Number of tourists from China to Thailand has dropped

[waza]

We were staying at a resort for the weekend that we like and there was a party of tourists from China there. At dinner on the Friday it was like a plague of locust had gone through the dining room. There was a buffet on and the Chinese hit it like the next day was the end of the world. A large silver platter of a poached salmon, all decorated was picked up by one guy and taken to his table of 16. At the same table someone had picked up the entire steel container of barbecued food/kebabs/chicken etc and took it to their table. Whole trays of salads, containers of rice etc all gone. The Thai chefs stood there in disbelief but did nothing. We had to leave and go for a pizza, there was so much food taken it would take the kitchen 30-40 mins to get replacements on the table. The following morning at breakfast the same thing happened. It was so bad that the European manager of the resort offered me and my family a free weekend stay at a time of our choosing. He confided in me that he would never have another Chinese tour party in his resort again! So all in all the winners in this statistic are Thailand.

I saw the same thing in Cambodia, I booked a dinner show, it started at 7 pm I arrived at 7:10 all the tables were filled with Chinese tourist around 500 of them, and the tables were covered in food. I went to get something from the buffet but it was empty.

"Yes, and when in groups, they tend to TALK VERY LOUDLY." Worse than that is the coughing up of GREEN OYSTERS and spitting them on the floor.

[zydeco]

I'm confused. At one point the article states that there is a 30-50 percent decline in fourth quarter tourism from China. Then, the last sentence states there is a 17 percent increase according to TAT. How does 50 percent fewer translate into a 17 percent increase?

Zydeco, I assume you are a foreigner. As foreigner yo will never ever understand Thai calculations.

They are not based on any mathematical rule and always adjusted in favor of the person/group who announce the calculations.

Example:

In Western calculations 2 + 2 = 4

In Thai calculations 2 + 2 = 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 or 6 or even 7. But one thing is sure it will not be 4.

You're correct. I'm a foreigner, but my wife is Thai. And she counts exactly the way you describe, especially when it comes to my paycheck. The numbers are always floating and what seems to be a sure, predictable monthly payment--such as rent, insurance, fixed TV/internet--always seems to have some darn Thai calculation to it that requires me to give her more money.

[Dag Ekeberg]

Pattaya made an entire new lane on Beach Road for these people. Now, they’re not coming anymore?

Edited November 9, 2013 by metisdead
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[Jim walker]

I would think one of the main reasons for tourist numbers dropping would be the safety factor when you go on holiday you don’t want to be in danger in any country and government stability is also important don’t want to be in some foreign country where a military junta could be in power tomorrow everyone in the world has access to information they all know about bus crashes train crashes and other road fatalities never mind the boats sinking and many other tourist related deaths must be some safer 3^rd world countries to visit besides Thailand.

Edited November 9, 2013 by metisdead
Font, again.

[Thai at Heart]

I have a small group of Chinese friends who visit Thailand every year and I act as their guide.They speak no Thai and very little English.so I get them around with my English and "nit noi"Thai,steering them away from scams , overpricing ,Even their hotel has been know to try and arrange tours,tickets etc with a huge mark up.Of course the Thais who are "missing out" on rich pickings hate me doing this and I dont give a ***** . they bring it on themselves.The Chinese government know what goes on and so does the Thai government who as per normal do nothing.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

No they have dinner something and numbers are down 50%. So the Thais have successfully screwed the pooch that ate the golden goose, the came on a gift horse.

[notmyself]

You forgot to enclose it in " " and attribute the source - that's called plagiarism and thanks for the already well know history lesson.

Forum netiquette (seemingly outside of TV) uses red indented text to denote a quote from an external source (outside of forum basically) plus link and blue indented text to denote an external source without a link such as a paraphrase.

Back on topic....

However, Mr. Pongsatorn believes the law will eventually benefit Thailands tourism industry in the long term as it terminated some long-overdue problems, such as the scamming of Chinese tourists by business owners and tour operations.

What a very strange thing to say.

[HOAX]

Yes. I worked in south west Yunnan and the dialect still exists. So if the Chinese or thais would like to go and find out about their ancestry,, go to Yunnan. I am sure the Thais would love every moment of their trip.

Haha I doubt. Thais hate learning and history is the least thing on their mind

[Thai at Heart]

Yes. I worked in south west Yunnan and the dialect still exists. So if the Chinese or thais would like to go and find out about their ancestry,, go to Yunnan. I am sure the Thais would love every moment of their trip.

Haha I doubt. Thais hate learning and history is the least thing on their mind

There is even a minorities theme park where Chinese tourists can go to see these people living. A bit like a human zoo. It's really classy.

So I can understand your point when a thai considers that Han Chinese would come to Thailand to learn of their ancestry?????

Edited November 9, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[sjjmmi]

I for one will not miss them

[anotheruser]

This problem is easily fixed. Shorten periods of stays to those that cross at land borders to one week at a time for the visa waiver. At the airport cut it down to to 15 days entry. Add 500 Baht entry fee for more than 3 days stay. This alone will double the amount of high quality tourists in the Kingdom as well as double the money from the entry fee. Let's face the facts here... people love Thailand and universally recognise it as having the richest culture, the best food and the prettiest men. People will put up with anything to have the honour to be here. Thailand will never ever become yesterday's news.

Sorry for the off topic rant. Back on point less 'zero dollar' Chinese, <deleted> cares? I am actually shocked to hear that tourist numbers are not going to quadruple this year after Swampy is declared the world's 90th most desirable airport.

Edited November 9, 2013 by anotheruser

[timewilltell]

More hot air than an overinflated bagpipe and the din is so much more raucous

[attento]

It has taken ages for some of us to appreciate fully the pleasure of Thai customs and local idiosyncrasies, now we are expected to start this experience all over again with our dear visitors from a neighbouring super-power ?

TVF's most valued contributors will have a new raison d'être

Edited November 9, 2013 by attento

[Commander Tamson]

I'm confused.  At one point the article states that there is a 30-50 percent decline in fourth quarter tourism from China.  Then, the last sentence states there is a 17 percent increase according to TAT.  How does 50 percent fewer translate into a 17 percent increase?

TAT Math....not same-same farang algebra.

It's maths Jim but not as we know it

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[muchogra]

I didn't read through all the posts. I got cracked up and irritated reading along the way. But, what the heck, as long as we can have our says.

The way I understand it is this. Tour operators in China, and of course, in collaboration with the Thai operators, offered low-cost package tour. Once here, they were forced compulsorily to go to places with a charge, often at a high rate. There, of course, were other more rip-off places they were taken to and no enforcements there.

The Chinese tourists complained. The Chinese Government then required the tour operators to post the actual cost of any tour package without the "hidden" and compulsory charges. Invariably, tour operators needed to raise the package tour price substantially which naturaly has deterred many tourists from coming. Media in China is strong and it travels far and beyond! Thailand needs to recognize that.

There's a saying: once bitten, twice shy; or something like that! Thailand doesn't pay heed to this, I think, at least not enough!

The way it's going may just make Thailand unattractive as a tourist destination or a place for long-term settlers soone!

Edited November 9, 2013 by muchogra

[Bagwan]

“On the positive side, this bill encouraged Chinese tourists to travel in the closer destinations in Asia rather than going to Europe” added Mr. Pongsatorn. ???????

I need some help with this. I don't understand Thai logic at all.

[Thai at Heart]

On the positive side, this bill encouraged Chinese tourists to travel in the closer destinations in Asia rather than going to Europe added Mr. Pongsatorn. ???????

I need some help with this. I don't understand Thai logic at all.

Cause and effect is a different concept in Thailand. But remember, when demand drops the answer is to raise the price.....

[osiboy]

Good

+1 ..............know what you mean

[khaowong1]

It's not math - it's Thai math.

Yes, it's kind of like Thai chess.. Have you ever played chess with a Thai person. They use different rules than most everybody else in the world playing chess. I still can't understand their rules.

[Pinot]

Difficult to understand any writing that references TAT figures. The TAT figures are pretty much meaningless.

Very little loss to Thailand with reduced Chinese tourism. They don't spend any money.

[simon43]

I have a small group of Chinese friends who visit Thailand every year and I act as their guide.

I have to interrupt you there

Work permit??

[boomerangutang]

If tourists are getting scammed by being taken to tourist traps, then it's just as much the Thai trap operators as the Chinese tour leaders (who skim commissions) who are in on the scams. It takes two to tango.

How about penalizing the tourist trap vendors who scam? In my area of northernmost Thailand, there is an attraction which shows 'Long Neck Karen' - hill tribe women with metal rings stacked around their necks. What most tourists don't know, is the Long-Neck Karen hail from a region 300 Km west of here. So, the tour scammers get local brown skinned girls, put shiny rings on their necks, and set them in a zoo to be looked at.

[belg]

chinese businessmen smelling an opportunity to make some quick bucks.... what else is new...

good riddens

[sunsandsurf]

The drop is purely because if an internal law in China clamping down on unscrupulous Chinese tour operators I.e. ′zero dollar tours′.

It is not a result of anything occurring in Thailand and in fact the same law is affecting Chinese tourists to all countries.

Just saying there is a bigger picture.

[boomerangutang]

The drop is purely because if an internal law in China clamping down on unscrupulous Chinese tour operators I.e. ′zero dollar tours′.

It is not a result of anything occurring in Thailand and in fact the same law is affecting Chinese tourists to all countries.

Just saying there is a bigger picture.

Fersure. Asian tourists are known for being particularly sensitive to political unrest. Thailand is looking like an overheated boiler right now, particularly for anyone headed to Bkk.

[mrtoad]

The less of these scummy tour groups the better

[muchogra]

The drop is purely because if an internal law in China clamping down on unscrupulous Chinese tour operators I.e. ′zero dollar tours′.

It is not a result of anything occurring in Thailand and in fact the same law is affecting Chinese tourists to all countries.

Just saying there is a bigger picture.

You are right it's an internal law in China. But please give it a thought how they culd offer 'zero dollar tours' without getting a piece of the pie of what's happened in Thailand? Tour operators are no philanthropists who operate at a loss! In other words, it has everything to do with it!