Pattaya sees rise in independent Chinese tourists amid decline in group tours

[webfact]

Many Chinese tourists on a learning curve
Victor Paul Borg
China Daily

(ANN) As the number of Chinese travellers taking trips abroad is projected to be greater than those travelling domestically during the upcoming Spring festival, we are likely to hear more about the antics of some Chinese tourists abroad in the media this year.

Last year’s high-profile incidents were aptly put into perspective by most media outlets – the few outrageous incidents were hardly representative of Chinese tourists overall given more than 100 million Chinese travelled abroad last year. But Chinese tourists can expect more scrutiny simply because they are a relatively new phenomenon.

Another reason for the visibility of Chinese tourists, especially in some countries in Asia, where their numbers have become substantial, is that a greater proportion of Chinese compared to travellers from most other countries travel in groups. A propensity to travel in tour groups is partly due to time-restrictions (most employees can only take their holidays during specific times of the year such as the Lunar New Year “shutdown”) and partly due to inexperience or timidity – most Chinese are unable to speak English, many are on their first trip abroad. So these new tourists feel safer in groups. But groups of like-minded compatriots tend to become a gaggle, raucous, boisterous, and oblivious to their hosts’ finer sensitivities.

This is not much different than groups of tourists of other nationalities, and when I hear in Thailand – where I am writing this from – the lament that Chinese groups can be loud and socially inept, it reminds me of the place where I grew up, in a Mediterranean island, where groups of Germans or English also behaved with loutish offensiveness when I was young. It’s not only certain types of Chinese who are oblivious to cultural sensitivities, although this doesn’t of course excuse any Chinese – or other national – from bad behavior.

Yet the point to make is that these tourists aren’t consciously disrespectful, for even within Chinese these same people can appear crude and loud among the more urbane Chinese. After all, there are many people in China who have acquired wealth before a concurrent assimilation of sophistication; it’s not only the educated and cultured Chinese who travel.

Full story: http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-71557.html


-- ANN 2015-02-09

[Docno]

"Yet the point to make is that these tourists aren’t consciously disrespectful, for even within Chinese these same people can appear crude and loud among the more urbane Chinese. After all, there are many people in China who have acquired wealth before a concurrent assimilation of sophistication; it’s not only the educated and cultured Chinese who travel."

This statement showing up in a Chinese newspaper--however true it may be--just goes to show the extent to which China has left behind its Marxist past. I can't imagine something so elitist being published in many mainstream European newspapers, for example. [Again, I'm not saying that the statement is wrong].

[wabothai]

Same problem with the Russians. Many acquired wealth without any knowledge of common and respectful behavior. You really can't blame them. The authorities have some serious work to do here soon, before the Russians and Chinese are going to be hated all over the world.

It would be disasterous.

[Briggsy]

The article makes the incorrect, and perhaps cleverly disingenuous, claim that Chinese appear ill-mannered on foreign travel because they are learning how to behave in other societies.

I put it to you, reader, that the mainland Chinese are viewed as ill-mannered, pushy, boorish and loud because it is a reflection of their own society and no amount of foreign holidays will make any significant change in that behaviour.

[Mot Dang]

Why would anybody want to be an apologist for these tourists ? Mainland Chinese don't give a damn about Thailand, it is just a part of what they think they can possess.

Why should the Thai people bear the brunt of these people's ignorance whilst they are on a damn so-called "learning curve". I haven't met an average Thai yet who feels that they will benefit from the forecast Chinese Invasion. When are Thai people going to realize that they are being set up to be second class citizens in their own country while the elite in Bangkok pander and benefit from Chinese foreign exchange.

When are Thais going to learn not to be taken advantage of ? They hold so much pride in the fact that they were never colonized, and so they should be, but as in history the nation has always been at the mercy of those in power.

[Alwyn]

What a load of codswallop that article is. Learning how to be tourists my ass... The reason they behave like pigs when they're abroad is because that's how they live in China. I had an office in Beijing a 10 years back. The people from Beijing believe they are culturally superior to any other Chinese provinces or cities. Yet clients would visit our office and think nothing of hawking a green one up IN the office and spit onto the carpet! The staff thought nothing of it, it was a disgrace. A couple of years ago we were trading in Shenzhen and the people there were totally different though. It may be due to the proximity of HK or the fact that the year before the international University games were held there and the government had a massive campaign about the spitting etc...

[Friendly Stranger]

When are we going to see packs or single Chinese men doing the bar scene?

[Briggsy]

When are we going to see packs or single Chinese men doing the bar scene?

Thailand has had a sex industry for Chinese men from before the time the GI's first came. It does not include bar beers or walking hand in hand with your latest barfine down the Patong beach road.

[LawrenceN]

Same problem with the Russians. Many acquired wealth without any knowledge of common and respectful behavior. You really can't blame them. The authorities have some serious work to do here soon, before the Russians and Chinese are going to be hated all over the world.

It would be disasterous.

Same was true of Americans in the 1960s. And maybe even now. When my brother visited two years ago. his lovely wife freaked out and caused a scene in a restaurant because a jing-jok was on the ceiling over her head. Another diner came up with an umbrella, which mollified her a bit. Wish I had a photo of her hunkered down under that umbrella with her eyes scanning the ceiling. What a goofball! She should stay home next time baby brother visits.

[ExPratt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

What a load of codswallop that article is. Learning how to be tourists my ass... The reason they behave like pigs when they're abroad is because that's how they live in China. I had an office in Beijing a 10 years back. The people from Beijing believe they are culturally superior to any other Chinese provinces or cities. Yet clients would visit our office and think nothing of hawking a green one up IN the office and spit onto the carpet! The staff thought nothing of it, it was a disgrace. A couple of years ago we were trading in Shenzhen and the people there were totally different though. It may be due to the proximity of HK or the fact that the year before the international University games were held there and the government had a massive campaign about the spitting etc...

I did a three year stretch in "The land that time forgot" seen people hacking up on the floor in Restaurants , Dirty shithole of a place, The toilets in factory's , Cement plant ect are just a concrete floor with a slit in it filled with shit and rats running about everywhere.

[Scott]

I worked and lived in China for a time and public etiquette is very different in China. Respect is reserved for the home and family. In public it's a bit of a free-for-all.

On the positive side, the last time I went to a nice outdoor restaurant, it was easy to spot the Chinese tour group seated at one end of the restaurant and so I asked for a table at the other end.

[Ulysses G.]

A lot of Chinese tourists visit my shop all day long, take tons of pictures and very few buy anything, but they are mostly polite and - unlike many Westerners - I don't have to worry about them stealing anything. I really don't have a problem, other than their driving habits and that there are just too many of them.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Seastallion]

" After all, there are many people in China who have acquired wealth before a concurrent assimilation of sophistication; it’s not only the educated and cultured Chinese who travel."

I suggest that this class of nouveau-riche Chinese are not all that wealthy and thus do not venture far or to expensive places. Thailand is close and cheap. NZ has had hordes of Chinese tourists for years, but I have never heard of any complaints or witnessed anything like what I have seen here. I guess it's because NZ (and other far-flung, relatively expensive places) attract the wealthier, older money which has an accompanying sophistication.

Chinese migrants, however, do show their lack of sophistication...throwing bones down on the restaurant floor, talking very loudly oblivious to those around, etc.

That post above...hawking up a green one and hoiking it onto the carpet...I simply can not comprehend that sort of lack of any sort of decency unless it was from a native from a lost tribe deep in the jungle, and even then, I would be surprised.

[Mot Dang]

The face of Thailand will change forever. Thais will rue the day that they started to bring such huge numbers of these people into Thailand. Thailand has already changed enormously in the last 20 years. Their culture is now under threat and only some can see it, TAT does not give a damn. Big numbers of tourists (from anywhere) means that the TAT sycophants will be "rewarded" with higher salaries by their bosses, at the expense of Thailand.

Since the debate of increasing the numbers of mainland Chinese came up more and more Thai are realizing its a mistake. Particularly in Pattaya. These people a loud, rude, dirty (in their spitting), and trample over Thai culture, which is being felt now in Chang Mai. They are ignorant of Thai culture and certainly couldn't care less. These peoples coming from China now are the first generation of travelers (I'm not talking about the great Chinese historical travelers), their parents are still on the farm or in the noodle shop. Todays access to money has done this, and given that they are spending money (and on average per head, its not much), they think can do whatever they want.

Another Question: Why does the Thai administration now discouraged Western tourists and want-to-be expats from staying or coming to Thailand. This has been occuring now for years before the average Chinese even left the farm or the noodle shop. I cannot figure out why Thailand is offering free visas to the mainland Chinese. They only stay for a few days then leave. Per capita they spend a pittance, it is only because they are invading the country in huge numbers that they are worthwhile to the economy. On the other hand Europeans, Australians, the English, Americans etc, spend larger amounts and stay longer, and were once the powerhouse of tourism in Thailand, sadly not anymore. They have been discouraged in so many ways over the last 20 years. And if you think about it a lot of the falang money goes directly into the hands of Thais in the lower income brackets, not the wealthy as does the Chinese money through five star hotels and big travel agencies. As in all countries, governments look after themselves, numerus unus prior.

I am very skeptical of a promotion campaign that specifically targets one population. It is skewed too much to be politically correct, as most other nation's tourist bureaus would see it (I will temper my words here).

[Credo]

Thailand's culture will not be negatively impacted by Chinese tourists. No one in any country I have ever been to looks at the Chinese as quality tourists at least when it comes to some of the public behavior. The Thais will not wish to adopt some of these traits, which polar opposite to most things considered to polite by the Thais.

Thailand's culture is under threat in the same way that most places are under threat, it is changes as a result of the internet, social media and other things.

Chinese culture is deep, rich and diverse. It is their public manners that is problematic.

[ExPratt]

Perhaps the way Thailand treats their Tourists shabbily , like cash cows, they are getting what they deserve with some shabby Tourists

Edited February 10, 2015 by ExPratt

[Alwyn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

What a load of codswallop that article is. Learning how to be tourists my ass... The reason they behave like pigs when they're abroad is because that's how they live in China. I had an office in Beijing a 10 years back. The people from Beijing believe they are culturally superior to any other Chinese provinces or cities. Yet clients would visit our office and think nothing of hawking a green one up IN the office and spit onto the carpet! The staff thought nothing of it, it was a disgrace. A couple of years ago we were trading in Shenzhen and the people there were totally different though. It may be due to the proximity of HK or the fact that the year before the international University games were held there and the government had a massive campaign about the spitting etc...

I did a three year stretch in "The land that time forgot" seen people hacking up on the floor in Restaurants , Dirty shithole of a place, The toilets in factory's , Cement plant ect are just a concrete floor with a slit in it filled with shit and rats running about everywhere.

and yet they feel so smug and superior! China is a massive toilet with some parts being cleaner than others! Shenzhen seems to be one of those parts I guess