Phuket Tourist Police arrest illegal Chinese guides

PHUKET: Tourist Police arrested two Chinese nationals in Phuket Town yesterday for working illegally as tour guides catering to Chinese tour groups.

Phuket Tourist Police Inspector Urumporn Khundejsumrit named the two men as Hung Jin Tia, also known as “Mr Tawan”, 34, and Cao Jiandong, 40.

Accompanying Tourist Police in the raid on the men’s tour kiosk on Phun Pol Road was Jakrit Janjit, Registrar of the Bureau of Tourism Business and Guide Registration Phuket office.

“We also seized a list of tour programs, a list of tourist customers and brochures of tourist attractions in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga that they organized tours to,” Maj Urumporn said.

The men were taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with working illegally as tour guides.

“They each face a fine of up to 100,000 baht or up to four years in prison,” Maj Urumporn said.

After justice has been served, they will be deported, he added.

“We are working together with other police officers to crack down on illegal guides in Phuket because they give Phuket a bad image,” Maj Urumporn said.

The arrests follow a protest against illegal Chinese guides by Thai tour guides on April 29 (story here).

— Kritsada Mueanhawong