Tim Newton Today - Aug 23: Are Chinese tourists heading back to Thailand? New BKK observation tower

[webfact]

 

Thailand's biggest company telling the country to 'prepare' for the big return of Chinese tourists and spending... we don't see it. There's a new Observation Tower in Samut Prakan, electric buses for Bangkok, and good and bad news for Singapore's GLBTI community.

 

 

 

[bkk6060]

They are just getting over all the restrictions and some economic issues.

I bet next high season or around the first of 2023, they will come like never before many want to leave China for good just tired of the purgatory living environment.

[Gold Star]

What does Thailand know, or is this just wishful thinking?

 

Does this signal the imminent end to China's zero Covid policy which is crippling its industry, economy, and lockdowns of millions?  

 

As the world's largest energy consumer, I think a better gauge of this is the price of oil, and it is lower than it should be.

[daveAustin]

Can’t wait.  

[Screaming]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Can’t wait.  

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

6 hours ago, Screaming said:

 

What's Mandarin for "SHARKS!"?

[MikeyIdea]

China won't lift restrictions this year. They have way too many elderly that are not vaccinated. I'd expect mid next year. The Chinese cannot even get a passport or leave the country without evidence of business trip or study etc. 

 

They'll come when China opens for sure, more and more. Thailand is a popular destination  and it seems to get more populsr too. Just have to get used to it. And they're OK when you get to know them, just loud ????

 

 

[ftpjtm]

2 hours ago, MikeyIdea said:

China won't lift restrictions this year. They have way too many elderly that are not vaccinated

I agree. Plus China still refuses to buy the foreign sourced vaccines that are superior to their own.

 

IMO a combination of MRNA vaccines plus immunity by exposure to COVID has gotten the rest of the world past the pandemic. China is going to face a spike in infections when they finally do open, which will be worse if they don't use better vaccines. 

 

I believe they'll restrict travel until they develop their own MRNA vaccines and are able to produce enough to vaccinate the majority of their population. 

 

I also think this has been immensely destructive to their economy. I was formerly involved in the textile machinery business with many customers in China. It's very difficult to generate new business without personal visits from buyer. Repeat orders can be dealt with via the internet, but buyers constantly require new fashions and products which is why places like Pratumam exist. I'm sure many other industries are the same. Not to mention the difficulty in machine maintenance if technician visits are hugely burdensome. This extended shut down will dampen  Chinese business opportunities for years.

 

Xi us an idiot on that front and many others

[The Hammer2021]

5 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

What's Mandarin for "SHARKS!"?

Sharkoh

[The Hammer2021]

I hope they come as independent  travellers  not massive  tour groups

[Soikhaonoiken]

18 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

I hope they come as independent  travellers  not massive  tour groups

Hope they never come again...

[The Hammer2021]

Just now, Soikhaonoiken said:

Hope they never come again...

Of course they will,  including independent minded younger people.

They are coming here and will outnumber  farang and outstanding us. Thais prefer Chinese to farang

[papa al]

6 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

What's Mandarin for "SHARKS!"?

鲨鱼

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

What's Mandarin for "SHARKS!"?

They have eaten them all.

[hotchilli]

China has too many home grown issues to deal with at the moment...

most are worried that their life savings are tied up in a now almost bankrupt property development scheme and those with savings in state banks might find it hard to get a withdrawl soon.

[Blumpie]

You know they aren't even processing passports yet so just bloody well forget about it for a long long long time.  

This story is utter nonsense.

[Karma80]

China tourists returning is pure click bait. There is still mandatory quarantine in China and HK for any returning passengers and outbound travel is still restricted to essential only. And guess what - you don't get to to decide what is essential and risk your passport being removed if you try from the mainland. There's some physical barriers for you.

But more than that, China isn't vaccinated against covid broadly at this point and saw what happened in Hong Kong. Nobody is about to walk back zero covid policy. Economically, there is a lot of money that wants to leave China and this situation is very convenient for preventing that.

 

There isn't anything in it for China to drop it's current play book on travel and they could care less about tourists headed to Thailand.

[tomazbodner]

13 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

What's Mandarin for "SHARKS!"?

Dinner's ready!

[daveAustin]

8 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

I agree. Plus China still refuses to buy the foreign sourced vaccines that are superior to their own.

 

IMO a combination of MRNA vaccines plus immunity by exposure to COVID has gotten the rest of the world past the pandemic. China is going to face a spike in infections when they finally do open, which will be worse if they don't use better vaccines. 

 

I believe they'll restrict travel until they develop their own MRNA vaccines and are able to produce enough to vaccinate the majority of their population. 

 

I also think this has been immensely destructive to their economy. I was formerly involved in the textile machinery business with many customers in China. It's very difficult to generate new business without personal visits from buyer. Repeat orders can be dealt with via the internet, but buyers constantly require new fashions and products which is why places like Pratumam exist. I'm sure many other industries are the same. Not to mention the difficulty in machine maintenance if technician visits are hugely burdensome. This extended shut down will dampen  Chinese business opportunities for years.

 

Xi us an idiot on that front and many others

AstraZeneca has been as effective. I know you yankees hate to admit it, but it was the first and has been administered in more countries. But yes, either/or would have sorted China.

The politburo also do not care about the people or the economy for that matter… they will remain rich either way. 

[ftpjtm]

10 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

AstraZeneca has been as effective. I know you yankees hate to admit it, but it was the first and has been administered in more countries. But yes, either/or would have sorted China.

I acknowledge that and reflected it in my first sentence. Meanwhile the Chinese are furiously trying to perfect MRNA technology. 

 

11 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

The politburo also do not care about the people or the economy for that matter… they will remain rich either way. 

The people have been largely satisfied with or at least tolerant of the politburo because the economy was growing in leaps and bounds. They may not be so ambivalent if Xi tanks the economy.

 

And I'm not so sure that the politburo doesn't care about the economy. They want their riches to increase, not decrease. Therefore Xi may lose politburo support of if he tanks the economy. 

 

The majority is happy with the status quo when things are rosy. Xi is doing many things that will cause long term damage to the Chinese economy. 

[RafPinto]

Isn't Tim working anymore for "The Thaiger"?

 

China is in deep trouble.

Don't think many will travel soon and China will keep an eye on those who want to take money out of the country to buy property abroad.

[proton]

39 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Isn't Tim working anymore for "The Thaiger"?

 

China is in deep trouble.

Don't think many will travel soon and China will keep an eye on those who want to take money out of the country to buy property abroad.

No he's got his own YT channel, looks like he was forced out of the Thaiger by Mike the insufferable ????