Thais is for all foreigners, not just farangs.

Suits me anyway, I don't want to work. I am lazy.

[Roomuck]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

So international tours are illegal? And anyone leading an international tour must empoy a local guide when they arrive rather than lead the tour themselves?

Yes, working without a work permit is illegal.

If you follow the rules and get a work permit it is legal.

But many don't, I know a Brazillian who does it illegally. That's what the Thai tour operators are bitching about.

[Ulic]

Protectionism is not helping Thailand. Guides upping their game is the only real answer, far too many lazy, slovenly "guides" making no effort to communicate or entertain and they only get away with it because it is so darned hard to employ professional farang guides.

All Thai guides are fully employed, what they resent is the Gem shop/shopping kick backs

going to the foreign tour guides/guide companies. It should also be understood they are

also protesting Thai guides from other parts of Thailand that they do not want working

in there region (Usually Phuket and Pattaya). It is not about employment but it is about

money.

[jerico2017]

I want a crackdown on Thai people working in Thai restaurants in my home country please. They put too much Thainess in my shrimp. I can do better.

[Thongkorn]

The fact is Falange know more about Thailand than the Thai due to poor or no realistiacl Education.

[tomyummer]

Yeah! The foreign guides are preventing us from directing tours and visitors to restaurants and shady jewelry stores! We want our fat commissions! Even if we can't speak your language clear enough, we want your tips!

[taony]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

So international tours are illegal? And anyone leading an international tour must empoy a local guide when they arrive rather than lead the tour themselves?

Yes, working without a work permit is illegal.

If you follow the rules and get a work permit it is legal.

But many don't, I know a Brazillian who does it illegally. That's what the Thai tour operators are bitching about.

There are rules making it legal for a foreigner to work as a tour guide. If there were, you'd see many foreign tour guides working legally. Chinese and many other nationalities. Hence all the protectialism comments.

But if Thais were able to think anything through, they would realize this would be mostly a temporary status. The competition would force locals to up their game and provide better service. In the end better Thai guides would replace the foreign ones in a large part and every one would be better off.

[dcnx]

Funny. Government Help Sought to Get More Chinese Speaking Guides

Had to quote this.

This country is always a gaggle of laughs.

[dcnx]

Fair enough. You are not allowed to just show up uninvited in any western country and start working. Try doing this in Australia, you will end up in a detention center and be deported immediately.

Why should Thailand be any different? Fine them and deport them.

Fair enough. Thais should put more effort into learning different languages (as above), but at least they go to classes & learn. No need to try & jump the border in Australia as they just give out Visas & automatic residency to unskilled & semi - skilled workers throwing their own on the scrap heap (from personal exp ).

Just look at the list of jobs Falangs cannot do that protect their own

It ain't easy learning another language. By reading your post I am sure you can not. The recent Chinese wave just replaced the Russian one. You think you can learn Chinese in a year or two, not even living there? No way. Do you live in Thailand. Could you speak fluently after two years? No bloody way.

I did.

Now my business is reaping the rewards of my effort. If you want something, do the work and go get it or makes excuses for why you can't.

Any Thai could buckle down and learn any language. Problem is, you can't cheat your way through learning a language. You gotta dig in and be dedicated.