Tour guide education criteria lowered to overcome shortage

Tour guide education criteria lowered

Published: 25 Feb 2013 at 13.35
Online news: Tourism

The government committee on tourism problems has approved in principle a proposal to lower the minimum education level needed to become a tour guide to Grade 9.

The current minimum requirement is a bachelor's degree.

Anuparb Gaysornsuwan, acting director-general of the Department of Tourism, said on Monday that the requirement needed to be lowered because of the shortage of guides for foreign tourists.

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jck
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Discussion 6 : 25 Feb 2013 at 16.186
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Lowering standards for any form of education or of qualifications for a job is a backward step. However it may have no effect as another report today says some universities just sell degrees to students.
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jck
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Discussion 5 : 25 Feb 2013 at 16.185
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Lowering standards for any form of education or of qualifications for a job is a backward step. However it may have no effect as another report today says some universities just sell degrees to students.
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bikeme
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Discussion 4 : 25 Feb 2013 at 14.474
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D1 - Having a bachelor's degree in some random subject doesn't make you a good guide. Having knowledge of your country, its history, environment, etc, plus having the right personality is what makes a good guide. Allowing folks who didn't have a chance to go to the university, to test for a guide's license will open the doors to more quality guides.
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jacksprat
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Discussion 3 : 25 Feb 2013 at 14.443
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It requires a fair amount of study and then passing an exam to become a certified tour guide. Besides language ability, one has to have a fair knowledge of Thai history, geography etc. So now the Department of Tourisms decides to lower the standards to where anyone who has completed the minimum required education in Thailand (9th grade) can become a tour guide. This should be interesting.
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bonzo
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Discussion 2 : 25 Feb 2013 at 14.182
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The government had allocated a budget of 10 million baht to train new tour guides, especially in languages such as Chinese, Korean, Russian, Japanese and Spanish.

— Will Rosetta Stone be getting the contract then?
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upena
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Discussion 1 : 25 Feb 2013 at 13.591
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Raise the quality by lowering the standards. Makes sense to me.
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Tour guide education criteria lowered to overcome shortage | Bangkok Post: business