BANGKOK — A video circulating online shows an incident where a foreign illegal tour guide is arguing with a female Chinese tourist, prompting a police investigation into a suspected zero-dollar tour at a Bangkok jewelry store.
In the video, the illegal guide is berating the tourist for not buying products from the store and accusing her of disrespecting him. The guide then attempts to push the female tourist to prevent her from filming. The tourist cries for help, claiming she’s been physically assaulted. Security guards eventually remove the illegal guide from the premises.
This incident occurred at a well-known jewelry store in the Lat Krabang District on September 17, 2024.
The Facebook page “Tourism Industry” states that this jewelry store is known for catering specifically to zero-dollar tours. Foreign illegal guides bring tourists here to purchase goods in exchange for commissions. It’s suspected that this illegal guide was upset because the tourist didn’t buy anything, resulting in no commission for him and a loss on the fee he paid to the tour company.
After the video was shared online, many Thai tour guides commented, as the behavior of this foreign illegal guide significantly impacts the economy and image of domestic tourism.
This incident occurred one day after a group of Thai tour guides submitted a complaint to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Sorawong Thienthong, on September 16.
They urged for a crackdown on foreign illegal guides and tour operators who are unlawfully taking jobs reserved for Thai nationals. They called on relevant authorities, especially the Department of Tourism and Tourist Police, to eliminate these illegal guides to restore confidence and improve Thailand’s tourism image.
In response to the incident, Police Colonel Somchai Theeraphatpaisan, Deputy Commander of Tourist Police Division 1, led a team of investigative police officers from the Tourist Police Bureau, along with officials from the Department of Tourism, the store manager, and witnesses to inspect the incident site.
The officials examined the location shown in the video clip, spoke with the property owner and manager to understand the situation, and took journalists to inspect the product sales area and the entire sales process. They also checked the standards of buying and selling goods to prevent fraud and exploitation of tourists, including verifying price tags and product warranties.
Tourist police are currently investigating the foreign guide and the tour suspected of being a zero-dollar tour.
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