With free visas, Thailand tells Chinese tourists 'please come back soon'

[MILT]

This is the end of the low season still. High season since the years that I have been here starts in Oct usually.

Normal tourist numbers from what I see maybe even a little more. I choose to see with my own eyes than read

any media reporting. The numbers are not where the TAT would like to see them as far as a growth measurement

as with measured growth comes many perks and awards. ChiangMai seems to be packed full of all kinds of map readers these days.

Edited September 6, 2014 by MILT

[darrendsd]

Dear darrendsd....some skeletons in your closet? why so touchy when it comes to reporting people doing illegal things?

No Skeletons I just don't like snitches like you

Don't start pointing fingers, sir! If you're posting anything, on this very public forum, then you are (yourself) a member of the "snitcher" realm. Capiche?

Posting that I don't like snitches makes me a snitch? Strange logic. Capiche?

[LawrenceChee]

Strange when you visit the top hotels such as four seasons, Lemeriden, Shangrila Chiang Mai ...they are packed with Chinese these days

Even still at this point ...some consider them as non premium guests and not the tourists TAT wants.

When the realist sees the spectrum of Chinese guests from the top paying ones to those who stay at the lower range of guesthouse and chain motels, you can only imagine the folly of trying to say no to facilitate the entry of Chinese tourists

Yes their habits may still be a bit provincial, and some of them obnoxious but oh in the name of economic recovery ...even the mighty Brits and Parisians have made visa applications process for the Chinese tourists a VIP experience ...

I guess in some ways this is is stirring up the internal cauldrons of hatred especially since passport renewal for the Brits have turned draconic with only one service centre in Hong Kong in Asia while the Chinese tourists are being courted with multiple offices in each major city with one day visa issuance offices.

[ironbark]

As I own a bus window cleaning company I am very pleased to hear this. All these unfortunate people see of Thailand is the bus window. They get driven from hotel to spending place, told where to eat, drink and toilet stop and eventually returned to their place of residence with instructions as to where to be at 07.30 the next day to press their noses against the window of the next tour.

Sounds like the ideal tourist to me. Keep them together and moved about in a special bus.

Instead of like those awful farang that insist on eating and drinking in Thai restaurants, getting drunk and fighting with tuk tuk drivers, and, and actually trying to be friendly with the locals, esp. the women.

[tonbridgebrit]

I really do think that the percentage of the Chinese tourists who are sex tourists is lower than what it is amongst tourists from America and Europe.

We've got to get real here. Sex tourists are a hardy bunch, nothing but a nuclear bomb will stop sex tourists turning up at Nana Plaza. As for those Chinese tour groups, and men from Europe turning up with their fahrang wives/girlfriends, well, they are the type of people who are more likely to not come here because of what they've seen in the newspapers.

Thailand, you feel a bit silly, because the very tourists that you want to be replaced, the sex tourists, they're the ones who are your most loyal customers. And the tourists that you want to replace the sex tourists, we're talking about families, people on their honeymoon, Chinese tour groups (they're the ones who walk along Walking Street, Pattaya), these are the very people who are the first to get scared by newspaper stories. These are the very people who are too scared to come here !

[totallyobnoxiousme]

Can the thai immigration authorities please start doing random passport checks in areas like Huay Kwang, Ratchada, Thonglor, Chinatown etc as there are lots of Chinese overstayers who are living and working in Thailand and even Singaporean Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, Fillipinos, Koreans and even Japanese overstayers these days I have been told. Some blend in by speaking thai and acting thai. In areas like Huay Kwang and Ratchada like the Ideo Huaykwang Condo for instant, I have seen chinese renting 31 sqm condos with 4 to 6 people staying in them. The agents like Bangkok Residence and the condo management do not comply with Thai laws which make it mandatory to report to immigartion and the local police any foreigners who are staying in the building. I have seen many young Chinese operating businesses here in Thailand even at the Jatujak Market (I did not know that there were work permits that allow foreigners to sell at the weekend market or even to work in certain salad bars at Paragon (one run by the family of a so called patriotic Indian family employs only fillipinos serving staff...again did not know that workpermits were allowed for such professions).The thai immigration should start doing random checks in all condo buildings in Bangkok not only the low class condos but aklso the middle and upper end ones.

Please its not fair for farangs who abide by thai and immigrations laws and pay local taxes duly to see other foreigners doing things illegally and the authorities not catching them.

If it bothers you that much and you obviously know where they all are why don't you report them to Immigration, you seem the type to do so

Are these people affecting your life in some way? I doubt it so what's your problem?

People like you knock me sick to be honest.

I often wonder what pleasure people like the above Poster derive from reporting (albeit anonymously) on people who do him no harm or even inflict malice on his person. Obviously, he's your everyday curtain twitcher secretly making notes on anything he sees fit to give details to the relevent authorities in covert mode or loses sleep if he thinks they somehow go about their daily lives without coming under scrutiny by the powers that be. These are the kind of scumbags that make other peoples lives a complete misery.

I can't write anymore otheriwise will start becoming offensive .... Basically ... a SNAKE in the Grassssssssssssssssss

[BSJ]

The appearance (the way they dress) of Chinese tourists in Pattaya would suggest they come from the working class or lower middle income class. Style is not well known among this group from my observation. They seem thoughless about those around them not in the herd. Not big spenders as my wife and I found out when we had the Beach Rd shop.

Most were in groups. Herded off the bus and across beach Rd to the waiting speedboats before they were wisked away to Larn Island. They came and went as quick on the way back.

Our best customers where Thai, Westerners and Russians in that order with Malay people helping out. Chinese not much help. We got Indian's in the shop but they were mostly time wasters and not worth having. I suggested to the wife we should put a sign in the front window saying "If your Indian fu๔k off!" But she was to nice to agree!

[LawrenceChee]

The appearance (the way they dress) of Chinese tourists in Pattaya would suggest they come from the working class or lower middle income class. Style is not well known among this group from my observation. They seem thoughless about those around them not in the herd. Not big spenders as my wife and I found out when we had the Beach Rd shop.

Most were in groups. Herded off the bus and across beach Rd to the waiting speedboats before they were wisked away to Larn Island. They came and went as quick on the way back.

Our best customers where Thai, Westerners and Russians in that order with Malay people helping out. Chinese not much help. We got Indian's in the shop but they were mostly time wasters and not worth having. I suggested to the wife we should put a sign in the front window saying "If your Indian ๔k off!" But she was to nice to agree!

Very good observations. Most of the Chinese coming in tour packages to Thailand and first time travelers, mainly from Tier 3/4 cities in China. Rather similar to some small quaint towns in UK or USA.

Thailand is marketed to them as a great fast getaway , no complex visa application process and loads of cheap shopping opportunities.

In general they are nervous about buying something new or they have not tried before (again similar to housewives all over the world who come from smaller cities)

If you have a celebrity endorsement or you make one of them trust you enough to make the first purchase, then the herd mentality is all will buy from the same vendor.

If you have ever sat in one of their tour buses before...you will probably hear the same speech from the tour guide " don't buy from any shop as they make cheat you " ( like your store at the beach road..no offense ) ...I will bring you to a trusted store and you can make pre-orders from me so that it will all be delivered to your hotel lobby and you can take more pictures and have more time at the attraction speech" and then he will pass the goodies around the bus for them to try and see and take orders before they arrive at the next stop

Cue - enterprising tour guide that made a giant commission from his shops, cue factories that make from giant orders and cue first time tourists who are not savvy yet to know where are the good priced stores

Most who return on their own on the 2nd trip are smarter and shop around more

If you have a good client who speaks good English ..have him post a review for you in QQ ..the Chinese's version of whatspp/ viber / Instagram

You will be surprised how much more business your place will get from the publicity.

My first driver in Chiang Mai is now running non stop after I taught him some tricks pity though as I do miss having him drive me around at times ....

Edited September 7, 2014 by LawrenceChee

[searayman]

All nationality tourist here visiting Thailand have their own spending budget.

Thailand is a tourist destination country that welcome all…….

Why do some people complain about the chinese not spending much when visiting Thailand ?

nowadays, most of the thing we see is made in china anyway and i notice they like to buy local fruits, durian etc...

i also notice most of them only shop in "Big C" or "Louts" supermarket to escape the DUEL pricing.

Remember, Thailand is and always will be for Thai. We are just visitor here on long stay or short visit.

[Grindting]

Chinese tourists dont spend money here, they can buy the same things cheaper in China. They load up on package tours and are whistle stopped around at pace, they are never in one place ong enough to do much for the local economy from what I have seen, booking into cheap accomodation late at night and off first thing in the morning, their numbers might be impressive but the affect on the economies, local and national is questionable, still TAT moves in mysterious ways.

Id bet that a middle aged European couple staying 5 nights in the mandarin will be spending more between the 2 of them (luxery food, drink, private tours, and high quality souvineers (furniture shipped back home, artworks) etc) than an entire bus load of Chinese on a weeks tour, who actually don't spend anything other than what's been prepaid.

And who wants your average mainland Chinese coming to the country anyway? They spit everywhere, pushing, shoving, loud and rude, they don't wash if not absolutely nessesary. I understand why we'd want them in the UK.. As the ones that can get visas I are mostly the top end of society staying in 5 star hotels and spending £10,000 or more a day in our casinos.

[tonbridgebrit]

Chinese tourists dont spend money here, they can buy the same things cheaper in China. They load up on package tours and are whistle stopped around at pace, they are never in one place ong enough to do much for the local economy from what I have seen, booking into cheap accomodation late at night and off first thing in the morning, their numbers might be impressive but the affect on the economies, local and national is questionable, still TAT moves in mysterious ways.

Id bet that a middle aged European couple staying 5 nights in the mandarin will be spending more between the 2 of them (luxery food, drink, private tours, and high quality souvineers (furniture shipped back home, artworks) etc) than an entire bus load of Chinese on a weeks tour, who actually don't spend anything other than what's been prepaid.

And who wants your average mainland Chinese coming to the country anyway? They spit everywhere, pushing, shoving, loud and rude, they don't wash if not absolutely nessesary. I understand why we'd want them in the UK.. As the ones that can get visas I are mostly the top end of society staying in 5 star hotels and spending £10,000 or more a day in our casinos.

Have you noticed how many Chinese take-aways there are in England ? And all those fish and chip shops with the Chinese owner and family working there ?

I don't think it's just the rich ones going to England.

[Grindting]

Chinese tourists dont spend money here, they can buy the same things cheaper in China. They load up on package tours and are whistle stopped around at pace, they are never in one place ong enough to do much for the local economy from what I have seen, booking into cheap accomodation late at night and off first thing in the morning, their numbers might be impressive but the affect on the economies, local and national is questionable, still TAT moves in mysterious ways.

Id bet that a middle aged European couple staying 5 nights in the mandarin will be spending more between the 2 of them (luxery food, drink, private tours, and high quality souvineers (furniture shipped back home, artworks) etc) than an entire bus load of Chinese on a weeks tour, who actually don't spend anything other than what's been prepaid.

And who wants your average mainland Chinese coming to the country anyway? They spit everywhere, pushing, shoving, loud and rude, they don't wash if not absolutely nessesary. I understand why we'd want them in the UK.. As the ones that can get visas I are mostly the top end of society staying in 5 star hotels and spending £10,000 or more a day in our casinos.

Have you noticed how many Chinese take-aways there are in England ? And all those fish and chip shops with the Chinese owner and family working there ?

I don't think it's just the rich ones going to England.

Those guys have been here for many years, at least a decade. The rules changed way back

The ones who come here currently on holiday, are as I described, if not, they are visiting the aforementioned family (a special visa) who came here back in the day. If they end up staying as illegals working in kitchens, then that's a different issue, but they are not 'tourists'

[Chaz1819]

Can the thai immigration authorities please start doing random passport checks in areas like Huay Kwang, Ratchada, Thonglor, Chinatown etc as there are lots of Chinese overstayers who are living and working in Thailand and even Singaporean Chinese, Malaysian Chinese, Fillipinos, Koreans and even Japanese overstayers these days I have been told. Some blend in by speaking thai and acting thai. In areas like Huay Kwang and Ratchada like the Ideo Huaykwang Condo for instant, I have seen chinese renting 31 sqm condos with 4 to 6 people staying in them. The agents like Bangkok Residence and the condo management do not comply with Thai laws which make it mandatory to report to immigartion and the local police any foreigners who are staying in the building. I have seen many young Chinese operating businesses here in Thailand even at the Jatujak Market (I did not know that there were work permits that allow foreigners to sell at the weekend market or even to work in certain salad bars at Paragon (one run by the family of a so called patriotic Indian family employs only fillipinos serving staff...again did not know that workpermits were allowed for such professions).The thai immigration should start doing random checks in all condo buildings in Bangkok not only the low class condos but aklso the middle and upper end ones.

Please its not fair for farangs who abide by thai and immigrations laws and pay local taxes duly to see other foreigners doing things illegally and the authorities not catching them.

If it bothers you that much and you obviously know where they all are why don't you report them to Immigration, you seem the type to do so

Are these people affecting your life in some way? I doubt it so what's your problem?

People like you knock me sick to be honest.

agreed!

Don't we have enough headaches right now without foreigners requesting random passport checks and condo searches!

Edited September 9, 2014 by Chaz1819

[tonbridgebrit]

Chinese tourists dont spend money here, they can buy the same things cheaper in China. They load up on package tours and are whistle stopped around at pace, they are never in one place ong enough to do much for the local economy from what I have seen, booking into cheap accomodation late at night and off first thing in the morning, their numbers might be impressive but the affect on the economies, local and national is questionable, still TAT moves in mysterious ways.

Id bet that a middle aged European couple staying 5 nights in the mandarin will be spending more between the 2 of them (luxery food, drink, private tours, and high quality souvineers (furniture shipped back home, artworks) etc) than an entire bus load of Chinese on a weeks tour, who actually don't spend anything other than what's been prepaid.

And who wants your average mainland Chinese coming to the country anyway? They spit everywhere, pushing, shoving, loud and rude, they don't wash if not absolutely nessesary. I understand why we'd want them in the UK.. As the ones that can get visas I are mostly the top end of society staying in 5 star hotels and spending £10,000 or more a day in our casinos.

Have you noticed how many Chinese take-aways there are in England ? And all those fish and chip shops with the Chinese owner and family working there ?

I don't think it's just the rich ones going to England.

Those guys have been here for many years, at least a decade. The rules changed way back

The ones who come here currently on holiday, are as I described, if not, they are visiting the aforementioned family (a special visa) who came here back in the day. If they end up staying as illegals working in kitchens, then that's a different issue, but they are not 'tourists'

Yes, some of the Chinese in England went there back in the 1950s and 60s, but it's also true that a whole load have turned up in the last two decades.

The ones working in England, surely, the vast bulk of them are not the up-market types ? Are the down-market Chinese in England (which is all those you see working in Chinese take-aways and chip shops), are they people who spit, push, shove, talk loudly, and are rude ??

(I'm trying to make you laugh).

[Grindting]

Chinese tourists dont spend money here, they can buy the same things cheaper in China. They load up on package tours and are whistle stopped around at pace, they are never in one place ong enough to do much for the local economy from what I have seen, booking into cheap accomodation late at night and off first thing in the morning, their numbers might be impressive but the affect on the economies, local and national is questionable, still TAT moves in mysterious ways.

Id bet that a middle aged European couple staying 5 nights in the mandarin will be spending more between the 2 of them (luxery food, drink, private tours, and high quality souvineers (furniture shipped back home, artworks) etc) than an entire bus load of Chinese on a weeks tour, who actually don't spend anything other than what's been prepaid.

And who wants your average mainland Chinese coming to the country anyway? They spit everywhere, pushing, shoving, loud and rude, they don't wash if not absolutely nessesary. I understand why we'd want them in the UK.. As the ones that can get visas I are mostly the top end of society staying in 5 star hotels and spending £10,000 or more a day in our casinos.

Have you noticed how many Chinese take-aways there are in England ? And all those fish and chip shops with the Chinese owner and family working there ?

I don't think it's just the rich ones going to England.

Those guys have been here for many years, at least a decade. The rules changed way back

The ones who come here currently on holiday, are as I described, if not, they are visiting the aforementioned family (a special visa) who came here back in the day. If they end up staying as illegals working in kitchens, then that's a different issue, but they are not 'tourists'

Yes, some of the Chinese in England went there back in the 1950s and 60s, but it's also true that a whole load have turned up in the last two decades.

The ones working in England, surely, the vast bulk of them are not the up-market types ? Are the down-market Chinese in England (which is all those you see working in Chinese take-aways and chip shops), are they people who spit, push, shove, talk loudly, and are rude ??

(I'm trying to make you laugh).

They are not tourists. if they came within the last 10 years they are illegals, arriving on family visit visas and such. Already said it twice now

Those Chinese who have been in the uk for more than a decade do not do as you have mentioned, they have already been assimilated. But tourists and students do behave in exactly that way, yes.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Do Thais need a visa for China ?

[LawrenceChee]

Yes ...Singapore Japanese and Brunei passports are the only visa exempt countries for now

[Jim walker]

Chinese Hi So tourists just coming over to look at the markets to see how their handbags and watches are selling, and if room for a few more new brands give them all free 90 day visas and watch them flock over in there millions.