Illegal tour operators in Loei arrested at Ban Khok Phai checkpoint
Tourism Police and officials arrested two men at Ban Khok Phai border checkpoint in Loei province today, February 16, over allegations they operated an unlicensed tour business selling trips for Thai tourists to Laos.
The arrests were made at the Ban Khok Phai border checkpoint in Pak Chom subdistrict, Pak Chom district, Loei province. Police identified the suspects as two men from Mueang Loei district.
Investigators seized documents and other material they said supported the alleged offence, including copies of cross-border travel documents, still images and video files, tour programmes advertised on Facebook, and money transfer records, along with other evidence.
The two 30 year old men were accused of jointly operating a tour business without a licence, under Thailand’s Tour Business and Guide Act (2008), as amended in 2016.
Police said the charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht. The men were taken to Pak Chom Police Station for legal proceedings, where both suspects reportedly admitted the allegation.
Officials said an investigation found the two men were civil servants in Loei province and had been operating for just over two months. They sold tours via social media and claimed to use a Lao tour company licence. Officials said tours were run out through the Khok Phai checkpoint in Pak Chom district, with the suspects hiring a van.
Tourism Police and tour registration officials said they had monitored the activity for some time and carried out an undercover purchase for travel on February 14 to 15. Police said the tour proceeded and concluded, after which officers arrested the two suspects.
Acting Second Lt Kritchanat Kunratchahirun, president of the Loei Tourism Business Association and chair of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) Northeastern Chapter, said the Ban Khok Phai international checkpoint has been busy since it opened.
The crossing was recently upgraded to make cross-border travel easier, with tourists able to use passports to enter and exit, he said, adding that group trips taking Thai tourists abroad must be run by fully licensed tour operators and warning that unlicensed organisers face legal penalties if something goes wrong.
Kritchanat called on relevant agencies to inspect the Ban Khok Phai area in detail and check online advertisements selling overseas tours to confirm whether operators are properly licensed, reported CH7 News.
He ended by saying that tourists could also check tour operators themselves via the Department of Tourism, which provides online guidance through its website to verify a company’s licence before purchasing a tour.
Similarly, previously in January, a woman was detained at a pier in Sri Racha, Chon Buri, on January 3, following complaints that she was offering overpriced and misleading tourism services to visitors heading to Koh Si Chang island. The operation took place at Koh Loi Pier, a ferry terminal popular among tourists travelling to Koh Si Chang.
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