ANDAMAN translator guides and local dive instructors are the first groups to suffer from the economic downturn, with many struggling to find work.

Deputy Director-General of the Office of Tourism Development, Somprasong Khomapat, paid a flying visit to the island yesterday to attempt to improve job opportunities for Thai workers.

He has left on Phuket two staff from Bangkok who will join seven others in a special task force on the island to make sure there is no discrimination against Thai guides.

The credentials of diving instructors will also be checked in a bid to make sure qualified Thai instructors are assured of precedence over foreign workers.

The Governor, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, told Phuketwan that several diplomatic representatives had pressed him to allow more foreigners to work as guides and diving instructors.

''I told them, 'Thais can do those jobs,''' the governor said. ''But we do need to make sure we are able to meet international standards.

''It's good to have this issue being dealt with so actively.''

Local guides, especially those dealing with Korean and Russian visitors, have in the past found themselves nudged to one side by tour operators who bring their own guides from those countries.

In some cases, as a compromise, Thai guides become ''sitting guides.'' ''Sitting guides'' are paid to travel with a group, but the actual work is done by others.

In today's harsh economic times, the jobs of the ''sitting guides'' are disappearing, and the pressure is on to have foreign guides in more tour groups.

However, Thai guides say they have adequate language training and are usually better informed to answer the kinds of questions posed by tourists about Thai culture and history, as well as alternative activities.

The diving industry is suffering a severe downturn because there are fewer tourists, and those who do come are spending less on tours and dive courses.

Competition for jobs is becoming more intense. The Thai authorities plan to make sure it is the foreigners, not the Thais, whose jobs will be lost.

The new task force on Phuket will be policing both the diving industry and the credentials of guides to ensure that Thais with the appropriate qualifications take precedence.

''This is good for Phuket because our island is an international destination and we need international standards,'' the governor said.

''If the performance of Thais measures up to international standards, there is no need for those jobs to be filled by experts from other countries.''



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