Reader TalkBack Thailand: Should Foreign Tour Guides Be Allowed to Legally Work in Thailand?

Thailand-

The following is our regular feature in which we ask our readers a news topical question and get their insight and opinions. We then share their feedback about a week later and pick a variety of diverse and interesting responses.

This week, we want to ask: 

Should Foreign Tour Guides Be Allowed to Legally Work in Thailand?

Some context around this question:

This weekend, angry Thai tour guides across Thailand met with relevant authorities demanding a crackdown on what they say is a massive amount of illegal foreign tour guides working in tourist areas like Phuket and Pattaya.

Tour guides have long been a protected Thai only occupation and a foreigner cannot even get a work permit to be one.

However, critics say that many tourists from countries like Russia, India, and China prefer guides from their own countries who speak their own language fluently and understand their customers culture. Thai tour guides say No Way, Jose, stating that a foreigner could not possibly understand Thai culture to properly show tourists guided locations.

So…what do you think? Should it be allowed? Should the laws be changed? Perhaps could a middle ground be found?

We look forward to hearing from you! Tell us on our social media channels, in the comments below, or if you prefer your comment to be private mail us at Editor@thepattayanews.com. We will publish the results and select a variety of diverse responses early next week, as always!

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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Co-owner of TPN Media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over nine years as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over a decade. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/