Chinese chartered flights to Thailand 'cancelled'

[webfact]

Chinese Chartered Flights To Thailand 'Cancelled'
By Khaosod English


Anti-government protesters marching in Krabi province, 20 January 2014

BANGKOK: -- Officials of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have expressed fears that the ongoing political crisis continues to affect the Kingdom's tourism industry.

Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of the TAT, said he has instructed the policy and evaluation teams to closely monitor the tourism market throughout the year in order to reinvigorate the industry, which has suffered greatly from the political crisis.

For instance, once the "Bangkok Shutdown" operation of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) is over, Mr. Thawatchai said, the TAT will "regain tourists′ confidence" by organising "Big Events" in areas previously occupied by the protesters, such as Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Ratchaprasong Intersection.

"We will invite many foreign [business] agents and foreign media to visit Thailand to express our confidence," Mr. Thawatchai said.

However, it is unclear when the protests will be over; PCAD has adamantly insisted that their occupation of Bangkok will not end unless Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resigns from her caretaker position, a demand repeatedly rejected by the government.

Another option to revive the tourism market is to focus on "niche market", said Mr. Apichart Inpongpan, Deputy Director of the Policy Section of TAT.

The TAT has also conducted meetings with Thai Airways to develop strategies to encourage more tourist arrivals, according to Mr. Pongsathorn Ketsamlee, Deputy Director of the Asian and South Pacific section of TAT.

He admitted that the TAT is facing tough works because the political rallies are prolonged and it is impossible to predict violent incidents.

"Many foreign tourists have either avoided Thailand, or changed their destination from Bangkok to Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Samui," Mr. Pongsathorn said, "The goal of 28 million foreign tourists for this year might not be achievable, but it won′t be in the minus. I think we can expect at least 26 million".

He stressed that tourism industry is the barometer of confidence other nations have toward Thailand.

The TAT′s hope that Chinese New Year season would make up losses in tourism revenue might not be fulfilled neither, according to a number of officials.

Mr. Suchart Hirankanokkul, Director of the southern region section of Thai Hotel Association (THA), lamented that all Chinese charted flights to Thailand have been cancelled by the Chinese authorities out of concerns about the current political crisis.

The market is experiencing 20% decline in Chinese tourists, Mr. Suchart said.

Mr. Kasian Chaowattanapisut, Director of the Thai-China Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA), said he has originally expected that 500,000-600,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand during the Chinese New Year season, but now he would be satisfied if 300,000 of them did arrive.

Meanwhile, the raging southern insurgency has caused many tourists to cancel their hotel booking in Songkhla province, said Mr. Somchart Pimthanapoonpon, Director of Hat Yai - Songkhla Hotel Association.

Overall hotel reservation has fallen to 60% of all capacities, whereas it should have been 80-90% at this time of the year, he said.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNU1ESTRPVEEzTmc9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-01-21

[terryp]

only 2 days ago TAT said all was as normal with the chinesse bookings for Their New Year in Thailand ????....total <deleted> as always, if Thialand got the balls to talk straight maybe the Country would be taken seriously

[kingalfred]

On another thread TAT were saying how confident they were about chinese new year.Sums up the country's government with lies they spout!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[CelticBhoy]

Hope Arisman's investmnet suffers because of this.

[Nowhereman60]

So what, Chinese tourist will not be missed. Next to the Russians they are terrible tourist.

[NongKhaiKid]

The TAT folks must have had a great Lao Khao party as they are talking nonsense. It must be drunkenness as TAT would never admit that anything is likely to have an adverse effect on tourism.

[kurtgruen]

China supporting their Chinese Thai buddy, Mr T.?

Worried about their express roads and high speed rail to China...how they will swamp Thailand with more cheap Chinese crappy goods? Worried, that Thailand now won't pay, to build the roads and rail, so they can market their stuff cheap?

Personally, I am quite fine, if there are less Chinese in Thaiand. I get quite tired of their rudeness and pushiness, around the world. I don't even fly through China anymore and rather pay a few Baht more, to fly through Seoul, where I get treated with respect and can enjoy better services.

If you ask me (I know, most of you don't, lol), I couldn't care less about Chinese tourists in Thailand.

[bluebluewater]

Tiger Air is also cancelling flights to BKK . . .

[casindonet]

Have any country in the world have a minus figure in the number of tourist arrival?

Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bigbamboo]

No Chinese tourists will bad news for some hotels as they will lose revenue but it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good and the beneficiaries here will be the hotel cleaners who will be delighted not to have to keep cleaning spittle off the lobby floors all day.

typo

Edited January 21, 2014 by bigbamboo

[soi41]

Dear TAT. Try something new! Called the truth (goggle it)

As for big events to get the tourists back, not really needed!

Just get your house in order, so the tourists coming here actually want to return.

Small things like getting rid of illegal touts, double pricing, no drunk/high busdrivers, a railwaysystem worth the name, clean beaches and a police actually enforcing the law!!

Fix those "small" problems, and Thailand will even in the future be the chosen destination for many visitors!

[poisonus]

Keep up the good work Khun Suthep

[kurtgruen]

No Chinese tourists will bad news for some hotels as they will lose revenue but it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good and the beneficiaries here will be the hotel cleaners who will be delighted not to have to keep cleaning spittle off the lobby floors all day.

typo

I am not saying, that their (Chinese) way is wrong, but I personally prefer Thai people and their habits. I remember, skiing Whistler, with Chinese people bumping and pushing people out of the way, to get to the front of the lift lineup. Well, I'm about 95kg, a good skier and I sure as hell didn't put up with their crap, in my own Country. Maybe that's the way they are, the way they are raised, or what they had to do, to survive in China, but keep them the he*l away from me.

I rather watch some cute, rich Thai girl, in her Mercedes, picking her nose and "digging for gold", for a minute, at the red light, than to watch the constant spitting, everywhere, by Chinese people. I also don't take kindly, to watch people getting pushed around. Neither does my Thai wife!

Go home and take Ms. Yingluck with you

[LuckyLew]

only 2 days ago TAT said all was as normal with the chinesse bookings for Their New Year in Thailand ????....total <deleted> as always, if Thialand got the balls to talk straight maybe the Country would be taken seriously

Beat to me to it ... if one a.hole had just said sorry a few years ago ... he would be PM now and many people would not have had to die

[RubbaJohnny]

Have any country in the world have a minus figure in the number of tourist arrival? Sent from my GT-I9200 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes I wondered same myself

They could

1 Mean lower than soem fanstasy projection from Land of Hubs

2 ALL Lat years overstayers take their ladyboys to Uganda for re-education or Utah weddings

3 Its all made up and we cannot believe a word of it but some tit at tat has to justify their job by issuing a frequent liar frequent flyer reports.

4 The ultimate goal would be 90% discounts unlimited visas,close all airports and have prisoner tourism ,sort of ransom hub.

Sadly my wife assured local uniformed thugs she wouldn't pay for my return.

[ginjag]

So what, Chinese tourist will not be missed. Next to the Russians they are terrible tourist.

You are a red white and blue member, and you say they will not be missed ?? top tourists to Thailand are the Chinese. You may have a attitude to the Chinese but Thailand depends on them more now Westerners/Ausies are finding new hunting grounds. The reasons are not so much Suthep but the Yinglucks government for not saying --SORRY we were greedy -we fed our own pockets indirectly-we have completely F>>>>>>D the country up --we understand changes HAVE to be made.

OUR FAMILY will take a bow, and disappear do what you can with whats left. BYEEEEE

[biggles45]

"Another option to revive the tourism market is to focus on "niche market", said Mr. Apichart Inpongpan, "

Great idea, I am sure niche markets which regularly have demos, shootings and riots would not be deterred from visiting. Perhaps Syria, CAR, Egypt, Ukraine would be good prospects

[crazykopite]

Well done to Khun Suthep and his bunch of thugs this is just what the people of Thailand need could you imagine this guy in charge of an unelected peoples council Bangkok is still functioning he has not closed the city down it is just a pipe dream what will they do when the shin family win the election come 2nd February and all those who have supported him return home with little money and nothing to show for it. He would have earned my respect if he had of sat around the table and had good dialogue but Khun Suthep turned this offer down more than once I now hope the old fool ends up with no money and goes to jail for a long time for all the aggression he has committed.

[kingalfred]

So what, Chinese tourist will not be missed. Next to the Russians they are terrible tourist.

ahh there we go mr racist.what makes them all ".terrible"? As it happens I dont like you

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pikeybkk]

So what, Chinese tourist will not be missed. Next to the Russians they are terrible tourist.

and the english after that eh

[bangon04]

"The TAT has also conducted meetings with Thai Airways to develop strategies to encourage more tourist arrivals"

I hope the strategy includes THAI not going bankrupt......

[Sydebolle]

Why is not somebody just closing this TAT? Bloody useless idiots with an IQ below shoe size and body temperature!

Yingluck could save that expense and pay the rice scam with the savings ;-)

[mojorison]

meh. Just means I won't have to tell them we are full when they come asking for rooms...

[MaxLee]

"Many foreign tourists have either avoided Thailand, or changed their destination from Bangkok to Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Samui," Mr. Pongsathorn said, "The goal of 28 million foreign tourists for this year might not be achievable, but it won′t be in the minus. I think we can expect at least 26 million".

So only 2 million minus.... Keep the protests AND backstabbing white-wash lies promotion going, and you will GET the minus-records that you deserve, TiT....

[LuckyLew]

Two days ago TAT where saying Chinese new year would be a big boost for Thai tourism ...

Guess they got it wrong again ....

[kuteguy]

well I am not racist, but if as a race they generally give off a behavior that I dont care much for (or they actually do things that stop me from having my fun) then yeah I rather not have them around... we are all entitled to our opinion and preferences. The chinese never bothered me .. the russians do - they are loud, get drunk, and cause trouble and fights. Their lack of an ability to blend in makes things worse for them. Sure other cultures are also guilty of the same but personally in all my travels .. never had a problem generally with English, Irish, etc.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Hope Arisman's investmnet suffers because of this.

What investment ?

[RubberBroke]

The TAT folks must have had a great Lao Khao party as they are talking nonsense. It must be drunkenness as TAT would never admit that anything is likely to have an adverse effect on tourism.

Or it could be they are smoking the same stuff as the man on the left of the truck !

[harryfrompattaya]

So what, Chinese tourist will not be missed. Next to the Russians they are terrible tou

These smart Chinese must know something

[Publicus]

No Chinese tourists will bad news for some hotels as they will lose revenue but it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good and the beneficiaries here will be the hotel cleaners who will be delighted not to have to keep cleaning spittle off the lobby floors all day.

typo

I am not saying, that their (Chinese) way is wrong, but I personally prefer Thai people and their habits. I remember, skiing Whistler, with Chinese people bumping and pushing people out of the way, to get to the front of the lift lineup. Well, I'm about 95kg, a good skier and I sure as hell didn't put up with their crap, in my own Country. Maybe that's the way they are, the way they are raised, or what they had to do, to survive in China, but keep them the he*l away from me.

I rather watch some cute, rich Thai girl, in her Mercedes, picking her nose and "digging for gold", for a minute, at the red light, than to watch the constant spitting, everywhere, by Chinese people. I also don't take kindly, to watch people getting pushed around. Neither does my Thai wife!

Go home and take Ms. Yingluck with you

It's good to agree with you in certain matters save of course the Yingluck sentiments at the conclusion of your post.

I recently lived and worked four years in the PRChina after having spent ten consecutive years in Thailand and I'll take Thais any day for personality, personal friendliness, hygiene, being polite and a lot of other qualities. Hey, while East Asian society and culture are radically different from the variations of Western society and culture, there is also a vast difference between the Thais and the Chinese.

Thais are full of personality and life contrasted to the blank, empty and rote Chinese 24/7. Thai democracy encompasses freedoms the Chinese haven't any idea exist, such as the simple matter of True cable-satellite global tv which Beijing forbids and prohibits its sheeple having, calling it "Foreign TV," meaning of course strange and inimical to Chinese culture and values so you can't have it because you might learn something and you might find out a whole lot about life and the real world we cannot let you know, not ever.

The dictators in Beijing set the table for the time they would prohibit and forbid (the CCP's words, everywhere for everything) PRChinese tourists visiting Thailand by showing the chaos in the streets of Bangkok on the party owned and state run tv and in their same-same newspapers for the past several years, stating to the intimidated PRChinese sheeple that this too can happen in the CCP-PRC without the (massively and endemically corrupt) CCP dictators in Beijing and in provincial and local capitals to hold the place together so they can feed without limit at the public trough.

If there were democracy in the PRChina this is what China would look and be like and the CCP in fact knows it. The population would divide again and there would be 100 of Tianamen Square, probably 500 or likely more. The PRChinese themselves know this very well.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Publicus