PATTAYA – Despite new claims by the national tour guide association about growing number of illegal guides, a top Tourist Police Division officer said fewer foreigners are working illicitly in the industry.
Deputy commander, Pol. Lt. Gen. Surchet Hakpal said Jan. 19 that the government’s crackdown on so-called “zero-baht tours” and illegal guides has been working.
He cited praise from the Pattaya and Chonburi tour guide associations that the Tourist Police have wiped out a lot of bogus guides.
Surchet’s assertions fly in the face of claims by the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand, which complained to the Chonburi division of the Internal Security Operations Center two days earlier that the number of illegal guides is growing.
