Chinese guide abandons 33 tourists in Pattaya

[fredge45]

I lived and worked in Hong Kong and China years ago. I like the Chinese, but it does take some getting used to the cultural differences. Every year for a long time I spent my birthday at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou.

One interesting experience I had was when I went with a tour group from HK to Beijing for 7 nights and 8 days. A friend agreed to translate for me, since the tour leader spoke Cantonese. In China, however, we were escorted by our official Chinese gov't provided guide, who did all the speaking. She only spoke Mandarin and the HK people only spoke Cantonese, so the whole tour ended up in English!! China was VERY poor at the time. It was not long after the Tiananmen Square protests (which our nice guide said never happened and nobody was killed or injured). In spite of the poverty, it was quite a safe place.

The whole thing cost $300 and included a hotel room (nice hotel), all meals, all transportation and admission to all sites. But you haven't really lived until you have been a part of a Chinese tour group. We ate together, we slept together, we went to the toilet together, we shopped together. We burped and farted together. It was a complete loss of individual identity.

We even went to a fancy nightclub with Western Music together (yes they did have a few, but only the sons, daughters and members of the ruling party could go -- One of Deng Xiaoping's daughters was there that night. Of course, we all sat together.

By the last day, I just couldn't take a moment more of this intimate, almost jail-like situation. The group was to go to the Tombs of some of the ancient leaders of China. I said I would go back to Tianammen Square and the Forbidden City. I actually planned a little bit more nefarious activities, but I could not take being with the group for another minute. I told them I would meet them at the train station under the clock tower for the trip back at 7:00 p.m. They resisted and being Chinese decided they would all change their plans and accompany me! I said no, I wanted to be on my own. They insisted, canceled the tour and we all went together, but I bolted and lost them and had a nice afternoon meeting some of the local people (up until then we had not spoken to one local person).

I made it back to the train station and waited for the group, but much to my amazement there were actually two clock towers. I decided that being the only person for miles who didn't have black hair, they would probably find me. There were thousands of people at the train station and they viewed me with a quizzical suspiciousness. I sat down and eventually one of them came closer and with a tentative movement offered me a hand rolled cigarette. I took it, then motioned for a lighter. At least a hundred people started laughing and giggling and moved close and started trying to talk to me -- mostly with sign language. It was a delightful 20 minutes or so. I was then rescued by my tour group who were pretty sure that they had saved me from a fate worse than death.

So, if you don't like Chinese tour groups, just remember, it could be worse. You could be one of them!

Staying at the White Swan was really roughing it wasn't it?

[BlackJack]

I am not sure but last time I read that Australians were the only ones able to WORK as tour guides.

Has something changed?

[beautifulthailand99]

This thread reminds me of the Monty Python travel agent sketch from 40 years ago which humorously parodies the early days of English mass tourism..

[Beetlejuice]

.......terrified, and the police 'rushed' to the scene. OMG

[mordicae schnable]

It is perhaps understandable that if you were guiding a large group of Chinese, you also might get the urge to abandon them

its just a matter of tactics, that is weather you sprint away from them or go to the toilet put on a dress and wig and leave them high and dry that way. maybe someone else has has a better idea

[Tomtomtom69]

"The terrified tourists"

+1

So the tourists were abandoned by their guide, and they became "terrified"? Haha, what a joke. If they're so terrified, how did they survive their flight to Thailand, their journey on Thailand's dangerous roads, being spoken to in foreign languages. OMG why don't they just stay home.

Or was the request to ask for about 1300 Yuan extra so "terrifying"?

These idiots should get over themselves. There are far more terrifying things in life than being abandoned by a tour guide in a country where you really don't need one and you are surrounded by a zillion other tourists including plenty of your own countrymen.

[tonbridgebrit]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/chinese-revolution-thomas-cook-093746486.html#miPQHWw

"Chinese conglomerate Fosun is buying a 5% stake in Thomas Cook for £91.8 million as part of a deal which the travel operator hopes will help it cash in on China's £85 billion tourist market.

Fosun, which already has a foothold in the European travel industry through its control of France's Club Med, aims to buy further stock in Thomas Cook to take its holding to 10%. Shares soared by 16% on the deal."


Those Chinese tourists, they will end up being everywhere !!

Get use to it.