Visa-free entry for Chinese nationals has many consequences

[webfact]

The Thai government’s decision to encourage visa-free travel for Chinese nationals has certainly boosted their numbers. They are now estimated to be around 35,000 per day as flights increase from more cities in China. The overall volume is either back to pre-covid days or has even surpassed it.

 

Although the boost to Thai tourism and to government coffers is obvious, there are other features about the move. Recent advertising hoardings in Bangkok and Rayong, written exclusively in the Chinese language, have been removed by Thai local authorities but clearly illustrate a new market trend.

 

The Thai commerce ministry is complaining that Chinese-made domestic products are flooding Thai markets at a huge discount compared with Thai-made items. The popular Alibaba Group Holding e-commerce and retail technology company is basically run from China and offers knock-down prices.

 

Meanwhile, there are frequent media tales in Thailand about Chinese citizens being abducted or forcibly repatriated, even as Thai immigration officers periodically swoop on Chinese illegal businesses and scam centers throughout the country.

 

By Barry Kenyon

TOP picture: Chinese tourism to Thailand has recovered completely from the covid era.

 

Full story: PATTAYA MAIL 2024-08-10

 

-  Cigna offers a variety of health insurance plans designed to meet the minimum requirement for medical treatment coverage, with benefits reaching up to THB 3 million. These plans are tailored to provide comprehensive healthcare solutions for expatriates, ensuring peace of mind and access to quality medical services. To explore the full range of Cigna's expat health insurance options and find a plan that suits your needs, click here for more information.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[norsurin]

They asked for it.Criminal chinese and russians everywhere.

[ChipButty]

Thai's will start complaining shortly, it will give the Russians a break

[watchcat]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai government’s decision to encourage visa-free travel for Chinese nationals

 

Why not make it permanent, Xi would like it as they already own Thailand.

[ikke1959]

But the tourist industry will complaining that there are no tourists coming or spending...Up to 100 million visitors this year if you believe all this kind of news

[spidermike007]

Absolutely correct it has circumstances, so did easing visa restrictions on Russian nationals, and essentially inviting in the Bratva to operate in Thailand. That has consequences that will last decades, but the worst consequences are inviting inexperienced simpletons to run an entire government, and then pretending it's a democracy. 

[Guderian]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Although the boost to Thai tourism and to government coffers is obvious

 

Are you sure about that, how many are still coming on Zero Dollar Tours? It wouldn't surprise me at all if Srettha's family were in on the lark, too.

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, Guderian said:

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Srettha's family were in on the lark, too.

Getting guided tours around their condo's for sale, 

[1happykamper]

Thailand leaders can't find their as a in the dark. Good grief... so much incompetence 

[tau152]

The Thai government had asked for it….just don’t seem to realize that the criminal Chinese Communist Party will try to take over!!  🤢

[Hakuna Matata]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

there are frequent media tales in Thailand about Chinese citizens being abducted or forcibly repatriated, even as Thai immigration officers periodically swoop on Chinese illegal businesses and scam centers throughout the country.

 

 

[Shmo]

These Thailand immigration rules Sure tells the rest of us farang world just how and what the Thai Government thinks of us.

 

It’s pretty clear by their policies that they really don’t want  any to live here and if we do live here, they want us to pay a <deleted> ton of money to do it and they absolutely do not want us to make any money or run a legal business in or around Thailand  by using any of the available resources or infrastructure. 
 

that mentality has trickles down from the top and has given the Thai people an excuse to treat the Farang like an ATM across the entire spectrum of the country.

 

[ThaiFelix]

32 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Absolutely correct it has circumstances, so did easing visa restrictions on Russian nationals, and essentially inviting in the Bratva to operate in Thailand. That has consequences that will last decades, but the worst consequences are inviting inexperienced simpletons to run an entire government, and then pretending it's a democracy. 

I dont think they even bother pretending anymore do they?

                                                                                                            

[thailand49]

In my twenty years here Ive never seen so many and they arent tourist.

In Pattaya, talking the darkside I run into lots of families that are living here purchased homes using agents to set up companies, kids go to schools my granddaughter attends that receive heavy funds from Chinese government, I see them at Tops super market, Home Pro, majority are much too young to be retired so wherecare funds coming.

 

A few weeks ago I needed a new ATM card. The waiting area was packed with Chinese couples Thai agents opening bank accounts.

[JoeyMac]

PM Strettha panic ridden decision to allow Chinese and Indians to flood Thailand with cheap mass tourism, killed of any hopes of high quality spending tourists.

 

So lazy, lacking any skills to clean up tourism all gone - instead tried and tested cheap mass tourism is the fall back. 

 

No attempts to even diversify the economy, instead the Thai population will be hooked on this cheap mass tourism.

 

Proof in the puddings - revenue from tourism is down, despite more and more tourists arriving. Restaurants complaining lack of visitors. The type of Chinese coming to Thailand are the cheap variety, NOT THE  ELITE - they head to Europe, which is the dream.

 

Disgusting decision. Cost the country billions in lost revenue from visa fees. 

 

Inexplicably allowing INdians free entry was perhaps up there with one of the worst decisions in Thai history, because they saw revenue from indian tourists - yes but at what cost ? 

 

The infrustructure can barely cope as it is. 

 

Utter lunacy, to the compound all that by letting them stay long term !!!!

 

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai government’s decision to encourage visa-free travel for Chinese nationals has certainly boosted their numbers. They are now estimated to be around 35,000 per day as flights increase from more cities in China. The overall volume is either back to pre-covid days or has even surpassed it.

Invite them in, take the good with the bad... 

[freeworld]

Nothing like a topic like this to bring out the xenophobes. The comments seem to confirm.

[spidermike007]

32 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

In my twenty years here Ive never seen so many and they arent tourist.

In Pattaya, talking the darkside I run into lots of families that are living here purchased homes using agents to set up companies, kids go to schools my granddaughter attends that receive heavy funds from Chinese government, I see them at Tops super market, Home Pro, majority are much too young to be retired so wherecare funds coming.

 

A few weeks ago I needed a new ATM card. The waiting area was packed with Chinese couples Thai agents opening bank accounts.

I think many of us have seen articles recently about Pattaya and Phuket being just absolutely overrun with tourists, and the areas not being able to cope. It's getting to be a bit like Paris or Rome, during the summer time. No thanks. Thrilled I don't live in either area. 

[thailand49]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think many of us have seen articles recently about Pattaya and Phuket being just absolutely overrun with tourists, and the areas not being able to cope. It's getting to be a bit like Paris or Rome, during the summer time. No thanks. Thrilled I don't live in either area. 

 

[malibukid]

• some of the girls are hot and friendlier than the locals and speak the English, better educated
•  

[Marco51]

19 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think many of us have seen articles recently about Pattaya and Phuket being just absolutely overrun with tourists, and the areas not being able to cope. It's getting to be a bit like Paris or Rome, during the summer time. No thanks. Thrilled I don't live in either area. 

 

19 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think many of us have seen articles recently about Pattaya and Phuket being just absolutely overrun with tourists, and the areas not being able to cope. It's getting to be a bit like Paris or Rome, during the summer time. No thanks. Thrilled I don't live in either area. 

welcome to Chiang Mai , enjoy a true chinese Disneyland , you walking wallet, you.

[thailand49]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I think many of us have seen articles recently about Pattaya and Phuket being just absolutely overrun with tourists, and the areas not being able to cope. It's getting to be a bit like Paris or Rome, during the summer time. No thanks. Thrilled I don't live in either area. 

Ive read that a number of months back even about Pattaya but yet they keep doung everything possible to bring them in. I remember after that article the hotel association complaining not enough business?

Here is the problem my comment isnt about tourist!  Tourist dont buy homes, send their kids to school, go to Tops and but thousands of baht of groceries nor tourist go Home Pro to buy furniture, appliances, or open bank accounts!

 

I know Triads been here a long time and how they go about things to stay but young families as if they are escaping China, relocating permenent too young to retired all within working age. So where is all the money coming are they working.

[BarraMarra]

30 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Nothing like a topic like this to bring out the xenophobes. The comments seem to confirm.

Its not Xenophobic Watching 3-4 Indians sharing a small bottle of water outside 7/11.

[John Drake]

7 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Ive read that a number of months back even about Pattaya but yet they keep doung everything possible to bring them in. I remember after that article the hotel association complaining not enough business?

Here is the problem my comment isnt about tourist!  Tourist dont buy homes, send their kids to school, go to Tops and but thousands of baht of groceries nor tourist go Home Pro to buy furniture, appliances, or open bank accounts!

 

I know Triads been here a long time and how they go about things to stay but young families as if they are escaping China, relocating permenent too young to retired all within working age. So where is all the money coming are they working.

 

This is precisely what happened in Laos starting about 8 or 9 years ago. Chinese just moved in en masse, around 800,000 in a country of 7.5 million people. Ignored any legal or visa requirements. Crossed the border, set up shops, businesses, schools, and that was it for Laos.

[bbbb1952]

They own the airlines they fly over on they own the hotels they stay in they own restaurant they eat in they own everything 

[NoDisplayName]

1 hour ago, thailand49 said:

In Pattaya, talking the darkside I run into lots of families that are living here purchased homes using agents to set up companies, kids go to schools my granddaughter attends that receive heavy funds from Chinese government, I see them at Tops super market, Home Pro, majority are much too young to be retired so wherecare funds coming.

 

Sounds as though the Chinese are getting the exact same deal the western folks have.

 

Well, except for the kiddie diddling and the ladyboy spelunking.

 

China bad!

[koele2]

The Chinese Thais who own and run a big chunk of Thailand are now selling out the country that adopted them.  Thais will soon be second class citizens to the Chinese.  If you allow too many of them in, they will take over and the Thais will have nothing.  They will betray anyone for money and power.

[ExpatOilWorker]

We need 3x more tourist in Bangkok to beat Amsterdam and Paris.

 

[klauskunkel]

went to Chatuchak Market today, might as well re-name it to Chinachak

[Expat Tom]

You will reap what you sow. The first case of Covid 19 reported outside of China was a Thai Taxi driver

who took a Chinese tourist from the airport to their Bangkok hotel....FACT NOT A Conspiracy theory.

Why was it call Covid 19? Because there were 18 Covid  infections before Covid 19 ...DUH! 

Where did these Covid infections originate? Do your own research. 

 

What other presents will Chinese tourists visit upon the Thai population. The Big Wig Bangkok Fat Cats will make money and that is ALL they care about.