Santi Pawai, director of the Phuket office of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Tourist Police officers raided the shop yesterday afternoon (June 24).
They witnessed a tour guide leading a group of Chinese tourists to an altar next to a donation box with Chinese writing on it.
Officials noticed a man in a yellow shirt working at the shop greeting tourists in Chinese and introducing them to the altar and showing the tour group around the temple.
Then at one point during the tour, the man led the group to a sala closed off to the public.
Officials went inside to check, and found that the place was set up as a shop to sell Buddha images and amulets. In the corner of the room, a Buddhist monk sitting and waiting to bless the tourists.
“We identified themselves, checked the area and investigated the source of all Buddha amulets and images,” Mr Santi said.
“The guides’ permits were confiscated and the tour company they work for has been contacted to come in to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports office regarding the matter.”
The shop was legally registered under the name Monkol Prakleing, he added.
Mr Santi explained that the shopowner had assured him that the man in the yellow shirt was a Thai employee.
“He speaks Chinese and explains to the tourists the origins of the Buddha images and other relics within the temple. Apparently, he is not a tour guide,” Mr Santi said.
“However, many local residents are concerned that the shop and its staff may be damaging the image Buddhism and the temple.
“Some people, including the monks, said they had no idea whether or not what the man told the tourists in Chinese was accurate, or possibly damaging to the image of Buddhism,” he added.
“Some residents filed complaints claiming that Chinese tourists were allowed to enter the sala, but not Thais.”
However, Mr Santi admitted that the raid uncovered no illegalities.
“We will talk with the owner and advise all other shops like this in Phuket, of which I believe we have only five, to come in for basic religion training.”