Chinese entrepreneurs invade tourism businesses in Phuket: report

[rebelplatoon]

So the end result will be as usual. An exhausted country and benefits go to the big Chinese family. As always as ever as everywhere.

[cumgranosalum]

"invades"???

how about .......

"Chinese businesses much more efficient and successful than local Thai businesses" ?

"Thai businesses fail to cash in on Chinese tourist boom"?

"Thai businesses fail to cater for Chinese tourism"?

"Nepotism and graft fails in face of Chinese competition"?

Edited June 15, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[masquerade]

Yet the clown whose circus has left town wants another two years at the top."Lawdy Miss Clawdy", I believe we are being over run by the fast breeding little blighters.

[harrycallahan]

In Australia they're hearded off coaches and cattle prodded into the affiliated souvenir shop where the Chinese made cat fur Kangaroo prices are a multiple above the market/thrift shop price.

It's how the Chinese roll.

[steelepulse]

Competition is a concept that isn't liked in the business world here. Why compete when you can monopolize as various "associations" are set up just for this purpose. Now with competition, those that were monopolies are crying foul. Som nom na.

[mikeinbangkok]

I find it truly amusing to read the Thai Visa contributors ignorant and totally stupid comments! So many posts with so little facts which shows the lack of economical sense these people have.

China is investing BILLIONS of U.S Dollars across the globe and the Phuket story is so insignificant. iconic Lloyd's; building in London is not Chinese owned. Another iconic U.S landmark, the G.M building was bought by Chinese at a cost of 3.46 Billion U.S Dollars The Waldorf Astoria and numerous other properties have been sold by the U.S owners to Chinese. The Chase Manhattan Plaza also has been sole dot the Chinese.

In Australia, WANDA is investing One Billion Australian Dollars for a hotel and commercial building in Sydney and another 950 Million Australia dollars on the Gold Coast. The Par Hyatt Melbourne, Sheraton Sydney, Hilton Sydney all belong to Chinese.

In France some of the best vineyards are now Chinese-owned while Volvo and Tesla have also changed hands.

Come on guys. Wake up and read some quality news and try to understand what is going around in the world rather than your heads stuck in your little Sois in Thailand!

[gandalf12]

The Chinese are business people the Thai's conduct business when there is no way they can fail

[gandalf12]

Thailand has to wake up and learn very quickly how to be competitive. If they dont, and let's be honest there is little chance that they will, all of Thailands business will be pushed out in favour of businesses from competitive countries.

I think that will be really bad for the country and everyone in it but unless the Thai's wake up and take on the countries interests it will happen

Edited June 15, 2015 by gandalf12

[USNret]

How about Thai tour agencies market China tours to Thai tourists, then channel all that money to Thai partners in China. It's called a "business plan".

[abitmiffed]

Another amazing Thailand complaint. No cares about "using influence" until it's the Chinese using it. It's all fun and games until someone else's brown envelops are fatter than yours. You wanted Chinese, you got Chinese. Welcome to Chineseness 101.

Quality post.

Oh and quality tourists of course

[USNret]

I find it truly amusing to read the Thai Visa contributors ignorant and totally stupid comments! So many posts with so little facts which shows the lack of economical sense these people have.

China is investing BILLIONS of U.S Dollars across the globe and the Phuket story is so insignificant. iconic Lloyd's; building in London is not Chinese owned. Another iconic U.S landmark, the G.M building was bought by Chinese at a cost of 3.46 Billion U.S Dollars The Waldorf Astoria and numerous other properties have been sold by the U.S owners to Chinese. The Chase Manhattan Plaza also has been sole dot the Chinese.

In Australia, WANDA is investing One Billion Australian Dollars for a hotel and commercial building in Sydney and another 950 Million Australia dollars on the Gold Coast. The Par Hyatt Melbourne, Sheraton Sydney, Hilton Sydney all belong to Chinese.

In France some of the best vineyards are now Chinese-owned while Volvo and Tesla have also changed hands.

Come on guys. Wake up and read some quality news and try to understand what is going around in the world rather than your heads stuck in your little Sois in Thailand!

I guess if this website was called "Global Investing" then people might look at it like that. But it's not. It's about Thailand. Many here have connections to Phuket so global trends that affect Phuket are of particular interest. I would refer you to Financial Times, NYT, or other financial news sites for the perspective you seek.

Not to mention that the original story is from a Thai publication. One could rationally assume it has a bias towards Thai-related news. Not British, Australia, or whatever.

Edited June 15, 2015 by USNret

[does]

Is this a general concensus among tourists - that they are treated with contempt? I experience it sometimes but not generally.

Maybe TV can do a poll to see it that is true.

Laziness is why they are in this situation.

Poor customer care is why they are in this situation.

The mai pen rai approach to everything is why they are in this situation.

Treating tourists with contempt and disdain is why they are in this situation.

It never occurs to them that if they provide a good service then business will prosper. However continue to do what you have always done (see above) and watch the competition grow. The fact that the Chinese are using nominees is illegal but I fear it was inevitable as the Chinese have decided if they want good service then they need to do it themselves.

Wait now for the Thai's to say 'but we are not ready for competition yet.' Get used to it Thailand, Asean is just around the corner and that's when the real fun starts.

I under lined above, one of my favorite aspects of Thailand ...it is really like a cancer, for us, and for them.

[MikeTexas]

Seems I remember an old "saying about reaping and sowing".

[klauskunkel]

Next Headline:

Chinese Jet Ski Mafia Encroaching On Thai Turf, Governor Ambivalent

[cumgranosalum]

I find it truly amusing to read the Thai Visa contributors ignorant and totally stupid comments! So many posts with so little facts which shows the lack of economical sense these people have.

China is investing BILLIONS of U.S Dollars across the globe and the Phuket story is so insignificant. iconic Lloyd's; building in London is not Chinese owned. Another iconic U.S landmark, the G.M building was bought by Chinese at a cost of 3.46 Billion U.S Dollars The Waldorf Astoria and numerous other properties have been sold by the U.S owners to Chinese. The Chase Manhattan Plaza also has been sole dot the Chinese.

In Australia, WANDA is investing One Billion Australian Dollars for a hotel and commercial building in Sydney and another 950 Million Australia dollars on the Gold Coast. The Par Hyatt Melbourne, Sheraton Sydney, Hilton Sydney all belong to Chinese.

In France some of the best vineyards are now Chinese-owned while Volvo and Tesla have also changed hands.

Come on guys. Wake up and read some quality news and try to understand what is going around in the world rather than your heads stuck in your little Sois in Thailand!

..but do you think this is a bad thing? would it be a bad thing if say the Brits were doing the buying or the Gemans?........I don't think this article is about economics or even business, it's about Xenophobia.

[TigerandDog]

Laziness is why they are in this situation.

Poor customer care is why they are in this situation.

The mai pen rai approach to everything is why they are in this situation.

Treating tourists with contempt and disdain is why they are in this situation.

It never occurs to them that if they provide a good service then business will prosper. However continue to do what you have always done (see above) and watch the competition grow. The fact that the Chinese are using nominees is illegal but I fear it was inevitable as the Chinese have decided if they want good service then they need to do it themselves.

Wait now for the Thai's to say 'but we are not ready for competition yet.' Get used to it Thailand, Asean is just around the corner and that's when the real fun starts.

have to disagree with you quietman. This is how they operate, regardless of how good or bad the local service is. The Chinese, Japanese & Russians have been operating like this in Australia, and I dare say other countries, for decades. Wherever their tourists go in bulk, this is how they set up their operations. The local economy, whether good business or bad, gets absolutely no benefit from these tourists.

[robblok]

I find it truly amusing to read the Thai Visa contributors ignorant and totally stupid comments! So many posts with so little facts which shows the lack of economical sense these people have.

China is investing BILLIONS of U.S Dollars across the globe and the Phuket story is so insignificant. iconic Lloyd's; building in London is not Chinese owned. Another iconic U.S landmark, the G.M building was bought by Chinese at a cost of 3.46 Billion U.S Dollars The Waldorf Astoria and numerous other properties have been sold by the U.S owners to Chinese. The Chase Manhattan Plaza also has been sole dot the Chinese.

In Australia, WANDA is investing One Billion Australian Dollars for a hotel and commercial building in Sydney and another 950 Million Australia dollars on the Gold Coast. The Par Hyatt Melbourne, Sheraton Sydney, Hilton Sydney all belong to Chinese.

In France some of the best vineyards are now Chinese-owned while Volvo and Tesla have also changed hands.

Come on guys. Wake up and read some quality news and try to understand what is going around in the world rather than your heads stuck in your little Sois in Thailand!

So what when the Americans did it it was ok and now that the Chinese do it its wrong.. Same same.

[SupermarineS6B]

Be careful of what you wish for.......... It might just come true........ Quality tourists !

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand has to wake up and learn very quickly how to be competitive. If they dont, and let's be honest there is little chance that they will, all of Thailands business will be pushed out in favour of businesses from competitive countries.

I think that will be really bad for the country and everyone in it but unless the Thai's wake up and take on the countries interests it will happen

Traditionally competition doesn't play a big part in Thai business....it has always been conducted on terms of who knows who and gifting traditions........this has resulted in a lot of large businesses being run or owned by people who simply aren't up to the job.....in old Thailand it didn't really matter - if you were well connected your business could never collapse "kreng Jai" would see to that...

As business is now more and more an international affair the old system of nepotism, graft and corruption - though it may have supported an elite for decades - will not be enough to compete in a world market - or even in the most basic levels - e.g. Chinese small business investors - it simply has not got the "nous" or the abilities to deal with it.

[flyingdoc]

Quality tourists sought and obtained?!!

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Thailand, after so many years, gets to experience being colonized. nǐ hǎo" or 你好 Thailand!

[graham66]

One should realise that when the Chinese go on holiday, they don't really want to leave China behind. So, just as many Brits in the 70's and 80's packed tins of baked beans when going to Spain for a fortnight in the sun, and once there sought out the nearest 'chippy' and 'Lord Nelson' pub, now Chinese going to Thailand are happy enough to find minimal pollution (outside of Bangkok), but have no desire to eat som-tum or spend time sitting in bars that largely cater to laowais (the Chinese equivalent of 'farangs').

Some Chinese friends who recently visited Phuket said that they enjoyed the weather, but that all the souvenirs were made in China and 3x the price they could buy the same thing for at home. Their major gripe was the lack of any good Chinese restaurants - so expect to see those springing up soon in place of the farang-centric bars, etc. that were largely empty anyway, last time I visited.

"It's life, Somchai, but not as we know it"

Edited June 15, 2015 by graham66

[quandow]

HEY you f4cking xenophobes, getting a taste of your own medicine - how does THAT feel?!?

[JimHuaHin]

The Chinese are doing it here, as they have done in Australia.

The Japanese have been doing this in Australia for at least 30 years.

Thus, most of the monies from the Chinese tourists go back to China and/or to Chinese companies.

Which then raises the question - what, if any, benefit does Thailand receive from all these tourists?

My response - in essence very very little.

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand, after so many years, gets to experience being colonized. nǐ hǎo" or 你好 Thailand!

Really? - I'd say that ignores the last 4 or 500 years of Thai history

[Srikcir]

And lets face it bottom line all the gov care about is that the.monies coming in not the whys and to whom its going

rijit

Only if chinese tourist revenues are benefiting Thais (at least in a legal manner). The point of this article is that it's not.

The chinese business practices in Thailand may be promoting corruption and tax avoidance. If chinese tourist revenues are going ultimately back to China, Thailand is the loser. Essentially Thailand is being raped economically by the chinese.

Unfortunately, the Junta government may have so committed itself to treating China as an economic savior that it lacks the ethics and morality to protect the nation from its business abuses. Welcome to Junta Reform.

[Tatsujin]

All enabled and assisted and protected by various Government Ministries/Officials/Police etc ... all of whom are getting their cut ... these are the "people" who they should be going after ... the "I love Thailand and the Thai people and want to protect and serve them forever, but wave a wad of cash in my face and I'll happily screw them all over".

[SupermarineS6B]

The Russian language companies have been doing this for years. So no wonder the Chinese are following the pattern. Probably, TAT should spend some time and their enormous coffin of promotional funds to arrange for Thais to get some proper language training and sustaining the Thai business with these groups of tourist. It's the same story over and over again. Masters of complaining, amateurs for handling.

Look at all the Scuba Dive Master and Instructors....99% are European or American, 1 % are Thais. I guess most are from UK

A big share work without Work Permit....not different than the Chinese or Russians.

Do you want to be taught how to dive by a Thai ? I have that much confidence in Thai ability that i go to Malaysia to get my hair cut......... Thai airlines are having big issues at the moment because they can't even speak English on the radio............ International aviation communication, and you can't even do that ??????? FCK ! Good luck with the diving........

[hutchings1963]

Perhaps the chinese were fed up with double pricing,

[siddv]

I'd say they're on their way to being "colonized"!!