Two overseas nationals have been arrested by the Department of Employment (DoE) for illegally working as tour guides in Bangkok. They have been caught close to the Ratchaprasong intersection in Pathumwan district.
The suspects, a Chinese and a Vietnamese national, were detained after the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand (PGAT) lodged complaints final week that international tour guides were stealing their jobs.
According to Bona fide -general, Pairoj Chotikasathien, the investigation was assigned by the Minister of Labour Suchart Chomklin. Officials from the DoE worked alongside Bangkok Employment Office 1 and the Lumpini Police Station to conduct a joint operation on Thursday at the Ratchaprasong intersection.
They apprehended the two foreign guides as they led tour teams on the intersection. Police later charged them every with working without a permit.
Just final week, Chinese-speaking tour guides in Thailand known as for the government to take motion against unlawful overseas guides who they declare are stealing their jobs. A meeting was held final Saturday to discuss the problem and information associations vowed to escalate the issue all the best way as a lot as the prime minister.
They argue that foreigners are coming to Thailand and acting as guides illegally with out the required information license. Even if a foreigner needed to get a license, it is inconceivable. Being a tour guide is a protected occupation in Thailand, that means that foreigners can not hold that job, as the DoE director-general defined.
“A professional tour information is a job reserved for Thais, so foreigners aren’t eligible to apply for a piece permit to serve this function.”
Foreigners who function as unlawful guides and not utilizing a permit may be fined up to 50,000 baht. They additionally face deportation and a two-year ban on making use of for a proper work permit, in accordance with the Royal Decree on the Management of Alien Work.
One member of PGAT lamented the shortage of demand for native tour guides despite Thailand’s full reopening for tourism in October final 12 months. Tour guides, who obtained little to no government help during Covid-19 are struggling financially, and illegal overseas guides are costing them jobs..