Thailand's Tourism Faces 'Zero-Dollar' Tour Crisis

[sambum]

4 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

But, didn´t they make zero-dollar tours illegal many years ago. Tell the police to do their work!

 

Like that's going to happen! The only time that that is likely to happen is when the production of brown envelopes dries up.

That's it  - brainwave- if they stopped production of brown envelopes that would probably reduce corruption by 50%! Now whereabouts is the Patents Office in Thailand?

[sambum]

1 hour ago, Megasin1 said:

You reap what you sew...simple 😁

 

"Sow"

[BangkokHank]

Shouldn't it be zero BAHT tours?

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This is not necessarily a problem that just began to plague Thailand recently, this has been going on for a decade or longer. The quality of tourists attracted to Thailand have been dropping significantly, and now Thailand only seems to be able to attract relatively low end tourists from Malaysia, China, India, the Arab world, and Russia. 

 

There are many reasons for this but the authorities are unwilling to discuss any of them, nor address any of the problems that affected the nation long before covid. 

 

Exactly right. Thailand needs to address why the country attracts bottom of the barrel rather than the ultra-rich they have wet dreams about. But they won't, because the reasons are too embarrassing. I don't need to list the reasons here, as anyone with more than the briefest experience of the country knows very well what they are. 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

That's it  - brainwave- if they stopped production of brown envelopes that would probably reduce corruption by 50%! Now whereabouts is the Patents Office in Thailand?

 

Not really. Wasn't someone caught at security smuggling in a large sum of money in a sandwich box on his way to see a judge? Sure they cost more than an envelope and that increases the overheads, but they could always ask for it back after the contents have been examined so that it can be re-used again. 

[CallumWK]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is grappling with a surge in so-called “zero-dollar” tours that are wreaking havoc on the tourism sector. These tours, notorious for their rock-bottom prices or free offers, primarily target tourists from China, Russia, and India, leaving local Thai operators struggling to compete.

 

Wait a minute, didn't we hear the same story about 6 years ago?

 

But yes they had the solution at that time, in confiscating what I think was ~1500 buses from the company that did the travelling, and a few weeks later the nephew of the then prime minister started a company that did exactly the same.

 

The court case took several years to conclude, and no evidence of the claims was found, so the by then useless buses were returned to the by then bankrupt owner.

 

I'm sure a Wai and an apology was offered for destroying a business

[Caldera]

Here we go again. No lessons learned from the same happening before the Covid-19 reset.

[bumpkin]

Where do the coach operators buy the coach fuel ?     Where do they purchase accommodation ?  Where do they purchase the entry tickets to various tourist attractions ?  etc., etc.       Surely, there is considerable 'local'  expenditure.

[CallumWK]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Similar to the European holiday trend "All Inclusive" – many people likes that kind of no financial worries vacation...👍

 

Not the same by far.

 

All-inclusive holidays the hotel in the holiday country receives the money, and no forced visits to factories owned by foreigners are included

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

 

Like that's going to happen! The only time that that is likely to happen is when the production of brown envelopes dries up.

That's it  - brainwave- if they stopped production of brown envelopes that would probably reduce corruption by 50%! Now whereabouts is the Patents Office in Thailand?

Nah, they don´t care about the colors, as long as the content is the same. Have to totally stop production of envelopes. 😉 

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

making the country appear cheap and unsafe

Another Thailand hub

[Nabby]

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

But, didn´t they make zero-dollar tours illegal many years ago. Tell the police to do their work!

I've said it before and I will say it again: any and all news related to China/Chinese is BAD NEWS.

[Elkski]

My understanding of the concept is a fixed price for air, hotel, and tours.   And the hotels and restaurants are legitimately owned by the host country expats.   Maybe they use thai tour guides?   Thai's must hate this but it seems legit to me.  

To compete they need to offer better packages.   No sympathy from me. 

Edited June 19 by Elkski

[Nabby]

2 hours ago, john donson said:

the tours, have a guide, that must be thai, or working illegal as thai only job...

 

I wonder how much zero dollar tourists pay at national parks?

The only thing Chinese want to do at a national park is eat the wildlife. 

[Gottfrid]

19 minutes ago, Nabby said:

I've said it before and I will say it again: any and all news related to China/Chinese is BAD NEWS.

I am mostly with you on the point. Nothing much good comes from the country or it´s population.

[Mason45]

3 hours ago, supersomchai said:

So in the end of the day all you get

is endless tour bus traffic jams.

Amazing Thailand ☹️

Tour buses have taken over the Wongamat area I counted 20 buses parked over night in 2 different sois. Red and white striped curbs and unbroken double lines are simply ignored. I see them every morning when I start my daily walk at 6 am.

Edited June 19 by Mason45
typo

[geisha]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

...Why don't they offer these kinds of tours to people from the UK?

 

bob.

They do, Tui has some very cheap all inclusive tours to Thailand staying in quite nice hotels albeit ones that are out of the way, so you're stuck on a nice beach in the middle of nowhere. An island tour thrown in or a trip to Krabi.  I have a neighbor who used to go every year for years with his wife and come back dark brown tan and happy with the sunshine and food they liked. Or like the Club Med on Kata beach that used to be jam packed with French tourists when I lived across the road.They hardly left the club except one or two island tours. They have everything they want inside the club, bars, shows, shops, games, kids corner where you can dump them off for the day, perfect for families if that sort of holiday floats your boat. Club Med is the high class of cheap tours. Important is having a nice beach and palm trees. 

[sambum]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Nah, they don´t care about the colors, as long as the content is the same. Have to totally stop production of envelopes. 😉 

 

Nah, if it was  a different colour envelope they might think it was a begging letter! 🙂 

[Mason45]

9 minutes ago, Mason45 said:

Tour buses have taken over the Wongamat area I counted 20 buses parked over night in 2 different sois. Red and white striped curbs and unbroken double lines are simply ignored. I see them every morning when I start my daily walk at 6 am.

Of course the drivers being Thais throw the plastic bags and foam food containers  out of the window after they've eaten and leave the area in a real mess.

[herfiehandbag]

4 hours ago, Megasin1 said:

You reap what you sew...simple 😁

Or sow even 🧐

[herfiehandbag]

42 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

I am mostly with you on the point. Nothing much good comes from the country or it´s population.

Oh I don't know:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/G8BStUfsWXpzNSds/?mibextid=oFDknk

[artotle]

7 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

But, didn´t they make zero-dollar tours illegal many years ago. Tell the police to do their work!

 

If only there was a police force in Thailand. Currently we only have a paramilitary organization of questionable motives.

[stoner]

are there any tourists thai people like ? no need to answer. 

[bob smith]

Just now, geisha said:

They do, Tui has some very cheap all inclusive tours to Thailand staying in quite nice hotels albeit ones that are out of the way, so you're stuck on a nice beach in the middle of nowhere. An island tour thrown in or a trip to Krabi.  I have a neighbor who used to go every year for years with his wife and come back dark brown tan and happy with the sunshine and food they liked. Or like the Club Med on Kata beach that used to be jam packed with French tourists when I lived across the road.They hardly left the club except one or two island tours. They have everything they want inside the club, bars, shows, shops, games, kids corner where you can dump them off for the day, perfect for families if that sort of holiday floats your boat. Club Med is the high class of cheap tours. Important is having a nice beach and palm trees. 

...all that for Zero Dollars?

 

bob.

[TimBKK]

Dear Thailand:  You Get What You Deserve.

[loong]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

These predatory practices aim to dominate market share by eliminating legitimate competition.

I wonder what the Thai word for irony is or if it even exists!?

Thailand's laws eliminate so much competition from foreigners!

[loong]

3 hours ago, sambum said:

 

"Sow"

That's not nice, calling someone a pig!

[Aviatorhi]

They wanted mass instead of quality (in the dollar sense)... Time to adjust course. Mass needs more infrastructure anyway, for very low ROI. 

[candide]

5 hours ago, youngster30uk said:

A lot of the money from these zero dollar tours does not enter Thailand and does not benefit Thailand in any way. A chinese person would pay a chinese tour company, all the money stays in China, then they are taken to chinese businesses in Thailand all the money goes back to china

Thais taking foreigner to their 'Family' business is bringing money to the Thai economy, they are completely different situations

Nonsense! The principle of zero dollar tours is that the original fee doesn't cover the cost, and that the money is actually earned by commissions on what tourist spend in the country of destination. That's why It's called zero dollar tours. A large share of expenses occurs in Thailand.

 

On top of it, one of the key concerns for Chinese businessmen is to put as much money as possible out of reach of the CPC. The money stays in Thailand and is used to buy businesses and condos.

How do you think Chinese people can buy expensive condos in Thailand, while they are not allowed to take more then $50,000 per year out of Thailand?

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

Oh I don't know:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/G8BStUfsWXpzNSds/?mibextid=oFDknk

Yeah, all got their taste. They just don´t do it for me.