So Khun A's primary problem is maintaing jobs for Thais !!! Even if that costs Phuket tourists that's not important.

No mention of problems such as the police being complicit in stealing millions of EUR worth of property and in bed with the kind of people that throw children down a well !! Of the cartels, of the scams, its purely a protecting the revenue stream for Thais only subject ?!?

Posted by LivinLOS on May 20, 2011 07:32

The problems in Thailand and especially on Phuket, boil down to one thing only.
If it can have a price...then it becomes a sellable commodity.
Women, men, children, work permits, visas, positions in government... the list just goes on.
My prayers are with those people who have the authority to fix these problems, may the good forces be with you all.
Take care out there.

Posted by Graham on May 20, 2011 09:18

Yes, even if it costs tourists. Perhaps the most promising part of all this excellent news is it appears that there are people who see a bigger picture and are focused on the longer term. The tourists who it will cost you are coming on unfairly cheap packages and, without going into a dissertation on economics, they actually drive up the prices for others. Additionally they are not sustainable, the moment they can get a cheaper package they will be off and running. It also stands to reason that their contribution margin to legitimate tourism is minimal. The illegal payments made to get these packages and foreign tour guides going has a ripple effect on graft. If you don't clean up stuff like this, you will lose the core of your sustainable (read that desirable) tourists and limit the long term growth.

Side note - Can't help but comment on L.LOS mention of the sensational Andrew Drummond article referenced. While that story sounds horrid there are holes in it you could drive a truck through. The largest being only one side of it has been printed and reported on and that part of it seems to require a suspension of belief to swallow whole (read it again objectively). Experience has taught me that many of these tales do not have one completely innocent and one totally guilty side. Yes, locking kids in a well is reprehensible but ... there is probably more.

Finally, every government in the world has laws to protect the jobs of its citizens. This is why governments exist, to protect their citizens. People pay taxes for protection, elect governments to enforce laws and ensure employment so they can pay more taxes, etc. If you doubt this, google the immigrant employment laws of the US, Germany, UK, etc.

Agree with the editor on this. We should all be ecstatic and supportive of the recent news and comments by locals. Add this to the local drug busts and their is reason for hope.

Posted by Martin on May 20, 2011 09:38

The dive industry have the same problem with hundred of foreign instructor setting-up their own Thai companies with less than 30,000 Baht paid to accounting offices or lawyers with proxy Thai shareholders, Thai directors and Thai staffs.
Many Thai operated dive operators had to lay-kk their Thai staffs, sell their dive boats or move to cheaper rented building to survive.
The other side, large foreign dominated dive operators employ dozens of those freelance instructors, who got work-permits through illegitimate Thai companies, to work full-time in their promises or on their dive boats.

Posted by Whistle-Blower on May 20, 2011 09:45

Sounds like these foreign guides learned from the best in how to cheat customers...the Thais themselves!!....also sour grapes and xenophobia not allowing foreigners to operate these tour companies. Who better to show Koreans around but other Koreans. Just wish in America where I come from, I could tell the Thais they cannot own businesses, homes..etc.

Posted by David on May 20, 2011 10:01

Although I can only comment on what has been reported by PhuketWan reporters, it certainly sounds as if this investigation is biased towards protecting inept Thai tour guides and corrupt Thais who prey on overseas tourists.

Last week I sacked 2 of my hotel staff, because they were basically too lazy to work hard for my foreign guests. I'm now going to employ legal Burmese workers.

By all means, let's crack down on corruption and illegal activities in Phuket. But please, clean up your own backyard first. Thais are not above the law.

Posted by Simon Luttrell on May 20, 2011 13:51

If Thais cannot speak Russian or Korean, what good are they as tour guides for those groups of people?

Posted by FarangTalk on May 21, 2011 13:00