Tour guide education criteria lowered to overcome shortage

Travel > Travel Update

Tour guide education criteria lowered

Published: 25 Feb 2013 at 13.35
Online news: Travel Update

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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Jim-Bob
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Discussion 26 : 26 Feb 2013 at 07.2526
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Bangkok post could have done a bit more research on other level guide licenses before publishing this article. The issue with other than English-speaking guides could be solved by allowing foreigners to work as guides. Give foreigners 6 month work permit at a time, charge a fee, require tourism background, test, collect taxes, limit the number per company and make sure that these guides are accompanied by a local Thai guide with a license. This way foreigners don't take anyone's jobs, Thais get an opportunity to learn foreign language while working, tourists gets guiding with their own language and government can collect taxes and fees.
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Jim-Bob
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Discussion 25 : 26 Feb 2013 at 07.1525
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Working with guides for the last 10 years and I can tell you that finding guides with licenses has never been a problem. The problem is finding guides with good enough skills in English and hospitality. Bachelor level education is currently only needed for the highest level of guide license which allows you to guide anywhere in Thailand - inbound and outbound. There are other level guide licenses for guiding in nearby provinces, guiding at sea, at national parks, etc. which can be obtained without higher education. The problem is the education system which doesn't provide kids with sufficient foreign language skills.
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Peter

Discussion 24 : 26 Feb 2013 at 02.3624
No doubt this has to do more with increased salary for university graduates and only having to pay all others 300 baht an hour than concern that there is a shortage of qualified tour guides.
from iPhone application.
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tony_n
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Discussion 23 : 26 Feb 2013 at 00.5323
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"He said people eligible to apply for a tour guide licence under the new critieria must work for a tour agency or as a tour guide's assistant. This would prevent tourists being exploited."

Sounds like the typical 'educated' Thai attitude - don't worry, we will only allow these uneducated thieves to work under the careful watch of 'proper people'. Because these nice people with degrees would never even think of ripping off a tourist, and anyone who hasn't completed university is not to be trusted.

Well, all politicians are required to have a Bachelor's degree, I understand, and that hasn't made them any more honest, has it?
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cinbkk
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Discussion 22 : 26 Feb 2013 at 00.0422
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Should be nothing to do with having a degree or not, should be based on ability to do the job. Likewise it makes no sense that MPs should have a bachelor degree, there are plenty of wonderfully gifted people in society without what is a fairly worthless qualification (in thailand). Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two such foreign examples.
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sengsza
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Discussion 21 : 25 Feb 2013 at 22.1221
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The best tour guides around the world are Thais because they are honest, intelligent and passionate of their job regardless of their education level. For a fact, most uneducated Thai guides are smarter than educated foreigners. The government definitely makes the right move because more guides mean more tourists.
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justfacts
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Discussion 20 : 25 Feb 2013 at 21.0920
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"The Department of Tourism will have to quickly and simultaneously raise the quality"

so lets do that by lowering the standards...makes sense to me......of course i have been here long enough to have been lobotimized by thai logic
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patchar
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Discussion 19 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.5719
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instead of leveling up the required criteria, the government decided to lower it to accommodate more aspirants as shortage of tourist guides is a problem. Maybe the government didn't think of what could be the negative effects of this move. And what about english, you should teach them also how to speak correct english..
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nitnoi
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Discussion 18 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.5418
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I bet if you give the job to someone with master degree but in what if not foreign language? you wont get the good guide if you don't understand words they saying.
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boons
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Discussion 17 : 25 Feb 2013 at 20.2617
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Why are standards being LOWERED? Does that sound like a nation making progress?
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