‘10,000 Thai tour guides out of jobs’
The Tourist Guide Association says over 10,000 Thai tour guides have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak choking off business from China and the government has to help them.
Wirote Sitaprasertnand, the association’s president, has written to Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn requesting remedial measures.
Wirote asked for tourism promotions to generate more work for guides and travel agencies and training for guides in additional languages and techniques for boosting the quality of travel services, as well as an “allowance” system to support guides left with no income.
Warning that Thai guides catering to tourists of all nationalities, not just Chinese, stand to lose while the scare persists, he said the government has to turn crisis into opportunity by increasing everyone’s potential ahead of the next high season.
