Club spokesperson Paisarn Suethanuwong handed in a petition to Immigration Police boss Warawut Thaweechaikarn. Mr Suethanuwong said Chinese working in Thailand as tour leaders contravened the Thai Tourism and Tour Guide Act’s Section 16.
This section of the act bars any foreign nationals from working in any capacity as tourist guides. Mr Suethanuwong stated that ever-rising numbers of Chinese as well as Russian and South Korean nationals were now working illegally in the Thai tourism industry.
The spokesperson continued by saying that an estimated 8,000 foreign nationals were working illegally and had entered Thailand on tourist or education visas. He also alleged his members had seen Chinese guides urinating in public and giving incorrect details at historic monuments and about Thai traditions.
Major-General Thaweechaikarn said Thai tour guides who suspected any foreigner of leading a tour without the necessary accreditation should take photographs or video. He finished off by saying the images could then be used as proof and the bureau could move to have the offender deported.
Thai tour guides rally over unlicensed Chinese
News in Asia
A faction of Thai tour leaders has lodged a petition asking for punitive action to be taken over Chinese guides working illegally in Thailand. Around 40 members of the Mandarin Tour Guide Club gathered at the headquarters of the Thai Immigration Police and held up banners asking the bureau to clamp down on unlicensed guides.