Thai law prohibits foreigners from driving passengers.

[Big Boy]

Obviously, this is a knee jerk reaction/fallout from the Swiss guy not being able to keep his size 11s to himself, but wtf?

Is this just another Thai law that has sat in a closet for years, waiting to be brought out when it suits? Does anybody know the extent of the law? Is this going to be the next tea money scam?

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... oh-phangan

[STEVE G]

^ I think working as a driver is a banned occupation under the Foreign Employment Act. I'm presuming that is what the problem was here, not just driving with passengers.

[Big Boy]

That is the way I thought about it originally. However January and February was a particularly busy month for me with many visitors. I picked them up from the station. and took them to their hotels, I took them around various sites, and several events. What is the difference? Surely I could be taken as their tour guide.

I have 2 visitors coming from the UK next week. They have a few tourist sites they'd like me to take them to. Technically, I will be their tour guide. I don't really believe the BIB would apply the letter of the law, but the BIB do have phases of money making ideas. Who would have thought we'd be given 24 hours to report that we'd come home a few years back?

As you can see from the link, they've just done it once. How will estate agents fare taking their prospective buyers around? Absolutely no difference to what has happened.

They are trying to let us know they are in charge after the Swiss guy's misdemeanors. Just scroll through Thai news, foreigner after foreigner is being made an example of at the moment.

[PeteC]

^ I think working as a driver is a banned occupation under the Foreign Employment Act. I'm presuming that is what the problem was here, not just driving with passengers.

Yeah, I think so. She's the GM of the Spa/Resort using a marked a company car. She should have let Somchai drive them.

[lomuamart]

Na.

Operating a taxi service and taking money is obviously a no go. As is being a tour guide. Always has been and probably always will be.

Driving your friends around? No, again.

I've heard this old chestnut countless times over the years here. Don't let it bother you.

[dtaai-maai]

^^ Agreed. We'll be back to mowing your own lawn next.

"A combined force of immigration, tourist and local police..."

Good to see they weren't taking any chances when nabbing this dangerous 56 year old Norwegian lady.

[PeteC]

I can envision the Thai PM calling frantically from his meetings in Paris telling these people to dial it all down a notch now for fear the entire tourist market will get wind of it and add it the "Thailand hassle factor" list.

[Nereus]

Good to see they weren't taking any chances when nabbing this dangerous 56 year old Norwegian lady.

I could well understand it if she Glaswegian!

[PeteC]

^^ Agreed. We'll be back to mowing your own lawn next......

My mower has no markings or number plate, and I only do it between 0900 and 1700 when the MIB are eating under a shady tree.

[lomuamart]

If I drive to a golf course for a competition and someone needs a lift back into town, am I going to worry about taking them? No.

As D-M says, we'll be back to the fear mongering days of not being able to breathe in your own home in case they decide you're working in some way. This is a quarter of a century old mania.

[Big Boy]

I can envision the Thai PM calling frantically from his meetings in Paris telling these people to dial it all down a notch now for fear the entire tourist market will get wind of it and add it the "Thailand hassle factor" list.

The way they are making stupid examples at the moment, you could well be right. Today alone I must have read reports of 12 Farang arrests for petty crimes, making an example of them. The good bit is it seems to be restricted to the Phuket/Surat Thani areas at the moment - prime tourist areas of course. [Edit] Some examples here: https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand ... l/40036180

The Swiss guy and his were OTT, and they've been dealt with quite severely. That should be example enough for now.

[kwajdiver]

I don’t see this crackdown on drivers helping to increase tourism.
I would wager that many western tourists prefer to have someone from their home country driving them around. If nothing else, because of all the horrible van accidents……..

[caller]

The good bit is it seems to be restricted to the Phuket/Surat Thani areas at the moment

That's because they set up a special task force in those areas to deal with the problem. The locals have been hopping mad about this for some time, claming foreigners working is affecting their own work/inccome. And it's not just about westerners, but all nationalities. I think such activities became too open, too widespread, for the authorities to ignore, despite all the greasy palms.

Is it worth revising the thread title, to make it less of a statement of fact?

[Big Boy]

Is it worth revising the thread title, to make it less of a statement of fact?

The thread title was taken from the link, which was quoting the law.

We already know that Thailand has a law for everything, but they just aren't enforced. Therefore, it surely is a fact, but not enforced.

[Dannie Boy]

I’m sure that by this time next week there’ll be something else that’s the main talking point!!


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