Belgian man arrested for working as tour guide

[Thaivisa News 365]

Chiang Rai:- A Belgian man was arrested while leading a group of tourists to have lunch in Chiang Rai’s Chiang Saen district Saturday.

Pol Lt Pitpatchara Pitchayanan, deputy inspector of Chiang Saen Immigration checkpoint, said Bramewanden Bozer, 30, who carried a Belgian passport with 90-day tourist visa stamp, was charged with working as a tourist guide without a work permit.

The deputy police chief was checking the tourist site in Sanmakhet village in the district when he spotted the Belgian using an amplifier device to talk to a group of tourists like a guide.

Pitpatchara asked to see the work permit but the Belgian could not produce.

Bozer admitted that he was leading a group of 23 Dutch tourists to visit the Golden Triangle in Chiang Saen and were taking them to have lunch when he was arrested. He said he was paying Bt1,000 to B1,300 a day.

But after police charged him with working as a tourist guide without a work permit, Bozer argued that he was not a guide but he simply worked as an interpreter for the guide of the tour group.

He was handed over to the Chiang Saen police station for taking legal actions against him.

Pol Lt Wannachai Sukjaem, another deputy inspector of the Chiang Saen checkpoint, said his checkpoint had received a lot of complaints from Thai tourist guides that several foreign tourists had competed against them for tourist guide jobs.

The Thai guides said the foreigners entered the country as tourists and then applied for jobs at tourist firms.

Wannachai said several foreigners have been arrested – mostly in February – for working illegally as tourist guides.

[ravip 1,670]

Another innocent person arrested?

[Costas2008 15,355]

Another 'innocent' person arrested?

You asked about it twice, I'll answer you once.

Yes, in my eyes he is innocent.

I don't give a damn about work permits and requirements.

He was offering a service that the Thais could not offer as none of them could probably speak Dutch.

Many of you will condemn me for what I said but this is my opinion.

He didn't commit a crime he just wanted to make a living.

He who is without sin can cast the first stone now....................

[surangw 1,419]

"He said he was paying Bt1,000 to B1,300 a day." he paid them to lead them ???

[jdinasia 2,814]

Another 'innocent' person arrested?

You asked about it twice, I'll answer you once.

Yes, in my eyes he is innocent.

I don't give a damn about work permits and requirements.

He was offering a service that the Thais could not offer as none of them could probably speak Dutch.

Many of you will condemn me for what I said but this is my opinion.

He didn't commit a crime he just wanted to make a living.

He who is without sin can cast the first stone now....................

Please remember the post you made here, in the future

[Hopho 99]

A criminal.

Taking jobs away from fully fluent in Dutch Thai people.

These fully fluent in Dutch Thai people that live in the area don't deserve to have this guy make Dutch tourist's holidays better while helping the local economy with their money.

[falangjim 1,071]

"He said he was paying Bt1,000 to B1,300 a day." he paid them to lead them ???

No one can properly write these articles. Your guess is as good as anyone's.

[ratcatcher 25,354]

The Dutch are very smart people. Most speak some English and some speak it very well. It is possible the Belgian was able to communicate to the Dutch tourists in their own language better than the Thai guides can speak English. However, he broke the law and the law won.

Wrong place, wrong time. Remember where you are!

[Hopho 99]

Remember where you are!

I don't think he'll forget where he is now in a hurry.

[Sviss Geez 1,834]

Another 'innocent' person arrested?

Only until a court finds him guilty.

[Sviss Geez 1,834]

Another 'innocent' person arrested?

You asked about it twice, I'll answer you once.

Yes, in my eyes he is innocent.

I don't give a damn about work permits and requirements.

He was offering a service that the Thais could not offer as none of them could probably speak Dutch.

Many of you will condemn me for what I said but this is my opinion.

He didn't commit a crime he just wanted to make a living.

He who is without sin can cast the first stone now....................

Your eyes need seeing to then, but whether you think he's innocent or whether you give a damn about the law or not doesn't matter you may be surprised to hear.

He apparently did commit a crime or is suspected of doing so, a court will decide ultimately. If he wants to make a living here he should get a proper visa and a work permit like everyone else does. Perhaps not like you as you seem to be so keen to offer your support to an illegal?

So only non-sinners (against what?) can have an opinion on this thread, and logically, any other threads in the future. You must be a real paragon of virtue to be able to set the rules here.

Edited March 7, 2015 by Sviss Geez

[robertthebruce 3,751]

We all know the ''Rules''....

If he wants to make a Living, he should know the proper chanel to go, if not....well ...

[tonbridgebrit 1,107]

Does Thailand benefit if a lot of foreigners come here and become tourist guides ? Does every nation that recieves lots of foreign workers benefit ?

In Thailand, if lots of Thais become un-employed because lots of foreigners enter Thailand and take those jobs, does Thailand benefit ?? It appears to be that Thailand is very cautious when it comes to giving out work permits to foreigners.
The Thais, they're not that daft or silly. They're not going to let a load of foreigners enter their country and take-over. There was a bit of talk on Thai Visa about how the Thais would be f___ once ASEAN 2015 comes in. Yes, unlimited numbers of people entering into Thailand and working will mean that the Thais will be f___. But the Thais won't let it happen, they will simply not give out a stack of work permits to the foreigners.

[bartender100 1,459]

How many times must I tell you, only Thais and Russians can be tour guides , check out Jomtien andPratumnak

[balo 10,015]

In my opinion he deserved it , he knew the risks and were willing to gamble.

And almost all Dutch people speak English so they could have used an English speaking tour guide.

Edited March 7, 2015 by balo