concrete paint removal before tile installation

I am installing tile on a 7x9 concrete floor area in the basement. The concrete is 5 years old and was painted with a latex floor paint. The paint is in fairly good gondition, with minor peeling in a couple of spots. I want to remove the paint to give the thinset something to grab onto, and fear that the thinset might otherwise not stick. The tile place told me to sand it off. While that removes the paint, it also polishes the concrete, not to mention all the dust. They advised against a chemical stripper, as that might damage the concrete. Any ideas? Thank you.