What visa options are available for a UK tour manager supervising tours in Thailand?

Many tour companies from foreign countries send their staff as a tour leader with the group who act more as a superviser rather than a guide as there will be a seperate Thai guide. I used to do the same. I don't think there is a need of work permit or any special visa for that since a tour leader is just a part of tour group and return with the group.

Was actually looking into a similar thing too. From what I understood (reading, not doing) the legit way to do it is start a company (you do NOT need a Thai partner - it just makes it cheaper if you do). If I understand correctly you'd need 2mil Thai baht "registered" capital if it's a Thai-owned company or 3mil if it's foreign-owned - this gives you quota for work permit for ONE foreign worker who would need to enter on a Non-immigrant B visa, get the work permit, then extend the visa based on the work permit. Basically it's all doable - if you have the money. "Registered capital" is basically the amount of liability the company will accept in case of debts/lawsuits/etc - I am not sure what the rules are about how much (or all) of it needs to be paid upfront or whether you have to maintain the balance later.

You also need to understand, it only takes one jealous competitor or disgruntled local to make a formal complaint and your “shepard” might be arrested. Unless they are a genuine tourist, and I would suggest soemone who is performing any activity that would normally attract an income would not meet that deffinition.

Thai’s are very protective of losing jobs to foreigners, and it could be someone from a hotel, driver or even a relative of theirs who makes a complaint.

As someone else said - foreign tour guides do get arrested. Chinese and famously an Australian recently. Its not what you consider is a tour guide, it’s what the immigrtion police consider.

I would not chance it - as not only may it create costly legal problems here in Thailand, but also back in UK with potential customers impacted making complaints about your operations.

I know of someone a while ago who’s wife owned a guest house (legally) and the husband use to help clear the dishes after meals wit their guests and was arrested and deported for working illegally. It was a local who reported him.

Notwithstanding the HUGE cost of being an ABTA registered travel agent in UK. Unless you want to go "grey" there too?

You would need a local as registered tour guide probably

Lewis, We have a few plantations down in Chumphon. Rubber trees, palm oil, cattle and other stuff. Wanted to set small up 3 or 4 day tours for small groups to enjoy the experience of a real Thai plantation. There are contingency activities here too like caves, great scuba, beach and wildlife here as well. We could set up or provide accommodations and game plan. My wife is Thai. If you want to brainstorm it let me know. My wife is already Dot Inc (incorporated) in the plantations name.

Tour guide - illegal. Someone from your company based in the UK who comes to Thailand for a short time to do some 'shepherding' under the overall leadership of a Thai tour guide? Grey area

I’ve done quite a bit of research into this as I was in the process of doing something very similar. A long discussion is probably needed, plus I’d need to dig out my old notes and files.

It’s definitely possible but there does need to be a bit of investment on the Thai side. Whether or not that’s viable would depend on the frequency of the tours.

it is illegal you need to hire a thai person who is a licenced tour guide...Foreignes can not get a work permit as tour guide if found working they get deported

Guiding a tour group is a prohibited job in Thailand. So if you send an English Tour Manager, the only thing he is allowed to do is enjoying under supervision of a Thai tour guide the tour.

I think you're mostly only going to get educated guesses from the group here. While there are a LOT of talented people who contribute answers your questions are so specific that it's beyond the scope of being "thai visa related"..

You could probably get away with someone "shepherding" the group, but I have no idea the legalities involved if you brought them in on anything other than a tourist visa or a 30 day visa exempt entry and just did it under the radar.

It WOULD fall under the definition of work by the powers that be here in thailand and you need to know that foreigners can't legally be tour guides at all. It's a prohibited thai only trade.

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