Russian tour guides busted in Phuket crackdown (2025)

Thailand’s sun-soaked tourist trails turned tense this week as Phuket Tourist Police swooped in on illegal tour guide operations, arresting two Russian nationals and fining two tour companies in a coordinated sting targeting unlicensed tourism activity.

The crackdown, conducted yesterday, April 23, was spearheaded by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekkachai Siri and involved officers from multiple police units and the Southern Region 2 Tourist Business and Guide Registration Office. The mission: to clamp down on foreigners illegally working in Thailand’s tourism industry and to enforce the Tourist Business and Guide Act.

According to police, the two Russians were caught red-handed while operating as unlicensed tour guides — a direct violation of Thai law, which prohibits foreigners from taking up guiding roles reserved exclusively for Thai nationals.

One suspect was arrested at the Laem Tukkae public beach pier on Koh Siray, while the other was nabbed at Baan Hin Rom Pier in Klong Khian, located in Phang Nga’s Takua Thung district.

Tourist Police also hit two tour companies with fines for breaching regulations under Section 33 of the Tourist Business and Guide Act.

Offences included failure to submit tour guide work orders for inspection and neglecting to provide licensed Thai guides to accompany tourists, a legal requirement designed to uphold service quality and protect local jobs.

The violations were uncovered during a surprise inspection at Wat Khao Kok Kloy Waterfall in Phang Nga’s Kok Kloy area, a popular attraction for foreign travellers.

Despite the high-profile nature of the operation, police have not released the names of the persons or tour companies involved.

Tourist Police say the raid forms part of a broader initiative to clean up the tourism sector, particularly as visitor numbers continue to rise in the post-pandemic travel boom.

Officials have vowed to increase inspections and take a zero-tolerance stance on illegal tour operations that bypass Thai licensing laws, reported The Phuket News.

With tourism being a key pillar of the Thai economy, authorities are urging businesses to comply fully with legal standards and warning foreign nationals that posing as a guide without proper credentials could land them in serious trouble.

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