MORE Thai tour guides are being trained this month on Phuket to replace expat guides, especially for visitors coming from China, Korea and Russia.
The jobs are for Thais but tour groups from some countries continue to bring guides from their home countries.
''How can you possibly explain the culture or describe the Andaman in detail without having lived here?'' asked Wirote ''Willy'' Sitaprasertnand, president of the Federation of Thailand Tourism Association.
A total of 101 people from Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi are being trained in the region's history, religion and culture as well as hospitality and computer skills at the Phuket Community College at Saphan Hin in Phuket City. The students already have skills in Chinese, Russian, English, Korean and other languages.
''We are not against visitors working here but these jobs are for Thai people,'' Khun Wirote said.
He said that Phuket was recovering well and would eventually reassert itself as a prime destination. Having direct flights isolated Phuket from the political nervousness of Bangkok.
''If the Government helps with preserving the environment properly and maintaining infrastructure, Phuket will be an attractive destination for a long time to come.''
He said the Government also needed to more actively support Thai guides. ''Many tour companies are nominee companies and bring their own guides,'' he said.
''Some nationalities use accommodation owned by their citizens, take the tourists to shops and restaurants owned by their citizens, and employ their own citizens as guides. How does Phuket benefit from that?''
Chinese guides especially left their tourists with no choice.
''Independently minded tourists should come by themselves and find appropriate guides here,'' Khun Wirote said. ''That way, they will get a much better holiday and learn why Phuket and Thailand are so wonderful.''
Other courses have already been held in two sessions in Bangkok.
Among the speakers to the trainees has been Promchote Traivate, former head of the Phuket office of the Tourism and Sport Ministry and the 2008 Phuketwan Phuket Person of the Year.
''This is aimed at helping to give guides a complete understanding of their jobs. Guides have an important role in making sure that tourists have a good holiday and want to return.
''Phuket has changed a lot, even since I was here. Numbers through the airport are growing. But many of the arrivals are now heading off the island, to explore Krabi and Phang Nga.''
The jobs are for Thais but tour groups from some countries continue to bring guides from their home countries.
''How can you possibly explain the culture or describe the Andaman in detail without having lived here?'' asked Wirote ''Willy'' Sitaprasertnand, president of the Federation of Thailand Tourism Association.
A total of 101 people from Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi are being trained in the region's history, religion and culture as well as hospitality and computer skills at the Phuket Community College at Saphan Hin in Phuket City. The students already have skills in Chinese, Russian, English, Korean and other languages.
''We are not against visitors working here but these jobs are for Thai people,'' Khun Wirote said.
He said that Phuket was recovering well and would eventually reassert itself as a prime destination. Having direct flights isolated Phuket from the political nervousness of Bangkok.
''If the Government helps with preserving the environment properly and maintaining infrastructure, Phuket will be an attractive destination for a long time to come.''
He said the Government also needed to more actively support Thai guides. ''Many tour companies are nominee companies and bring their own guides,'' he said.
''Some nationalities use accommodation owned by their citizens, take the tourists to shops and restaurants owned by their citizens, and employ their own citizens as guides. How does Phuket benefit from that?''
Chinese guides especially left their tourists with no choice.
''Independently minded tourists should come by themselves and find appropriate guides here,'' Khun Wirote said. ''That way, they will get a much better holiday and learn why Phuket and Thailand are so wonderful.''
Other courses have already been held in two sessions in Bangkok.
Among the speakers to the trainees has been Promchote Traivate, former head of the Phuket office of the Tourism and Sport Ministry and the 2008 Phuketwan Phuket Person of the Year.
''This is aimed at helping to give guides a complete understanding of their jobs. Guides have an important role in making sure that tourists have a good holiday and want to return.
''Phuket has changed a lot, even since I was here. Numbers through the airport are growing. But many of the arrivals are now heading off the island, to explore Krabi and Phang Nga.''
One of my wife's friends has been a tour guide for the last several years. She's quitting once high season is over. She says that there's too much problem with expats living in Phuket and Samui, offering tours for pay, but if questioned they all claim that they are "friends" from their home country. Just so happens that these unofficial guides have hundreds of friends visiting them practically every day.
Posted by Some Guy on March 24, 2010 02:34