Tour Guide Regulations

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My wife is setting up a homestay. What are the regulations if any, that apply if we offer to collect guests from Kanchanaburi? I would assume we need some form of public liability insurance. Does one have to get a "special" motor vehicle licence? She then wants to offer to take them to local attractions. Does she need to register as a guide?

[derator01]

Let's move this over to the SME forum. A link will be left here.

Good luck! Topic Moved.

[stevenl]

You will officially need a yellow plated car or minibus and yes, your wife would need to be a tour guide. Only Thais will be allowed to drive the car/minibus.

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Any idea what this involves? I assume we are looking at two different applications. Could someone doing transfers take guests to an "attraction" without guiding? I also assume that these are regulations that everyone pays scant attention to.

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When I asked the wife to phone TAT, they tried to explaining it all to me. I only managed to grasp Rajabhat and assume that is for a guides course. She also mentioned Or Bor Thor which I understand is where you arrange licences for shops, restaurants and homestays? Yellow vehicle plates and licences also?

[TerryLH]

"When I asked the wife to phone TAT, they tried to explaining it all to me."

Why you and not her?

[Farma]

About 10 years ago a niece took the tour guide course so this info could be out of date.

The course was held at a special tour guide school on the outskirts of Bangkok. There was a lot of study involved over a number of months with an exam at the end.

A tour guide licence was issued on graduation. If I remember correctly Thailand is divided into 4 tour guide areas with the licence applicable to the area the person will be working in.

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"When I asked the wife to phone TAT, they tried to explaining it all to me."

Why you and not her?

My idea was for her to speak to them. She chose not to understand and handed me the phone.

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About 10 years ago a niece took the tour guide course so this info could be out of date.

The course was held at a special tour guide school on the outskirts of Bangkok. There was a lot of study involved over a number of months with an exam at the end.

A tour guide licence was issued on graduation. If I remember correctly Thailand is divided into 4 tour guide areas with the licence applicable to the area the person will be working in.

This is what I feared. The advice we have had is to simply offer to take guests to different attractions and I assume we could do this, if we get yellow plates. I assume this is a licence to carry commercial passengers. I am however wary of her acting as a black guide in case locals lodge complaints. I question at what point transporting guests becomes guiding and whether there is provision for informal information services.

[simon43]

If she doesn't act as a guide, but brings your customers to the tourist attraction for registered guides to look after them, she should ask for a commission payment from those guides for bringing them new business.

Just the way the tourism business works, (at least here in Phuket).

[allane]

If your wife stepped over the line between transporting and guiding, surely she would be given a warning the first time. If that ever happens, she can then become a guide, if that is necessary. As for yourself, if I were you, I wouldn't even transport people unless there is no one else available to do it. You are far more conspicuous than she is, and if you step over a line even once, it might mean the end of the enterprise for both of you.

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Makes sense. I can't be seen to be involved. Just wondering how to word the web site and it is difficult, if not impossible to establish where the boundaries lie.

[cmsally]

There is also a country wide guide certification so not just the local area. I believe the course is more expensive.

Anyone driving yellow plated vehicle needs the right license.

I would say your wife would be deemed to be a guide if seen "guiding" at local attractions.

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Anyone driving yellow plated vehicle needs the right license.

What is the right licence? How does it differ from a standard driving licence? How does one get yellow plates? When are yellow plates needed?