Somkid plans moves to draw back Chinese tourists

[webfact]

Somkid plans moves to draw back Chinese tourists

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said on Thursday that he may have to hold talks with the Chinese government in Beijing to find ways to boost the number of Chinese tourists to the kingdom.

 

He said the number of Chinese tourists in September plunged by 14.80 per cent compared to the same month last year and the Thai government must find ways to improve the number of visitors.

 

Somkid said Chinese tourists are a major group of foreign tourists for Thailand and he has instructed the Tourism Authority of Thailand to work with the Thai Airways International to come up with promotional packages for Chinese tourists in November and December.

 

Somkid said THAI has also been instructed to hold talks with China Southern Airlines on cooperation of services to attract more Chinese tourists.

 

The deputy prime minister added that he has also instructed the Foreign Ministry to consider granting Chinese tourists visas on arrival.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30356678

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-18

[mok199]

stop with the ''moves, slogans freebies and promises ,when thais learn to conduct themselves  professionally and treat thier enviornment and guests with respect''.they will return

[bluesofa]

Just now, webfact said:

The deputy prime minister added that he has also instructed the Foreign Ministry to consider granting Chinese tourists visas on arrival.

I thought they already got a 15 day visa on arrival - wasn't that Chinese guy attacked at the airport after he was refused a visa for not paying the bribe for it?

Pedantic I know, perhaps they mean Visa Waiver? Never let the details get in the way of a good story.

 

[Esso49]

Apart from considering VISA waivers perhaps they should issue them with free lifejackets on arrival ????

[PREM-R]

From the OP "........ to come up with promotional packages for Chinese tourists in November and December."  Every day TAT tells the world that tourist arrivals are higher than before. Suvarnabhumi airport to be 'tripled' in size to cope with the avalanche of tourism...... but now they are having to find promotions to 'lure' tourists in during the 'high season'? Something does not add up.

[Oziex1]

Why, if tourism for the month is up 2.3% or whatever, does it matter who they are or where they come from?

 

Or is the truth something quite different.

[grego49]

Why do they persist in trying to bring in zero dollar tourists when they should be trying to attract tourists that actually spend money that benifit every day thais.

[Darcula]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said on Thursday that he may have to hold talks with the Chinese government in Beijing to find ways to boost the number of Chinese tourists to the kingdom.

Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning for shrimp buffets and happy endings.

 

 

[harada]

Porta potties to be fitter in the rear of all taxis.????

[PatOngo]

50 minutes ago, grego49 said:

Why do they persist in trying to bring in zero dollar tourists when they should be trying to attract tourists that actually spend money that benifit every day thais.

Everyday Thai's are not significant, what is significant is the numbers the Tourism ministry officials can conjure up to make face with their masters!

[simoh1490]

the issue is a 10% drop in the value of Chinese yuan against the Baht, fix that problem and the Chinese will return.

[Lupatria]

Be patient, after the 'election' and negotiations over the full "chinesification" the problem is solved.

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Somkid plans moves to draw back Chinese tourists

So, what's the Tourism Minister doing nowadays?

 

[yellowboat]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

he may have to hold talks with the Chinese government

At a loss why the Chinese government should even care.  That is the thing about China, if they do not care they really do not care.  Thailand, on the other hand, is touchy about every little thing these days.    And why is he using the word "may"?   The only time the junta seems decisive is when it is clamping down on visitors or it own citizens.  

[Juan B Tong]

3 hours ago, grego49 said:

Why do they persist in trying to bring in zero dollar tourists when they should be trying to attract tourists that actually spend money that benifit every day thais.

Lots of Thai fat cats make a bundle on the Chinese Zero $ tourists.

[spermwhale]

4 hours ago, Darcula said:

Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning for shrimp buffets and happy endings.

 

 

Like the Chinese could give a rat's ass if people come to Thailand. What does he expect them to do? Order their citizens to vacation in Thailand? It's so childish and pathetic really. The government shouldn't be involved in this, unless it is forcing local operators to clean up their acts and improve safety. 

And on a personal note, I'd be happy seeing less of these uncouth, greedy, loud and obnoxious tourists in Thailand. I've been at four star hotels during breakfast when one lone Chinese swoops in and takes all of the food from a plate and looks at me like they got one over on me. 

[Amusements]

All they have to do is give them their own immigration lane at the airport, and free buffet vouchers.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

I think that Somkid must be reading ThaiVisa as he is no longer trying to "LURE" the Chinese back but is now merely trying to "draw them back".  Sound a bit more civilised.  Lets hope that the Chinese he manages to "draw back" are too.

[Hockeybik]

5 hours ago, grego49 said:

Why do they persist in trying to bring in zero dollar tourists when they should be trying to attract tourists that actually spend money that benifit every day thais.

Head count 

[shady86]

Build an airport and allocate Chinese only hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions. I'm sure many more will come. 

[observer90210]

He should rather aim on making life a bit more easy on visa and extensions of stay for the quality expats/retirees who are fewer but pump in regular and sometimes bigger amounts of ca$h in the country. Will they ever understand one day ?

[Sir Dude]

Can see that the Chinese weaponization of tourism is starting to work. Pathetic how desperate the Thai government is now that it relies on mass Chinese and Indian tourists...who are hardly the quality types. You reap what you sow.

[jaiyen]

The Chinese tourists are not the problem, Thailand is !  Land of Scams, rip offs, thieves, murderers, rapists and more. 

[Sydebolle]

Rather uncoordinated. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is blowing its own trumpet on how good the development and the figures are and, although nobody believes that stuff, they keep on dreaming of two digits growth year after year, specially of Asian tourism.

Fact is that the money is made with the Westerner; the Asian volume is costly, more difficult to handle and leaves a fraction of profit behind.

So, you cannot have your cake and eat it; you want low class volumes or top class pricey visitors? Once that is defined, then adjust the product, teach Khon Thai some English, streamline visa procedures and get rid of all those touts sitting like vultures at the airports, get AOT out of all non-Airport business (like taxi mafia etc.). And, if you cannot figure out what to do then go to Singapore or Hong Kong as they got their act definitely in order ???? 

[Catkiwi]

10 hours ago, PREM-R said:

From the OP "........ to come up with promotional packages for Chinese tourists in November and December."  Every day TAT tells the world that tourist arrivals are higher than before. Suvarnabhumi airport to be 'tripled' in size to cope with the avalanche of tourism...... but now they are having to find promotions to 'lure' tourists in during the 'high season'? Something does not add up.

And don't forget the special immigration lanes at the airports that were deemed as so necessary to handle the rising tide.

 

9 hours ago, grego49 said:

Why do they persist in trying to bring in zero dollar tourists when they should be trying to attract tourists that actually spend money that benifit every day thais.

Because they aren't entirely zero dollar and if u can multiply by, how many million Chinese, there in lies the answer....maybe.

[Johnnyngai]

The Chinese RMB has depreciated 10% for the last 9 months.

The Thai Baht has appreciated 10% for the last 9 months. 

It is the extra cost of the money.