Chinese tourists biggest spenders in Thailand during New Year holiday

By The Nation 

 

 

Spending by Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday was the highest in Thailand according to Alipay, a leading digital payment platform offered by Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba Group. 

 

The transactions were recorded between February 4 and 10, and data drawn from the 54 markets where Alipay is accepted.

 

The number of transactions in Thailand ranked second worldwide after Hong Kong, and topped the list in Southeast Asia with an average spending of 1,646 yuan (Bt7,650). 

 

The high spending was put down to convenience stores and duty-free shops accepting Alipay and offering special promotions for Alipay users. King Power recorded a 50 per cent increase in transactions thanks to discounts for Alipay users, while transactions at convenience stores also rose by 38 per cent due to their “Alipay corner”. 

 

Chinese visitors are also now able to get tax refunds at 7-Eleven branches in the capital.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30364519

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-21

Discount for Alipay users? And i get a surcharge of 220 baht at the atm's ...

 

If i wear a hat like those chinese will i get discount too? I can also spit on the floor, jump the queue's and run into other passengers at the airport...

28 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

with an average spending of 1,646 yuan (Bt7,650

Wow .. Big spenders indeed .. I did more than that in an hour down Soi/6 .. 

8 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Wow .. Big spenders indeed .. I did more than that in an hour down Soi/6 .. 

I am bet they all laughed as you walked away....

42 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

a leading digital payment platform offered by Ant Financial

That sums it up: Apparently there's so many of them it must be like an ant invasion.

I would expect the Chinese to be the biggest spenders during their New Year. My god, this is not rocket science. 

Wonderful news! But let's have a closer look, shall we?

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The transactions were recorded between February 4 and 10

That is 7 days.

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

with an average spending of 1,646 yuan (Bt7,650).

Divided by 7 days makes an average daily spending of THB 1,092.85.

 

Thailand must be truly elated.

 

But then again, I distinctly remember that TAT a couple of years ago or so announced (or moaned) that the average western tourist would spend only about THB 4,500 per day. According to TAT - and I'm paraphrasing here - that amount was deemed simply too insignificant to make it worthwhile for Thailand to be hosting all these cheapo westerners.

 

Isn't it great when one measures with two vastly different yardsticks? 

I spend all year round in Thailand living here but scrutinised like a terrorist. 

20 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

Divided by 7 days makes an average daily spending of THB 1,092.85.

 

Is that per day? I thought 7000 per average transaction in de shops?

 

Well the farang sure spend a lot more and stay much longer, but they are nasty and expect high standards or they will complain.

3 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Is that per day? I thought 7000 per average transaction in de shops?

 

Well the farang sure spend a lot more and stay much longer, but they are nasty and expect high standards or they will complain.

There appear to be higher numbers of Chinese than farangs, so perhaps the TAT thinking (an oxymoron I know) goes on total spending per nationality, rather than per person?

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

Wow .. Big spenders indeed .. I did more than that in an hour down Soi/6 .. 

per transaction

Most of you can't read, it is per transaction. The Chinese spend the most per person than any other nationality but the bar stool experts here find that impossible to believe. 

Maths & reading/understanding a report seams to be as difficult for Expats as for Thai people...

 

There is neither the number of transactions nor the number of different Alipay-accounts reported!

Assuming that different accounts belong to different persons, we have no idea how many people used Alipay...

 

Let's say 100,000 persons used Alipay at least once (=number of transactions). That would sum up to a total spending of

765 Million THB or 'daily' ~109 million.

If you buy some branded cosmetics, spirit, tobacco, sweets and souvenirs at KingPower you easily spend some 1+ times 7,650 THB on a single Alipay-transaction. ( my wife usually 'feeds' KingPower with over 15,000 THB on every SuvBum visit ???? )

The two platforms surveyed were Alipay and Alibaba. Both Chinese. Mainly used by Chinese. I don't know anyone who has used either. I wonder why Chinese were the biggest spenders on those platforms?

17 minutes ago, Lupusthai said:

Maths & reading/understanding a report seams to be as difficult for Expats as for Thai people...

 

There is neither the number of transactions nor the number of different Alipay-accounts reported!

Assuming that different accounts belong to different persons, we have no idea how many people used Alipay...

 

Let's say 100,000 persons used Alipay at least once (=number of transactions). That would sum up to a total spending of

765 Million THB or 'daily' ~109 million.

If you buy some branded cosmetics, spirit, tobacco, sweets and souvenirs at KingPower you easily spend some 1+ times 7,650 THB on a single Alipay-transaction. ( my wife usually 'feeds' KingPower with over 15,000 THB on every SuvBum visit ???? )

Valid points. You easily can rack up 10,000 Baht or more at KingPower outlets -- especially when considering that their "duty-free" prices are not particularly cheap. But I have yet to see a Chinese tourist who buys 7,650 Baht worth of mama noodles and snacks at convenience stores around town.

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

Wow .. Big spenders indeed .. I did more than that in an hour down Soi/6 .. 

Can't help it, sorry, but it reminds of the guy who says to the girl in the bar 'you gave me an STD'  she replied 'I didn't GIVE you it, you paid 1000 baht for it.'

43 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

There appear to be higher numbers of Chinese than farangs, so perhaps the TAT thinking (an oxymoron I know) goes on total spending per nationality, rather than per person?

Actuall if you read the OP carefully, it's talking about the Chinese tourists in Thailand spending more than Chinese tourists in other countries. Very misleading.

50 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Is that per day? I thought 7000 per average transaction in de shops?

 

Well the farang sure spend a lot more and stay much longer, but they are nasty and expect high standards or they will complain.

Yes the nasty farangs who never seem to want to leave look for value for their money......Where as the Chinese can hearded around like cattle and will buy just about any over priced shit, they only hang around for a week then they go home....

The 7/11 on the road outside my condo has a sign in English and Chinese stating Cash transactions only.......The Chinese were using cards about 6 months ago...I wonder if 7/11 never go the money and put a stop to it.

Every evening it is mobbed with Chinese on holiday in Jomtien living in Condos for short term rental periods....... I thought you had to stay a month ? But maybe different rules for different nationalities....

Cool down TAT....Chinese New Year is not all the year long just in case !! ????

Here is what TAT data shows. China is on the top

 

Edited February 21, 20197 yr by onera1961

4 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Here is what TAT data shows. China is on the top

 

So the America's is the average of South and North america?

 

What a weird comparison.

8 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Here is what TAT data shows. China is on the top

 

Well if your only in Thailand for one week like the Chinese your spending just might be higher.....But the western farangs spend much much more overall...

But dont expect to see that in a chart......

Edited February 21, 20197 yr by fforest1

12 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Well if your only in Thailand for one week like the Chinese your spending just might be higher.....But the western farangs spend much much more overall...

But dont expect to see that in a chart......

And the smart farangs don't use the atm's because they hate to get scammed...220 baht surcharge for a farang, pure theft!

where is Russia on that chart? 

2 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

where is Russia on that chart? 

Too far to the left. That's why you can't see it. ????????

This should provide the barstool philosophers with enough material to see them through to the annual Songkran whine fest.

Chinese tourists are the biggest spenders during Chinese New Years?

 

Get out of here! I refuse to believe this rubbish.

7 hours ago, dcnx said:

Chinese tourists are the biggest spenders during Chinese New Years?

 

Get out of here! I refuse to believe this rubbish.

It is rubbish. It's not what the OP says. Nothing to do with comparing Chinese tourists with other nationalities. It's comparing Chinese tourists in Thailand with Chinese tourists in other countreies. Chinese tourists in Hong Kong were the biggest spenders.

 

Everyone's got sucked in by the headline, which bears no relationship to the article.

What kind of stupid survey is this ? Only Chinese and other Asians use Alipay , no wonder they are the biggest spenders.   Misleading headline. 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 20197 yr by balo