TAT in bid to tackle problems faced by Chinese tourists

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

THE NATION

Pattaya

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday held talks with the Chinese Embassy in Thailand over ongoing problems faced by Chinese tourists as part of the TAT's plan to stabilise the local tourism industry and serve a growing number in this market annually.

The number of Chinese tourists to Thailand has been rapidly growing. In 2012, the number is expected to reach 2 million, up from 1.76 million last year. In 2011, it grew 56.88 per cent from 1.12 million in 2010, even as the country was faced with the flood crisis.

In the first four months of this year, it increased 23.55 per cent to 757,275 people. Currently, Chinese are the biggest group to travel to Thailand by air.

Sansern Ngaorungsi, TAT's deputy governor for Asia and the South Pacific market, said that there were problems encountered by the tourists, especially in Pattaya city. Pattaya has become a major leisure destination for Chinese tourists, but some of them have lodged complaints over unfair services and cheating.

In 2011, 1.23 million Chinese visited Pattaya, an increase from 785,553 in 2010. The total number of foreign tourists coming to the resort city reached 7 million last year, pouring Bt70 billion into its local economy. The number of Russians stayed on top, followed by Chinese, Europeans, and Indians.

Yesterday, the TAT, the authorities from Chinese Embassy, and local business operators discussed ways of improving regulations and service standardisation to make it more convenient and safe for Chinese tourists. Also, a committee was set up to work on the issues six months ago and its results have been satisfying.

Guan Mu, China's ambassador to Thailand, welcomed the move. He said the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand has been on the rise because of bilateral trade and investment agreements, as well as the high-speed train project. However, he was not sure whether the country has enough facilities and operations to take care of such a big number.

Mu said Chinese travellers to Thailand made up 0.13 per cent of its total population of 1.3 billion. If it increases to 1 per cent, that means 13-14 million Chinese will visit here. It is a big market for the tourism industry.

-- The Nation 2012-05-19

Those are good news, the more Chinese come to Thailand the more employment opportunitites I get.中国加油!

Get a grant from the government to go to China and understand their needs,

rather than a politician making assumptions. Big future dollars and a landfall

for those studying Chinese.

The biggest problem faced by Chinese tourists? The fact that when a busload of them descend on the River Kwai bridge they haven't grasped the concept that the road is not an extension of the path and all 50 of them can't wander about in the middle of it oblivious to any motorized traffic

Thailand is also, clearly, an excellent place for people to consume endangered animal parts. Beautiful beaches, beautiful women, and tiger genitalia: can you ask for more (if you're from Guangdong)?

China is a key market for Thai expertise in sex tourism. China's male population exceeds 56% of the population according to sources as the result of one family one child and preferencing female births.

Thais need to cater to Chinese tourists and assure that this cash flow cow sustains. They need to enforce that working girls, touts, pimps, and others involved in the "trade" do not cheat valuable Chinese tourists.

OK, mistel Lee we will working very hard on the Jet Ski problem.

Be sure the arrivall documents are in Chinese. Hope you never arrive behind a 747 from china when none can read english or Thai the immigration line only took about an hour and a half.

Some overly derogatory racial slurs have been removed.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

This is discrimination....Only Chinese tourists! What about other nationalities. Oh I forgot the Chinese basically control the economy in Thailand.

Thailand is also, clearly, an excellent place for people to consume endangered animal parts. Beautiful beaches, beautiful women, and tiger genitalia: can you ask for more (if you're from Guangdong)?

“but some of them (Chinese) have lodged complaints over unfair services and cheating.”

C’mon guys, just because some of the you were sent to sleep after sucking on nipples spiced with KO-drops?

Now I look forward to read about the complaints of the world’s second biggest hub, notorious for unfair services and cheating: NIGERIA

How long is it going to take for the Chinese embassy to work out that nothing is going to change in terms of insuring fair and safe treatmen for tourists. The cons and scams are there because they make money. Why should the Chinese reckon they wil be anymore successful at solving this than any of the other embassies?

Edited May 19, 201214 yr by Thai at Heart

TAT out of touch--It is ALL tourists you ought to concentrate on, don't please waste the usual stupid time thinking of one section--root out the real problems--WE know them so YOU must know them......They are called SCAMS. it;s these that are driving away your tourists. your airline--your airport-immigration and police. for gods sake get your fingers out, and please don't spew out anymore of your silly stats.

TAT out of touch--It is ALL tourists you ought to concentrate on, don't please waste the usual stupid time thinking of one section--root out the real problems--WE know them so YOU must know them......They are called SCAMS. it;s these that are driving away your tourists. your airline--your airport-immigration and police. for gods sake get your fingers out, and please don't spew out anymore of your silly stats.

Yinluck knows the problems that why she is going to stop corruption.

TAT out of touch--It is ALL tourists you ought to concentrate on, don't please waste the usual stupid time thinking of one section--root out the real problems--WE know them so YOU must know them......They are called SCAMS. it;s these that are driving away your tourists. your airline--your airport-immigration and police. for gods sake get your fingers out, and please don't spew out anymore of your silly stats.

Yinluck knows the problems that why she is going to stop corruption.

Problem being the P.M. is never around to sort out any TAT problem. I have an Idea she will confir after corruption is sorted.

"some of them have lodged complaints over unfair services and cheating." So what? The rest of the tourists, who have been coming here for years have just learned to accept this, they know the only service they will only get is lip service. The Chinese rarely spend any money and the sllghtest hint of an earthquake, tsunami or bird shit and they cancel their travel plans. Get real TAT!