Departments ink MoU to prevent fraud in tourism

Acting Second Lieutenant Arnupap Gaesornsuwan, director-general of the tourism department, said tour operators and tour guides were an essential part of Thailand’s tourism industry as they are in direct contact with people visiting Thailand. “The quality and standards of these professionals are therefore of utmost importance to us.” 

To standardise and upgrade |their services, the tourism department has made an agreement with the provincial administration department’s Bureau of Registration Administration. This will enable the tourism department to access the Ministry of Interior’s database in order to verify the backgrounds of those applying to be registered as tour operators or guides. This should help prevent fraud and scams in the tourism industry.

The MoU covers the sharing of the computerised database of census information and the protocol for reading ID cards. The information shared under this agreement will be used by the tourism department as a basis for consideration, registration, and renewal of tour-operator and tour-guide licences, or their suspension or revocation if necessary.

Arnupap said the synergy between these two government agencies would pave the way for improvement of the standards of tour businesses and tour guides in terms of service quality. It is also expected to minimise tourists’ risk of being tricked or mistreated.