TWO GROUPS of Thai tourists filed a complaint with the Office of the Consumer Protection Board that they were detained in South Korea after their tour guide abandoned them despite having forced them to pay extra charges, Amarin TV said this afternoon (August 23).
Their lawyer Mr Ratchapol Sirisakorn took 30 of the 71 tourists who suffered at the hands of this tour guide to file the complaint asking that the company he works for be investigated.
The victims said they had purchased a package tour of South Korea’s Jeju island for 13,999 baht each with the journey starting at Suvarnabhumi Airport on August 15.
However when they arrived at the airport the guide asked for a tip of 1,200 to 1,500 baht each plus another 15,000 baht to ensure that they would not escape from the arranged tour with those not paying up not getting their air ticket.
Being so compelled they paid up and set forth on their trip. Yet when they arrived at Jeju Island airport that same day the guide did not help them with the immigration process and could not be contacted with this leading to the tourists getting lost and being detained.
Ratchapol said it is uncertain if the tour company deliberately intended this to happen but according to the procedure the guide had to take care of the tourists. However if the company knew in advance this would happen then it intentionally caused damage.
One of the tourists, Mr. Rithichai Murapha, said the package tour price of 13,999 baht covered the cost of hotel, food and air ticket. On top of this they had to each pay the guide 1,500 baht tip and 15,000 baht no escape charge. When they arrived at Jeju island airport the guide led the way and by the time the third group of tourists caught up he went another way leaving the tourists to go through the immigration on their own until they were finally detained.
During their detention they were only given drinking water and had to buy their own food. On August 19 the South Korean immigration officials released them to fly back home.
CAPTION:
Thai tourists abandoned in South Korea by their guide file a complaint today. Photo: Amarin TV
Also read: Tourists lost at Koh Phangan, Koh Tao forests rescued
Lampang mourns doctor who drowned trying save tourists
Indian tourists flocking to Thailand with over 100,000 holidaying here so far
Revival of Full Moon Party attracts thousands of tourists
