About 200 Chinese-speaking Thai tour guides rallied at Phuket provincial hall Monday demanding authorities crack down on the large number of illegal Chinese guides who have taken over their jobs.
The group, led by the president of the Phuket Professional Guide Association, Jaifu sae Lee, and Arparat Chartjutikamjorn, submitted a letter to Phuket Governor Maitree Intusut through his deputy Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak.
They want authorities to arrest about 300 Chinese who are in Thailand disguised as tourists but working as guides for companies believed to belong to Chinese investors but registered under Thai proxies. Thai work permit laws prohibit foreigners from working as tour guides.
Mr Jaifu said the local guides’ income had been badly by the illegal foreign guides, who also gave distorted information about Thailand to their countrymen visiting the resort town.
“Our association has about 500 Chinese-speaking guides with licences and another 2,000 without licences. But when arrests are made, [police] mainly target local guides but ignore the illegal foreign guides,” Mr Jaifu said.
He called on concerned agencies to organise training sessions for the larger group so that there would be more authorised guides to meet demand.
Mr Somkiet asked the protesters to send him information about the illegal Chinese guides. He promised he would set up a committee to tackle the problem, instruct police to enforce the law fairly and arrange training for prospective guides. The group left satisfied but said they would return on May 13 to hear the progress made by the authorities.
Arparat Chartjutikamjorn, right, representing Chinese-speaking tour guides, gives a protest letter to Phuket deputy governor Somkiet Sangkhaosutthirak. Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran