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Korean Nabbed as Illegal Phuket Guide Was 'Just Showing Sights' to Friends
By Prasit Tarnsirisin and Keryn Reynolds Thursday, October 1, 2015
PHUKET: A South Korean who claimed to be ''just taking friends sightseeing'' was arrested on Phuket today in a joint sting operation for being an illegal guide.
Immigration officers working with Tourism and Sport for the first time nabbed Byoung Wook Lim, 42, at Chalong pier.
The joint operation probably means that illegal guides in future face deportation, as has been threatened for people abusing Thai-only occupations.
When arrested, Lim denied working as a guide.
Possession of nine pink transport tickets and a sign-on sheet for tourists indicated he was not just taking friends sightseeing to Hey island.
Lim told police he had been employed by Narae Travel Co. Ltd, for two years.
An Immigration officer said Lim had a permit to work as general manager at Narae but was not working in this position when arrested.
Lim did not have permission to work as a tour guide on Phuket.
Major General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Commander of Songkhla-based Immigration 6, which oversees all southern provinces, authorised today's raid.
Santi Pawai, Director of Phuket Tourism and Sport, confirmed the sting was the first time his department and Immigration had joined forces in an operation to nab an illegal guide.
Lim has lived in Phuket for 18 years and has one daughter at school on the island. More arrests are anticipated.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
I have seen staff at certain restaurants in the northern areas of Phuket, deel with rude and disruptive Chinese guests. They ask who is the tour guide. If Thai a simple worf to quieten down the noisy ones. If non Thai the police arive to watch then nab the illegal guide.
This work of the billion eyes on Phuket is beginning to work well.
Beware all illegal workers here, your free rein is coming to an abrupt end.
Posted by
Duncan B
on
October 1, 2015 16:48
I suppose nothing will happen to Narea Travel, even though they advertise on job korea looking for reps
Posted by
Michael
on
October 1, 2015 17:37
Once the ASEAN kicks in, does this mean all ASEAN members can take a Thai job?
Or are they still going to put up walls stopping the free trade of the ASEAN?
Posted by
Tbs
on
October 1, 2015 18:00
Editor Comment:
No and Yes.
@ TBS
You mean AEC, right ? ASEAN "kicked in" back in 1967.
The jobs opening up to ASEAN citizens on DEC 31st 2015 are limited.
The main difference will be in the ability of those citizens to work and live freely without the hassle of visas and work permits. It does not mean all current jobs restricted to Thais will be available for ASEAN citizens.
It is my understanding they will mainly include service industry jobs and being a tour guide would be one of those.
Then again agriculture would remain limited to Thais.
There are about 60 professions currently reserved for Thais only. Some logical and some quite surprising.
I could not find the relevant documentation to confirm all this but if my info is wrong, I stand to be corrected.
Posted by
Herbert
on
October 1, 2015 19:33
The business which Thai national are not yet ready to complete with foreigners:
(1) Rice milling and flour production from rice and farm produce
(2) Fishery, specifically marine animal culture.
(3) Forestry from forestation.
(4) Production of plywood, veneer board, chipboard or hardboard.
(5) Production of lime.
(6) Accounting service business.
(7) Legal service business.
(8) Architecture service business.
(9) Engineering service business.
(10) Construction, except for:
(a) Construction rendering basic services to the public in public utilities or transport requiring
special tools, machinery, technology or construction expertise having the foreigners'
minimum capital of 500 million Baht or more.
(b) Other categories of construction as prescribed by the ministerial regulations.
(11) Broker or agent business, except:
(a) Being broken or agent for underwriting securities or services connected with future trading
of commodities of financing instruments or securities.
(b) Being broker or agent for trading or procuring goods or services necessary for production
or rendering services amongst affiliated enterprises.
(c) Being broker or agent for trading, purchasing or distributing or seeking both domestic and
foreign markets for selling domestically manufactured or imported goods in the manner of
international business operations having the foreigners' minimum capital 100 million Baht
or more.
(d) Being broker or agent of other category as prescribed by the ministerial regulations.
(12) Auction, except:
(a) Auction in the manner of international bidding not being the auction of antiques, historical
artifacts or art objects which are Thai works of arts, handicraft or antiques or having the
historical value.
(b) Other categories of auction as prescribed by the ministerial regulations.
(13) Internal trade connected with native products or produce not yet prohibited by law.
(14) Retailing all categories of goods having the total minimum capital less than 100 million Baht
or having the minimum capital of each shop less than 20 million Baht.
(15) Wholesaling all categories of goods having minimum capital of each shop less than million
Bath.
(16) Advertising business.
(17) Hotel business, except for hotel management service
(18) Guided tour.
(19) Selling food or beverages.
(20) Plan cultivation and propagation business.
(21) Other categories of service business except that prescribed in the ministerial regulations
Posted by
WhistleBlower
on
October 1, 2015 21:44
michael
Rep work is legal. All the reps from the various Scandinavian tour operators for example have workpermits. And if they do go on a tour there will always be thai localguide there too.
If you skimp on hiring a localguide and/or getting the appropriate visa and workpermits, like the chinese and korean operators often do, then that's another story.
Posted by
christian
on
October 2, 2015 07:42
Why don't they conduct a "sting" operation on the jet ski/parasail thugs? What a waste of resources to nab just 1 guy who has probably had absolutely no effect on the thai economy or its ability to conduct business. Sure it needs to be dealt with but where are the priorities of the officials? the blatant corruption at the hands of these illegal operators is the real issue and something that is continually a plight on Thailand's reputation and Phuket especially. Billions of baht in lost wages are at stake here and yet nothing is done? in fact it has gotten worse. Not "doomsayer" just the facts
Tom
Posted by
Tom
on
October 2, 2015 08:27
Editor Comment:
The foreign parasailer is in Rawai, the local parasailers in Patong. Council approaches vary, which is why an independent committee is needed.
To make things weird, I noticed you have a new contributor Keryn Reynolds on this story. According to her Twitter feed she is studying at the University of Melbourne. But is also in Thailand writing stories, so does that mean she needs a work permit as well because she is now having things published. Volunteer work just doesn't cut it with the Immigration laws.
Posted by
Tbs
on
October 2, 2015 09:29
Editor Comment:
It's called a weird journalism internship, Tbs. All the required permissions are in place. As her name is there for all to see, she's a bit more up-front than you and all the other skulkers.
Mr Lim has a working permit ( as being Korean) to be manager of a firm on Phuket.
Perhaps he was showing korean'friends' around because no thai tourguide available to speak Korean?
Lets face it. Thailand has many job protecting rules ( for thai only).
However, if you stick to that strongly, it is the obligation of the thai government to educate their guides in foreign languages. Like they do in Singapore, and European countries.
If foreigners go to the diamond shops in Amsterdam, there for every language is a salesman for tourists from their own country available. English, French, Korean, mandarin Chinese, Italian, Japanese, etc, etc..
That is how you handle tourist industry. All the foreign salesmen in the diamonds shops live, work in Amsterdam legal, with a residence permit + working permit.
Anything strange about that?
Posted by
Kurt
on
October 2, 2015 11:28
Wow personal attacks and accusations, a new low. I used to stand up for things you said as I felt sorry for all the people that attacked you.
I held you once in high respect.
Posted by
Tbs
on
October 2, 2015 11:55
Editor Comment:
Then why cast groundless aspersions on PW with your ''weird'' anonymous insinuations? I don't think you have a clue about respect, Tbs. Those who show none deserve none.
Look around, into the big tourist busses on Phuket island.
Foreign groups have their own 'tour leader' + a thai tour guide.
The thai tour guide in many cases just sit in front of the tour bus, , play his iphone, and leave the tour guiding to the foreign tour leader.
It are actually the thai tour guides who themselves cultivate the fact that foreign tour leaders do the guiding job.
It is like to have a fireman on a electric train.
Posted by
Kurt
on
October 2, 2015 12:22
So much attention on an out of date law that demonstrates the Thai government believe Thais cannot compete in many jobs with foreigners. All this fuss and show when so many people are literally dying on the roads etc Thailand is amongst in the world for traffic death rates. Rip off rates are high surely Police time and budget can be spent better than this. This is why I left Thailand.
Posted by
How can this be
on
October 2, 2015 17:02
What would Koreans prefer a guide that speaks their language or a Thai that does not speak Korean. Tricky one this, hold on I thought Phuket was very quiet, could it be to do with something like this.
Posted by
Err a question?
on
October 2, 2015 19:15
@TBS you are so sad having to look up a new writers profile to just try and catch PW out on Employment Visas. You need to get a life as clearly you don't have one now. Leave the young lady alone too she is way out of your league.
Posted by
Not TBS
on
October 2, 2015 20:25
Just a little FYI - Mr. Lim was turned in by an anonymous person (read that - competitor).
He, like many in his situation, tried to play by the rules.
There are many foreign owners that meet, escort, sit on the boat with, point in the right direction, etc. (ie. GUIDING) at Chalong Pier, The Royal Phuket Marina, and the Boat Lagoon everyday.
These foreigners are doing the exact same thing that Mr. Lim was doing - in one way or another, acting as a 'guide'.
It is a shame that someone that sets up a company, pays their taxes and supports the local community for so many years is singled out on the basis of an anonymous tip.
I have an anonymous tip for Immigration and the Ministry of Tourism & Sport: Check the reviews on TripAdvisor for Phuket - you will find the company names and the names of every foreigner working illegally as a guide in the reviews.
If you are going to enforce the law - do it. However, do it across the board.
Remember, every single foreigner you see at the pier, marina and boat lagoon is in violation of their work permits.
They are working outside the address listed in their work permit. You cannot work outside the address listed. All those directors, scuba instructors, etc. are all working illegally.
Enforce the law evenly or don't enforce it at all.
Posted by
Chris T.
on
October 2, 2015 21:59
All major tour operators would gladly hire only locals IF THEY HAD THE NECESSARY LANGUAGE SKILLS. Having reps flown in to work is very expensive, housing, transportation, insurances, work permits, visa applications, paid holidays and of course a salary that would be considered half-decent in Europe..
Its just that thai "professional" guides are simply HORRIBLE when it comes to language skills, INCLUDING when it comes to the supposedly widely spoken english. Other languages? Don't make me laugh. I've been working for one of the major european tour operators for over 15 years here in Thailand. I have yet to meet even ONE thai guide that could give you even a one-day tour in a REALLY pro manner with historical details/background about temples, sights, flora&fauna etc in english. As compared to for example a pro guide in Rome..Or in a impoverished place like Nepal or Burma too for that matter. I can find a really good german or french speaking guide in Burma quite easily. So it's not only english. The standards here are just horrible. And to go on a 2-week cultural/historical roundtrip with a thai localguide? Unthinkable.
And that's only talking about language skills. Another problem is very few "professional guides" can't give you the details EVEN IN THAI. A huge lack of knowledge is another huge problem. Any kind of ceremony in a temple or a spirit house is "for good luck you know"...
Posted by
christian
on
October 3, 2015 08:53
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I have seen staff at certain restaurants in the northern areas of Phuket, deel with rude and disruptive Chinese guests. They ask who is the tour guide. If Thai a simple worf to quieten down the noisy ones. If non Thai the police arive to watch then nab the illegal guide.
This work of the billion eyes on Phuket is beginning to work well.
Beware all illegal workers here, your free rein is coming to an abrupt end.
Posted by Duncan B on October 1, 2015 16:48