138 suspects, including foreigners, arrested in Bangkok for alleged 'coercive' tour-guide training

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, kannot said:

and what "punishment" for the 60 Thais? Did they check all their backgrounds  too?

Surely  if the foreigners havent been out actually "selling" then there is NO case, they were simply attending a meeting " how  to  sell"

Yes I agree they should be caught in the act. Getting caught at a how to meeting does not cut it. Maybe being there was so much police presence they could have set them down and had a "How To Catch A Wayward Red Bull Heir" training session. I am sure the conductors of the session could have added a few pointers. If they could accomplish this what a coup for the police. For starters their confidence measurement by the public would increase by at least 1%

[madusa]

23 hours ago, Thechook said:

Is it ilegal to attend a course in Thailand?  I had better cancel my cooking class don't want to get arrested.

They can make many things you do become illegal in Thailand, they are the law unto themselves. Just pay when they say you pay.

 

[jonclark]

8 hours ago, Thechook said:

Is it ilegal to attend a course in Thailand?  I had better cancel my cooking class don't want to get arrested.

 

Yes it is. Cooking is an occupation reserved for Thais, so don't even think about gaining any cooking skills.

[just.a.thought]

7 hours ago, phutoie2 said:

It did not say in the article that western foreigners were arrested. Cut down on your Chang. 

Farangs means foreigners not just Western foreigners....drink more Chang

[KenKadz]

A training seminar, interesting way to catch overstays.

Someone in the police department was on the ball....

 

"Police said foreigners who had overstayed their visas would face immediate action while those who still had the right to stay would be barred from leaving the country until the investigation is complete."

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, just.a.thought said:

Farangs means foreigners not just Western foreigners....drink more Chang

 

Not really, farang means white western types, including Australia etc. Japanese, Chinese, Arabs, Indians, black people and others all have their own terms to identify them.

[Wake Up]

I hear complaints all the time that immigrants and foreign citizens are taking our jobs in England and USA and other countries. Protect our borders.  Protect our jobs. 

 

 Then I hear loud complaints that Thailand is over protecting their citizens jobs and borders from foreign citizens.

 

???????????????

[Hereinthailand]

To be fair I dont think I have ever met a thai person educated or not that had any idea about the FBA which restricts most all jobs to thai nationals only. Sad when the country is most in need of foreign expertise to advance the economy they just wont allow us in.

[kannot]

8 hours ago, robblok said:

 

Many here have special friends all the way up to the highest level. However that guy never seems to intervene anyway.

 

But being a tourguide in Thaland as a foreigner is illigal so this course was training people for an illigal act. I wonder how they would react to a marijuana growing training.

 

Seriously.. this is of course strange not sure if this counts as a crime.. does preparing a for a crime count as a crime (in the USA it does) not sure here. 

does "thinking" about it also make it a crime?

[CLW]

I hear complaints all the time that immigrants and foreign citizens are taking our jobs in England and USA and other countries. Protect our borders.  Protect our jobs. 
 
 Then I hear loud complaints that Thailand is over protecting their citizens jobs and borders from foreign citizens.
 
???????????????

I would guess the case you describe is they want to work because of higher salary than their country of origin.
How many foreigners would do that in Thailand?
And some besides other reasons than just working but maybe would like to have an occupation to get some additional income or just to escape boredom.
Ever thought of that?

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, Hereinthailand said:

To be fair I dont think I have ever met a thai person educated or not that had any idea about the FBA which restricts most all jobs to thai nationals only. Sad when the country is most in need of foreign expertise to advance the economy they just wont allow us in.

Which of the jobs on the FBA, if opened to foreigners, could possibly advance the Thai in significant terms, Tour Guide, rice farmer, architect, accountant!

[DavisH]

If they want to 'protect' their industries, Thais should put more effort into speaking other Asean languages...including mandarin, of course....it will be a long time, as they still struggle with English! I guess being second rate in most occupations makes a country overly protective. 

[simoh1490]

Just now, DavisH said:

If they want to 'protect' their industries, Thais should put more effort into speaking other Asean languages...including mandarin, of course....it will be a long time, as they still struggle with English! I guess being second rate in most occupations makes a country overly protective. 

Do you have any idea what percentage of the population in Thailand speak Chinese and how that compares with other "more advanced countries"? Heads up, over 16% of the population here is Chinese!

[Mickeem]

13 hours ago, Sooo Upto Me said:

Rubber Pillows, Kinky  ???

 

The latex foam pillows are a bit hit with the Chinese tourists, they buy up loads of them to take back for relatives and friends

 

 

[Destiny1990]

Well somewhat of a knock out punch for the illegal tourguides.I think they will have to look for other countries to tourguide.

[wakeupplease]

holding training courses Hey that must be a first in this neck of the woods, then the BIB walk in, perhaps they do not understand training. I love to see bib members making an application for a job in the UK, 100% failure is almost certain to be the result

[CLW]

Do you have any idea what percentage of the population in Thailand speak Chinese and how that compares with other "more advanced countries"? Heads up, over 16% of the population here is Chinese!

Exactly, I guess the chance to meet some Thai who can speak Chinese is higher than English, same level of course

[simoh1490]

6 hours ago, CLW said:

Exactly, I guess the chance to meet some Thai who can speak Chinese is higher than English, same level of course

That's an interesting thought. My guess is that English speakers outweigh most others apart from Thai that is, simply because English is "taught" in schools and is required to be certified in the medical professions. My partner is Thai but she speaks Chinese and since we've been together it's been an eye opener for me how widely the language is spoken here by people who appear to be resident rather than tourists - maybe it's a very close call between the two.

[the guest]

On 2017-04-24 at 5:36 AM, ezzra said:

It seems that more and more it is illegal for foreigners to do almost anything in this country as we're all viewed as second class citizens with not may rights and at the mercy of Thai policy makers who move the goal posts at any time they wish and see fit....

Of course, Thailand is for Thais, foreigners are always second-class people, this is common knowledge.

[simoh1490]

On 24/04/2017 at 5:36 AM, ezzra said:

It seems that more and more it is illegal for foreigners to do almost anything in this country as we're all viewed as second class citizens with not may rights and at the mercy of Thai policy makers who move the goal posts at any time they wish and see fit....

I wonder why you think it is that foreigners are often viewed as second class citizens here? Is it perhaps because the majority of foreigners seen by Thai's have traditionally come here for cheap sex and booze fuelled holidays;  or is it that so many foreign criminals have elected to hide out in Thailand knowing that corruption and porous borders means they would likely remain free; perhaps it's because the local population understands the extent to which foreigners complain so much about this and that could be made better and this and that are broken and just not like they are back home; could it be that they realise that we're actually not ready to contribute on equal terms yet, that we don't truly understand Asian culture very much at all?

[CLW]

That's an interesting thought. My guess is that English speakers outweigh most others apart from Thai that is, simply because English is "taught" in schools and is required to be certified in the medical professions. My partner is Thai but she speaks Chinese and since we've been together it's been an eye opener for me how widely the language is spoken here by people who appear to be resident rather than tourists - maybe it's a very close call between the two.

I guess that's also one of the factors Chinese like to make holidays in Thailand.

[electric]

I think the discussion has drifted way from the original topic. All foreigners living in Thailand are expected to obey the Thai laws, which includes a list of protected jobs. Foreigners seeking employment in Thailand should know this.

 

Doesn't really matter squat what you or I think about the "protected jobs" scenario .... it's the law in Thailand.

 

So a bunch of Chinese, Taiwanese and Koreans are nabbed trying to obtain dodgy Tour Guide certificates. Seems to me the cops were doing their job well in this situation.

 

Double win. They shut done a dodgy business, and nabbed a lot of overstayers and visa-less people in the bargain.

 

Still very unclear why a big number of Thai's were arrested though ?