Chinese entrepreneurs invade tourism businesses in Phuket: report

[nakhonandy]

Pretty much inevitable, see it in Pattaya/Jomtien also.

They need to deal with this quickly or it will become impossible to change,

[biggles45]

There is nothing new in this. Over twenty years ago Australia had a big push for Japanese tourists and it worked well. What happened though was that they opened new or bought out existing tourist shops, food outlets, transport companies...anything that their Japanese folk were using.

Easier for them as Australia has no real restrictions on business ownership.

[gemguy]

Back in the day....they used to blame everything on drugs and rock and roll...or, as they used to say: "Blame it on the Rolling Stones"

Now...the Chinese can be blamed for everything...and often enough ...rightly so.

Cheers

[cumgranosalum]

Thais marketed to the Chinese, they got the Chinese.

As the bible says "as you sow so shall ye reap" Did you really think the Chinese only want to help with building out the rail system? They are infiltrating every country in Asia till they control them lock stock and tourism. They are like an octopus you cannot cut off all of their tennacles. With a population of 1.3 billion the excess has to go somewhere. Tighten you seat belt this is only the beginning.

Oh dear......

[ozyjon]

Anyhow

ni-how

[tx22cb]

Sounds like sour grapes from Thai merchants who thought they would be protected by the Phuket mafia.

Would these complacent Thais have invested in 10, let alone100, new boats to cater for tourists? - we know they have been fleecing tourists for decades with ancient under-maintained buses/boats/trains/service.

The new Chinese-linked tour companies have also bought hundreds of new tour buses - they look very impressive and put to shame the old Thai tour buses with tatty seats and belching black smoke.

So, lethargic Phuket Tourism Industry, don't complain about the new competition - get your own houses in order, and compete!

[NamKangMan]

Sounds like sour grapes from Thai merchants who thought they would be protected by the Phuket mafia.

Would these complacent Thais have invested in 10, let alone100, new boats to cater for tourists? - we know they have been fleecing tourists for decades with ancient under-maintained buses/boats/trains/service.

The new Chinese-linked tour companies have also bought hundreds of new tour buses - they look very impressive and put to shame the old Thai tour buses with tatty seats and belching black smoke.

So, lethargic Phuket Tourism Industry, don't complain about the new competition - get your own houses in order, and compete!

"get your own houses in order, and compete!" - they don't know how to compete on Phuket.

They only know how to eradicate the competition, legally, or otherwise.

[Friendly Stranger]

I see the "I told you so" brigade, is out in force. Well, they're right and yes, it's no surprise.

I guess they've awakened the sleeping, or in this case, spitting giant.

If the locals are losing ground/business, I bet they'll be saying:

Remember the good ole days when only the Farang used to visit.

[dageurreotype]

I don't think the Chinese are following the Russian's example. They've been doing this increasingly since the 1990s. It was only a matter of time before it hit the more popular Thai tourist areas once Chinese tourists started going to them.

This is far more serious than people think. In the border areas of Laos and Myanmar -- as well as Thailand -- whole cities are set up that cater to Chinese. Casinos, factories, hotels, resorts, and everything that goes with them. Chinese live and work there, Chinese is the only language you here, they use Chinese currency, and for all intents and purposes these areas have been annexed to China. It's such a problem that Laos is really starting to debate whether all that money they're getting is worth it. It's also why Myanmar started to open up to the West.

I think far too many Westerners in Asia have taken an attitude of "Let the West have a taste of their own medicine" because they're allegedly losing out to a growing China. But it's not the West that's losing out -- it's all the countries that border China.

China's history has been marked by the abuse of land. Rivers and land in China are said to be beyond saving, pollution is out of control and is causing widespread illnesses, and their natural resources are all but gone. Why would anyone think they will act in a more responsible manner in the countries that border them?

Ah ha! Could this be the reason for today's report of the junta looking to build 'legal' casinos here? Have they thrown in the towel and admitted to themselves that the overwhelming majority of tourists they can ever hope to expect for the foreseeable future, (having pissed everyone else off), are the Chinese?

[Inepto Cracy]

In Thai it is 555, = ha ha ha. Chinese is 222 = ha ha ha.

Learn Mandarin or Cantonese Chinese languages, they could become the new official languages here in the future?

5 5 5 .

[elgordo38]

I see the "I told you so" brigade, is out in force. Well, they're right and yes, it's no surprise.

I guess they've awakened the sleeping, or in this case, spitting giant.

If the locals are losing ground/business, I bet they'll be saying:

Remember the good ole days when only the Farang used to visit.

Spitting giant is correct. (deleted post)

I find myself spitting from time to time as my mouth fills up with the foul air here plus they put way to much salt in the food for my liking. If they are thinking of bringing in casino's well that a sure sign tourist numbers are falling. Congrats to the 13 millionth tourist to arrive from Vietnam. As she stood there for all the prestige, photo's chest banner I wonder if someone's hand was still glued to the counter button.

[petercool]

A particularly unpleasant post was removed along with a quote of that in a reply

[Thai at Heart]

Note "using Thais". Aren't nominees illegal? I expect a ruthless crackdown forthwith....

[rijit]

Note "using Thais". Aren't nominees illegal? I expect a ruthless crackdown forthwith....

Yeah right and pigs will fly

rijit

[Expat Brad]

It's not just Thailand, it's the whole of SEA.......Oh! that now includes my country Australia that is soon to be Chinese controlled. Thailand has just sped up the process by letting them in so earnestly. Oh! so did Australia.......

[gandalf12]

Only part of Thai people are of Chinese origin, there are also Thais with Khmer roots eg.

That is true. In essence they are a mix of many local cultures

[elgordo38]

It's not just Thailand, it's the whole of SEA.......Oh! that now includes my country Australia that is soon to be Chinese controlled. Thailand has just sped up the process by letting them in so earnestly. Oh! so did Australia.......

They started in Australia buying up lots of high end real estate to the point where Australia is thinking about a crackdown. You can thank the Yanks for the mess we are in with China. They farmed out all the good paying jobs to China(to appease their big business buddies looking for cheap labor and poor environmental/labor laws) bought all their poorly made junk and also let the Chinese move the yuan in whatever direction they desired. They the Yanks are now in the process to repeat this assault on labor and signing the same type of agreement with 24 countries called the Trans Pacific Pact. Big business is again salivating at this one but labor in the USA have learned a lesson with NFTA and are fighting back hard. The Chinese in turn have kept the Americans afloat buying up their treasury bills so that they could fund their wars and reckless spending habits but I think that will draw to an end this year as the Chinese are finally figuring out they may never get their investment back or get it back in cheaper dollars. Chinese currency will be added to the IMF basket of currencies this fall. They are starting a gold bank(the state of Texas is to) and dealing with countries that will do currency swaps thus cutting out the US Greenback. Russia India and a lot of other countries are joining in. The free lunch for America could soon be over. Power over the centuries has rotated from country to country and China might now get a second kick at the can. I doubt if I will live long enough to see that.

[micmichd]

Should be easy. China is a creditor, USA a debtor. If a debtors fails to pay back his debts, the creditor can seize his property. What about Manhattan?

[Rimmer]

Please stay on topic, thank you.

An off topic post quoting the above off topic posts has been removed

[nithisa78]

always good to hear from the no life group.

[piewarmer]

The Russian prostitutes are here already, why not Chinese too?

[Dtaw]

The Chinese do this all over the world.