The Thai PM is defending the temporary visa waiver recently introduced for Chinese tourists, despite several airlines cancelling slots due to low demand. According to a Bangkok Post report, a number of Chinese carriers have cancelled landing and take-off rights for Thailand due to being unable to fill flights.

 

Thailand recently introduced temporary visa-free entry until February 29 next year for arrivals from China and Kazakhstan. There was a short-lived uptick in Chinese arrivals when the scheme was launched, with numbers going from 17,000 a day to 18,000.

 

However, that temporary rise coincided with China’s big Golden Week holiday period. Once that was over, numbers dropped to between 8,000 – 9,000 a day. They then increased again to 10,000 – 11,000 a day in November.

 

By Peter Roche

 

Full story: Phuket GO 2023-11-23

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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One of the worst airports I have passed though.  The woman was screaming at me and asking why I had a camera.  She then slammed it down on the table.  Lack of signs.  No staff available to ask for directions or help.  No moving walkways.  Smog on the inside of the airport.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand recently introduced temporary visa-free entry until February 29 next year for arrivals from China and Kazakhstan. There was a short-lived uptick in Chinese arrivals when the scheme was launched, with numbers going from 17,000 a day to 18,000.

Guess the increase in Kaz tourists was one bum on a plane going by the lack of Kaz tourist reporting numbers

So what does article saying even if they give you free admission to the show you’re not coming in to watch it TIT

12 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

One of the worst airports I have passed though.  The woman was screaming at me and asking why I had a camera.  She then slammed it down on the table.  Lack of signs.  No staff available to ask for directions or help.  No moving walkways.  Smog on the inside of the airport.

which airport

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Chinese tourists, despite several airlines cancelling slots due to low demand.

How do I express my deep and lasting joy?

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Thai PM is defending the temporary visa waiver recently introduced for Chinese tourists, despite several airlines cancelling slots due to low demand. According to a Bangkok Post report, a number of Chinese carriers have cancelled landing and take-off rights for Thailand due to being unable to fill flights.

Thailand is not the paradise it once was... many other destinations within easy reach of China offer a lot more than Thailand.

Edited November 23, 20232 yr by hotchilli

Price of flights these days might be a factor .

Pretty much 40% + increase since last year same time from uk to bkk and more PRC to Bkk 

The Chinese economy is a bit knackered too right now .

43 minutes ago, 10baht said:

How do I express my deep and lasting joy?

Yes yes great news. keep it up. 

48 minutes ago, chrisbangkok said:

Pretty much 40% + increase since last year same time from uk to bkk

My prices for July 2024 BKK-LGW-BKK Business Class with Emirates are actually cheaper than this year by 20,000THB!!

Is this supposed to be bad news?

1 hour ago, mikecha said:

which airport

Yeah, which airport?

This is hilarious we have one headline hat says Chinese airlines are cancellng flights due to lack of customers, and then we have another where Thai air wants to put more flights in and out of China.

 

Bottom ine is that countries and places that rely on strictly tourism are in trouble because people have less and less money to spend.  Most people are looking at trips that are close to home.

 

In the case of India, Pakistan, China and Russia there are not many places to go where they can enjoy the world.

 

The other side is that there are not a lot of people that can afford the trips.

 

Thailand needs to look at other businesses.  Companies in the west are closing their call centers.  If Thailand was smart they would be competing with the Philippines for international business. 

 

 

14 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

One of the worst airports I have passed though.  The woman was screaming at me and asking why I had a camera.  She then slammed it down on the table.  Lack of signs.  No staff available to ask for directions or help.  No moving walkways.  Smog on the inside of the airport.

 

Which airport are you talking about ?  Suvarnabhumi  or China   ??

the rich chinese still travel,,but mostly not to thai ,its "non preferd" , the upcomming middleclass , what was the most seen as tourist , are in a downwardspiral , and this  will not end soon ,and brings 10s of million back to proverty ,due to negative equity of their homes ,and partly loosing jobs too. 

41 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

If Thailand was smart

 

 

 

There's the answer why.

Cambodia, Bali, Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond are all starting to develop their tourism industries to attract the Chinese. Thailand has a lot more competition from neighboring countries, where people are actually welcoming to tourists. 

Just let the beggars in and demand will shoot up

We're not getting 15 million Chinese wandering obliviously? 

A couple of points:

 

1) The prawns are happy,

2) Imagine the even longer queues at Suvarnabhumi, if all the planes from PRC were running.

Less pyamas at airport….

The Thai Tourism Industry really needs to wake up and smell the Coffee

As we are entering into 2024, the World is slowly, but surely sliding into a deep recession

China, as the " Worlds Factory " is feeling the effects of this already

A recent Trade Show had Exhibitors crying because they only received some 20 % of their traditional orders

The bottom has fell out of the Property Market, and Factories are laying off Hundreds and Thousands of Employees

Added to this the Chinese Govt are tryin  initiate a stay at home policy for Tourists to keep money within the Country

Thailand has rested upon its laurels for too many Years now, and with little or no inventive Investment in the Tourist Sector, they are due for as very rough ride in the next Year o Two

49 minutes ago, RandolphGB said:

Cambodia, Bali, Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond are all starting to develop their tourism industries to attract the Chinese. Thailand has a lot more competition from neighboring countries, where people are actually welcoming to tourists. 

 Welcoming to tourists you said. How so when the China tourists need valid visa to enter Cambodia and Laos. Indonesia allowed 30 days visa free for the Chinese same as Thailand. 

Perhaps they're worried that Srettha will try and tax their incomes and pensions as soon as they land? lol.

Great news

Keep your child influenza in your own country ! 

No Chinese blue collar or lower middle class people are thinking about vacationing abroad.

One of China's biggest wealth management firms, Zhongzhi, just declared insolvency, with over $64 billion debt vs under $30 billion assets.  This is the beginning of China's Banking & Financial Services collapse, which is following their Real Estate bubble bursting.

Few want to spend money when everything is up in the air about their future. 

 

I suppose we could use the submarine to offer Chinese tourists tours of the Gulf. 

8 minutes ago, Purdey said:

I suppose we could use the submarine to offer Chinese tourists tours of the Gulf. 

I'm sure Chinese subs are already touring the Gulf.

3 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Cambodia, Bali, Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond are all starting to develop their tourism industries to attract the Chinese. Thailand has a lot more competition from neighboring countries, where people are actually welcoming to tourists. 

Its not so much that they are necessarily better just the same same and thailand is well, competing for a pool of people that have substantially declined.