Somkid reaches out to Jack Ma to push Thai tourism

[webfact]

Somkid reaches out to Jack Ma to push Thai tourism

By The Nation 

 

 

Thailand has beefed up its cooperation with Alibaba co-founder and chaiman Jack Ma to help promote the country’s tourism online in the hope of luring more Chinese to take trips to Thailand, while joining hands with the Chinese e-commerce giant for trade development.

 

Following discussions with the Chinese billionaire in Shanghai yesterday, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the Alibaba chief had acceded to the Thai request to help promote tourism through its online commerce empire, which can access a large number of Chinese.

 

Thailand will do a 20-second video promoting the country’s tourism as part of Alibaba’s online promotional campaign on November 11 and about 800 million Chinese are expected to view this online campaign.

 

Combined with the waiver of visa-on-arrival fees for Chinese tourists and for nationals of 20 other countries plus Taiwan, more tourists are expected to visit Thailand later this year.

 

“Alibaba is pleased to support Thailand’s tourism and now it is going to hold an activity for the single person day on November 11, asking us to do 20 seconds of a short presentation video. I may be the presenter of this video to gain Chinese tourists’ confidence on convenience and safety,” Somkid said.

 

Alibaba also confirmed it would invest more in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), as it wants to build up a logistics hub for products in Thailand and the region, apart from its planned human resources development and training centre. The Chinese e-commerce giant is seeking a plot of land in the EEC.

 

After Ma spoke of Alibaba’s need for Thai fruits ranging from mangosteen, mango and others, aside from durian, Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said he had asked the Chinese e-commerce giant to inform about the types of products, specifications and the quantities needed in detail so that an annual plan could be drafted to direct effective production and sourcing through contract farming.

 

Alibaba has been sourcing high-potential Thai products and helping Thai operators export to China. Three groups of potential Thai products are: agricultural and agro-industry products – fruits and processed fruits, fruit juice, frozen seafood, broken rice, nuts, coconut oil and snacks; electronics and computer parts and raw materials – plastic pellets; and lifestyle products – textiles, nano fabrics, sportswear, cotton and woven fabrics, wooden furniture and leather products.

 

In mid-2017, Alibaba Group decided to make a Bt11-billion investment, including a digital platform, distribution centre and transportation joining hands with Thailand Post, IT investment, automation and robot systems for small and medium enterprises and joint digital human resources development and business promotion through e-commerce, in the EEC’s smart digital hub.

 

According to Sontirat, Alibaba is ready to help train Thai officials who will develop Thai business operators through online trade and technology. Alibaba has a business development centre – Taobao Village Model.

 

Soon, Thailand will dispatch its team of 15-20 members from the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Business Development, the Interior Ministry’s Community Development Department and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry’s Cooperative Promotion Department for in-depth learning from Alibaba on the development of a logistics network to carry products from local areas to consumers.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30358016

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-07

[Samui Bodoh]

Jack and his political masters decided to help with no strings attached. 

 

And they all lived happily ever after...

 

The end.

 

Sleep well, Pleasant dreams!

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by Samui Bodoh

[mok199]

The Chinese are going to love Thailands new tough smoking ban...see you at the Mall

[chrisinth]

This would be one of the cases where ad-blockers come into their own..............................

[PatOngo]

"Help us Jack, we've shot ourselves in the foot!"

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

in the hope of luring more Chinese to take trips to Thailand

I think this is the second time such an article about tourists from China has used the word "lure".

It gives the impression of something that is underhand. It reminds me of this:

"'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the spider to the fly." The story of a cunning spider who ensnares a naïve fly through the use of seduction and flattery.

[yellowboat]

Boy, are they going to owe him in a big way.   He is going  to package tours too ?  Not sure how the average zhou on the street is going to be influenced by Jack, unless something is on offer.  Thailand's new poorly thought out smoking rules will not play out well for a country that adores smoking a vaping.   More junta expediency, band aides, beat to fit paint to match solution.   Hope Ma asks for a modicum of safety for his compatriots, or he will become and popular and general prawit back home. 

[Thian]

The Thai must be getting desperate and don't realize that more chinese means less westerners.

 

Why not go for the Indians now as a last resort? Or Africans..

 

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

the Thai request to help promote tourism through its online commerce empire, which can access a large number of Chinese.

perfect, just what we need, More Chinese

[Odysseus123]

34 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I think this is the second time such an article about tourists from China has used the word "lure".

It gives the impression of something that is underhand. It reminds me of this:

"'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the spider to the fly." The story of a cunning spider who ensnares a naïve fly through the use of seduction and flattery.

Yes-I was about to say the same thing but you have got in with a better post.

 

There is something about the word "lure" when used in either an official or semi official capacity which should ring a few alarm bells...

[RotBenz8888]

Doesn't sound desperate at all, oh no. Next step would be to hire Jacky Chan, Jao Ming Jet Lee and a few others to make a commercial movie to promote Thailand. And if that doesn't work, why not send agogo girls to tour China and hand out flyers?

[bluesofa]

21 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

perfect, just what we need, More Chinese

Yeah, ten minutes later you always feel like another one.

[bluesofa]

30 minutes ago, Thian said:

The Thai must be getting desperate and don't realize that more chinese means less westerners.

Why not go for the Indians now as a last resort? Or Africans..

But only the ones with millions of dollars left undiscovered in a bank account.

[BEngBKK]

I wanted to email Ma Jack and congratulate him about his success but unfourtunally gmail is banded in China ......

[kevin612]

Yep, always contact the rich first. Wealthy gets wealthier, poor gets poorer.

[BestB]

Should work really well. Buy $1 adapter get a free trip to Thailand ????

[jessebkk1]

They are looking for more foreigners to lock up for not notifying their address.

[LomSak27]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

The Thai must be getting desperate and don't realize that more chinese means less westerners.

 

Why not go for the Indians now as a last resort? Or Africans..

Desperation is the key word. On another forum a hotel owner in CM let the cat out of the bag ... note always keep cat in bag ... this is the worst year ever (18 that he personally knows) ... that since April not since September as commonly believed. Now there is a hotel glut in CM, sure,  but it is way beyond what the N and BP put out in their candied and perfumed news reports

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

The Thai must be getting desperate and don't realize that more chinese means less westerners.

 

Why not go for the Indians now as a last resort? Or Africans..

 

Or Eskimos after the last African has been ripped off. 

[Thian]

27 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Desperation is the key word. On another forum a hotel owner in CM let the cat out of the bag ... note always keep cat in bag ... this is the worst year ever (18 that he personally knows) ... that since April not since September as commonly believed. Now there is a hotel glut in CM, sure,  but it is way beyond what the N and BP put out in their candied and perfumed news reports

But but according to the officials this is another record year, they even want to build more airports/extend them...

 

Guess the plan of luring more quality tourists has changed for more cheap tourists in grouptours? 

 

Quality tourists who spend a lot have already seen thailand and even the backpackers don't care anymore. Thailand isn't cheap anymore and the quality is still the same as always (very low). Safety is getting worse every week and the police still does nothing to improve it on the roads. Heck i even don't know what a Thai policecar looks like.

 

Yesterday i passed an ambulance with a burning blue and red light but they were not wailing and no sirene to be heard. I still don't know what that means but i gave it way just to be sure i won't be on the next youtube movie. Imagine a farang on a scooter blocking the ambulance, that would be great news of course.

 

 

 

 

[Juan B Tong]

Chinese are conducting economic war using tourists.  The big Chinese kahuna says go visit Thailand and the masses visit Thailand.  Big kahuna says don't go they don't go.

 

Free visas are not gonna change that, only shows the desperation of the richies and their willingness to suck up to maintain an income stream. 

 

The average Thai I encounter think the Chinese suck and the Thai-Chinese economic big shots are just self serving exploiters.

 

[Krataiboy]

He could show his good intent by booking a package holiday for the Forty Thieves.

[Sydebolle]

All this will end up as a perfect examples to be presented in universities lecturing on tourism promotion on how NOT to do it! 
The mother-of-all-tourism-promotion-ideas, well done! 

[holy cow cm]

Jack Ma is dangerous 

[Ulic]

As Jack rails against Trump and tariffs, he is was silent on China's failure to meet commitments to open up its markets, technology theft, and Chinese imperialism and human rights record. I have lost all respect for the man. Now Thailand goes hat in hand to get him to promote Thailand to Chinese tourists. Thailand needs to focus on real solutions, not short-term promotional fixes. Clean up the garbage and litter. Fix the beach sewage problem, improve safety both on the roads and water. 

[Justgrazing]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

 

   

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

I may be the presenter of this video to gain Chinese tourists’ confidence on convenience and safety,” Somkid said

But forgot to remind them their unwillingness to join the queue in convenience stores might impinge upon their safety .. especially when p*ssed Russians are trying to do the same .. 

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

broken rice, 

I've had broken biscuits from a pound shop .. Is this the same sort of ting ( with rice obviously ) .?

[HAKAPALITA]

Whats this glut nonsence. Only glut that ever happens here for quality Hotels is when the Police or Mid ranking Officials hold a meeting. Grannies and hangers on all get an invite. 

[Media1]

9 hours ago, BEngBKK said:

I wasnted to email Ma Jack and congratulate him about his success but unfourtunally gmail is banded in China ......

Haha 

[DrTuner]

I have an idea how to lure them in, pay them 5000 baht to come here. It'll speed up the colonization nicely.

[BestB]

So 800 million will see it and what if 10% decide to visit? How is Thailand going to cope with 80 million Chinese ? And where are they all going to sleep when majority of hotels are “illegal” 

and final thought, does Somkid think it’s the quality ones who shop on alibaba.?

Edited November 7, 2018 by BestB