Phuket Tourist Police Arrest Illegal Chinese Guides

[webfact]

Phuket Tourist Police arrest illegal Chinese guides
Phuket Gazette


Chinese national Hung Jin Tia, also known as Mr Tawan, was charged with working illegally as a Phuket tour guide. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Tourist Police arrested two Chinese nationals in Phuket Town yesterday for working illegally as tour guides catering to Chinese tour groups.

Phuket Tourist Police Inspector Urumporn Khundejsumrit named the two men as Hung Jin Tia, also known as “Mr Tawan”, 34, and Cao Jiandong, 40.

Accompanying Tourist Police in the raid on the men’s tour kiosk on Phun Pol Road was Jakrit Janjit, Registrar of the Bureau of Tourism Business and Guide Registration Phuket office.

“We also seized a list of tour programs, a list of tourist customers and brochures of tourist attractions in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga that they organized tours to,” Maj Urumporn said.

The men were taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with working illegally as tour guides.

“They each face a fine of up to 100,000 baht or up to four years in prison,” Maj Urumporn said.

After justice has been served, they will be deported, he added.

“We are working together with other police officers to crack down on illegal guides in Phuket because they give Phuket a bad image,” Maj Urumporn said.

The arrests follow a protest against illegal Chinese guides by Thai tour guides on April 29

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-Tourist-Police-arrest-illegal-Chinese-guides-20965.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-06

[laurentbkk]

WOW so when the Chinese and the Russian will leave Phuket , what will happen ? bankruptcy ? This witches hunt is ridiculous .... how many Thais are fluent in Mandarin ? in Russian ? its understandable that they want to protect their tour guide but I dont think those Chinese tourists speak 4 words of English .... Phuket has became a big circus ..

[HarryMilton]

WOW so when the Chinese and the Russian will leave Phuket , what will happen ? bankruptcy ? This witches hunt is ridiculous .... how many Thais are fluent in Mandarin ? in Russian ? its understandable that they want to protect their tour guide but I dont think those Chinese tourists speak 4 words of English .... Phuket has became a big circus ..

This is not a witch hunt, what the illegal guides are doing is, er, illegal. If you support illegal activities where would you draw the line, or is only illegal tour guides who should be allowed to operate freely?

If tourists who don't speak Thai or English want to visit Thailand where, they know, the locals don't speak Mandarin or Russian why should they expect their own nationals to be allowed to work illegally just to cater to them?

You seriously think Russian and Chinese visitors will stop coming here just because they don't have guides who speak their language? It might even be a relief to them not to have to go on those tedious organised trips.

[thhMan]

Sure its illegal and I agree with that...

I am also sure some western and Thai owned business may feel some loss.

Ive said it a million times... If Thais could learn decency and skills, whether other languages or something as basic as road rules, then there wont be a need to have foreigners do these types of jobs, because the Thais would be able to do them, properly, efficiently and politely...

BUT they cannot. So this leaves a big industry at the mercy of unskilled Thai workers, which will only assist what the tuk tuk drivers and the jet ski bums have been attempting in Phuket and that is... to make it a hellhole for tourists!

Until then, money talks and businesses need being fed tourists as efficiently as possible.... Thais cant do it and I am sure its difficult for foreigners to take those roles as they are classified as Thai (dont touch) positions.

[wiyada]

I see they only caught two, I'm sure I heard Hung Low & Hung Well were also very popular guides with the Chinese visitors to Phuket

[Just1Voice]

Judge: "How dare you two low-life Chinese come here and take jobs away from our Thai tour guides! Ok, so they don't speak Mandarin, so what? You don't have to speak some foreign language to point to things!

"I don't care what the foreign press, Facebook and 100 other foreign outlets say, it's not the jet ski, tuk-tuk and taxi mafia that are ruining our image! It's low life scum like you who come and work, depriving poor Somchi at his chance to scam your people out of their unusual wealth.

"Oh, and by the way, there are no 'jet ski scams', or tuk-tuk, taxi mafia! I know this for a fact because my cousin is president of the Jet Ski Rental Association, and my brother in law is head of the Tuk-tuk & Taxi organization, and both of them are fine, upstanding Thai men who both bring me brown envelopes each week to show their appreciation of my judicial decisions.

"So, that will be a fine of 100,000 baht and 4 years in prison, and I wish I could make it more for you scumbags. And when that's done, we'll deport your slant eyed butts out of here and blacklist you as an example of how good our country really is. Good? I'm sorry, that's the wrong term. We're Thai. We're the Ultimately Superior Race! We're perfect! Our country is the envy of all others. Now get out of my sight."

Edited May 6, 2013 by Just1Voice

[tragickingdom]

Good for China promotion. Let me guess, the local tour guide only able to speak Thai a bit of English and most possibly Malay feel left out in the cold?

[pistachios]

WOW so when the Chinese and the Russian will leave Phuket , what will happen ? bankruptcy ? This witches hunt is ridiculous .... how many Thais are fluent in Mandarin ? in Russian ? its understandable that they want to protect their tour guide but I dont think those Chinese tourists speak 4 words of English .... Phuket has became a big circus ..

This is not a witch hunt, what the illegal guides are doing is, er, illegal. If you support illegal activities where would you draw the line, or is only illegal tour guides who should be allowed to operate freely?

If tourists who don't speak Thai or English want to visit Thailand where, they know, the locals don't speak Mandarin or Russian why should they expect their own nationals to be allowed to work illegally just to cater to them?

You seriously think Russian and Chinese visitors will stop coming here just because they don't have guides who speak their language? It might even be a relief to them not to have to go on those tedious organised trips.

It's fairly easy to draw the line and support illegal activities, when the law is retarded and totally inadapted to the current situation, you just have no other option than to break it.

The chinese or russian tourists probably have no idea about such drastic laws. They just paid for a packaged holiday, which has been sold to them included with a guide who can speak their own language. This condition may have been a key point for the sale, as a newbie traveller who can't speak english or thai would be reluctant to travel here without a guide.

There is a cap in the number of chinese speaking guides which hasn't been raised despite the huge increase of chinese tourists. Even among those legal guides, how many of them can really speak acceptable mandarin, cantonese, hokkien? The tour companies can't do anything else than using illegal guides.

The stupidity of this situation is really overwhelming. Even when they catch a few illegal guides, they just fine or possibly send back home the poor bugger, but do nothing to the company that employs them. What will the company do the next day? Hire another illegal guide because there is no legal alternative.

[pomchop]

The simple solution is to require a thai guide accompany the Chinese guide....therefore there is a job for the thais even if they do nothing but ride along. Sort of like how you are required to have a thai caddy when you play golf even if you don't want or need one.

Most hotels in Thailand are too cheap or shortsighted to hire Chinese speaking staff to assist at front desk, or provide translated room service menus etc. I know of two very talented Chinese girls who speak/read and write Chinese, English and Thai who applied at numerous upscale hotels in Thailand and not even one hotel would so much as grant them an interview.....how dumb is that? They weren't looking for big bucks...just jobs. They offered to translate menus etc but the hotel GM's didn't quite grasp why it might be important to their non engish/thai speaking Chinese guests to be able to communicate.

Eventually the upscale hotels who cater to Chinese businessmen will learn that it would be VERY wise to have at least one person on staff who can translate. Imagine you are a Chinese business man staying at a hotel like the dusit and you can't even order room service since you speak neither thai or English?

JTB ..japan travel bureau sends Japanese tour guides with groups on upscale cruises like crystal. The guide gets all of the daily menus and writes in Japanese on the menu the translation ...then she makes copies for all of the tour members so when they sit down for dinner al they have to do is point.

Even though many Thai schools offer Chinese language as a choice along with English most of the students never come near to being capable of providing real translation service.

The first hotels that figure out having Chinese speaking staff available to their guests and promotes this will get a LOT of the Chinese business....and eventually the other upscale hotels will also figure out that if you want to be considered an upscale international hotel that you must provide these type services to your guests.

[hawker9000]

Sure its illegal and I agree with that...

I am also sure some western and Thai owned business may feel some loss.

Ive said it a million times... If Thais could learn decency and skills, whether other languages or something as basic as road rules, then there wont be a need to have foreigners do these types of jobs, because the Thais would be able to do them, properly, efficiently and politely...

BUT they cannot. So this leaves a big industry at the mercy of unskilled Thai workers, which will only assist what the tuk tuk drivers and the jet ski bums have been attempting in Phuket and that is... to make it a hellhole for tourists!

Until then, money talks and businesses need being fed tourists as efficiently as possible.... Thais cant do it and I am sure its difficult for foreigners to take those roles as they are classified as Thai (dont touch) positions.

As a foreigner in the country, I don't really think they have the right to decide which laws they're going to observe, and which ones they're going to break because they find them "ill-advised", and/or, as in this case, not in the best interests of a particular sector of the tourist industry, or even in the best interests of their fellow countrymen. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but it's not the foreigner's call, and if they choose to break the law, then they pretty much deserve what they get when the authorities come knocking. I doubt news of it will have much impact on tourism rates. Do you really expect the authorities to ignore the situation because they regard it is as an act of civil disobediance in the name of some noble cause?

Edited May 6, 2013 by hawker9000

[deecee10]

Sure its illegal and I agree with that...

I am also sure some western and Thai owned business may feel some loss.

Ive said it a million times... If Thais could learn decency and skills, whether other languages or something as basic as road rules, then there wont be a need to have foreigners do these types of jobs, because the Thais would be able to do them, properly, efficiently and politely...

BUT they cannot. So this leaves a big industry at the mercy of unskilled Thai workers, which will only assist what the tuk tuk drivers and the jet ski bums have been attempting in Phuket and that is... to make it a hellhole for tourists!

Until then, money talks and businesses need being fed tourists as efficiently as possible.... Thais cant do it and I am sure its difficult for foreigners to take those roles as they are classified as Thai (dont touch) positions.

As a foreigner in the country, I don't really think they have the right to decide which laws they're going to observe, and which ones they're going to break because they find them "ill-advised", and/or, as in this case, not in the best interests of a particular sector of the tourist industry, or even in the best interests of their fellow countrymen. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but it's not the foreigner's call, and if they choose to break the law, then they pretty much deserve what they get when the authorities come knocking. I doubt news of it will have much impact on tourism rates. Do you really expect the authorities to ignore the situation because they regard it is as an act of civil disobediance in the name of some noble cause?

Just how deep and for how long can someone bury their head in the sand, before they suffocate.

[orosee]

I'm told that legal businesses use or employ Thai guides and bring a translator, who is holding a work permit (since the profession of translator is not on the exclusion list), and operate within the law. Such a translator is free to do what he wants as long as the Thai guide can do his thing. It cost a little more. Maybe there's the problem?

[allalong]

The hypocisy from Thailand sucks .the way it "picks what laws to enforce" Shame on Thailand LOS land of suckshit

Sent from my GT-S7500L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[terminatorchiangmai]

I'm told that legal businesses use or employ Thai guides and bring a translator, who is holding a work permit (since the profession of translator is not on the exclusion list), and operate within the law. Such a translator is free to do what he wants as long as the Thai guide can do his thing. It cost a little more. Maybe there's the problem?

Thats true. You can even bring 100 Chinese on a tour with 2 or more translators as long as you have 1 Thai guide with you !

[allalong]

I'm told that legal businesses use or employ Thai guides and bring a translator, who is holding a work permit (since the profession of translator is not on the exclusion list), and operate within the law. Such a translator is free to do what he wants as long as the Thai guide can do his thing. It cost a little more. Maybe there's the problem?

Thats true. You can even bring 100 Chinese on a tour with 2 or more translators as long as you have 1 Thai guide with you !

And why must there be a thai guide? Because the country has this "superiority ideology" when they have nothing to superior about

Sent from my GT-S7500L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[steveyinasia]

“We are working together with other police officers to crack down on illegal guides in Phuket because they give Phuket a bad image,” Maj Urumporn said.

Finally we have located the cause of Phuket's bad image...it's those bad illegal tour guides and now we are rid of them...all things in Phuket can now be more beautiful. Can continue with the fair payment system with Tuk Tuks and the friendly offering by the jet ski boys to buy them a new jet ski every time we rent their old one.

Thank you Thai Police for doing an effective job as usual.

[DRONGOH]

Judge: "How dare you two low-life Chinese come here and take jobs away from our Thai tour guides! Ok, so they don't speak Mandarin, so what? You don't have to speak some foreign language to point to things!

"I don't care what the foreign press, Facebook and 100 other foreign outlets say, it's not the jet ski, tuk-tuk and taxi mafia that are ruining our image! It's low life scum like you who come and work, depriving poor Somchi at his chance to scam your people out of their unusual wealth.

"Oh, and by the way, there are no 'jet ski scams', or tuk-tuk, taxi mafia! I know this for a fact because my cousin is president of the Jet Ski Rental Association, and my brother in law is head of the Tuk-tuk & Taxi organization, and both of them are fine, upstanding Thai men who both bring me brown envelopes each week to show their appreciation of my judicial decisions.

"So, that will be a fine of 100,000 baht and 4 years in prison, and I wish I could make it more for you scumbags. And when that's done, we'll deport your slant eyed butts out of here and blacklist you as an example of how good our country really is. Good? I'm sorry, that's the wrong term. We're Thai. We're the Ultimately Superior Race! We're perfect! Our country is the envy of all others. Now get out of my sight."

And the judge's mia-noi is Chuwit's cousin!

[newermonkey]

WOW so when the Chinese and the Russian will leave Phuket , what will happen ? bankruptcy ? This witches hunt is ridiculous .... how many Thais are fluent in Mandarin ? in Russian ? its understandable that they want to protect their tour guide but I dont think those Chinese tourists speak 4 words of English .... Phuket has became a big circus ..

There is a large population of Thai-Chinese (Speaking Chinese) in the Phuket area so on this rare occasion I tend to agree with the complaint. Edited May 7, 2013 by newermonkey

[NamKangMan]

Yes, we should obey the laws of the land here, but the simple fact is some of the "occupations reserved for Thai's only" should be changed, or at least temporarily be suspended, until Thai's can learn Russian and Mandarin.

wn't like it : go home to to your miserable life and <deleted> yourself. bye, buy

If the TAT is going to target Russians and Chinese, they need to adjust the law for some sections of the tourism industry to allow some foreigners to communicate with their fellow countrymen, thus, selling them tours, shows, products etc. Also, showing them around the island and answering their questions and supplying information. This would increase the enjoyment of their holiday and make it more likely they will return.

We are not talking about huge salaries here - most likely young backpacking Russians and Chinese looking for a working holiday in the sun.

This would also have a flow on effect creating more employment for Thai's in other areas. Eg. more Russians/Chinese doing day trips etc.

[laurentbkk]

WOW so when the Chinese and the Russian will leave Phuket , what will happen ? bankruptcy ? This witches hunt is ridiculous .... how many Thais are fluent in Mandarin ? in Russian ? its understandable that they want to protect their tour guide but I dont think those Chinese tourists speak 4 words of English .... Phuket has became a big circus ..

This is not a witch hunt, what the illegal guides are doing is, er, illegal. If you support illegal activities where would you draw the line, or is only illegal tour guides who should be allowed to operate freely?

If tourists who don't speak Thai or English want to visit Thailand where, they know, the locals don't speak Mandarin or Russian why should they expect their own nationals to be allowed to work illegally just to cater to them?

You seriously think Russian and Chinese visitors will stop coming here just because they don't have guides who speak their language? It might even be a relief to them not to have to go on those tedious organised trips.

well you have to understand that Chinese or Russian hardly travel on their own , they want no surprises and all has to be ALL included .... of course that wont stop them to travel but maybe they will just change places or areas , what you have to think is how many thais work abroad without proper working documents.