Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

This paper reviews tour operators, tour guides, and interpreters in the Thailand context. Results found that both tour operators and tour guides in Thailand have to registered with and licensed by the government, if not they are guilty to do so. Tour guides are preserved qualified career for Thai nationality only; furthermore, they are very important person in tourism industry for they are the closest person with tourists especially in mass tourism industry. They are also the person who is able to give right information and warn tourists not to harm any negative impacts to environment and society. However, there have been shortage some of the non-speaking Thai licensed inbound tour guide. Hence, the illegal of non-Thai and non-licensed tour guides have been found and worked in Thailand tourism industry that they may not give correct information or may not guide the right way to behave to tourists. In addition, tour guide and interpreter are quite similar and overlap. Interpreter–the concept that Thailand acknowledged from overseas–means the person who has art of communication that tells story with non-personal interpretation so that the tourists feel respect, appreciate, and protect the environment. From the definition, interpreter is not limited to only the tour guide that the interpreter may be educator, ranger, biologist, historian, and naturalist, etc. This study also describes examples of good practice of tour operators and tour guides that are also good interpreters in the Thailand context.

Presenters

Umaporn Muneenam
Lecturer, Environmental Management Department, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand

Pongbaworn Suwannattachote
Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand

Pruessayos Jitsumpun