Hold on to your chopsticks!

[2020]

http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/80000-chinese-expected-in-chiang-mai-over-chinese-new-year/

CityNews – Over 80,000 Chinese tourists expected over the Chinese New Year according to the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association who are preparing for the influx.

President of the board, Pornchai Jitnawasatien, said in a press conference on February 5 that over 80,000 Chinese visitors are expected in Chiang Mai over the Chinese New Year period, with almost 90% of hotels and tour packages booked up until February 16.

He also added that sales are expected to go up as prices of popular products are cheaper than last year, meaning tourists may buy more.

[Thailand]

"He also added that sales are expected to go up as prices of popular products are cheaper than last year, meaning tourists may buy more."

If prices have gone down they will have to buy more to make sales go up?

[eyecatcher]

Who dreamt up those figures?

Lets use some western education called logic.

Most of those will be coming through the airport agreed.

Say an average flight has 250passengers.....thats 320 planes.

If they are coming this weekend then the four days prior would be 80 flights a day.

its impossible but whats more impossible is all those chinese will want to go back on the same day.

Still 80k sounds more of a headline grabber than the 5k that it probably will be.

[Genericnic]

Lets hope the 7-11s have stocked up. The Chinese seem to do most of their food shopping there.

David

[Tywais]

Who dreamt up those figures?

Lets use some western education called logic.

Most of those will be coming through the airport agreed.

Say an average flight has 250passengers.....thats 320 planes.

If they are coming this weekend then the four days prior would be 80 flights a day.

its impossible but whats more impossible is all those chinese will want to go back on the same day.

Still 80k sounds more of a headline grabber than the 5k that it probably will be.

Chinese New Year in China is 23 days and as such will be holidaying in Thailand for that same period.

[eyecatcher]

Who dreamt up those figures?

Lets use some western education called logic.

Most of those will be coming through the airport agreed.

Say an average flight has 250passengers.....thats 320 planes.

If they are coming this weekend then the four days prior would be 80 flights a day.

its impossible but whats more impossible is all those chinese will want to go back on the same day.

Still 80k sounds more of a headline grabber than the 5k that it probably will be.

Chinese New Year in China is 23 days and as such will be holidaying in Thailand for that same period.

Well that shot my plane down eh?

I always said logic was overrated.

[Trujillo]

Who dreamt up those figures?

Lets use some western education called logic.

Indeed. How many of them were already in the country and will migrate to the fair city of Chiang Mai during the time mentioned? How many were already in Chiang Mai prior to these days? Plus arriving on the days by air....

[sharktooth]

This is surprising as CNY in China is very much a traditional time for family members to go home and be together, rather than go on holiday outside the "Middle Kingdom." Back in '98 I witnessed the MASS migration if workers in Guangdong going back home for New Year. Chaos and bedlam like you have never seen.

[cloudhopper]

I hope one will stay and open a restaurant.

[CMKiwi]

Lots of cars around Chaing Mai today with Chinese plates (No not dinner plates). Had a brief look around Anusarn Market and the most common voice was Chinese followed closely by French (I was quite surprised by that)

Still lots of tourists about so thats gotta be good for someone (Apart from Slack Packer hostels) Zoe Yellow may be rocking tonight

[sandmonster]

This is surprising as CNY in China is very much a traditional time for family members to go home and be together, rather than go on holiday outside the "Middle Kingdom." Back in '98 I witnessed the MASS migration if workers in Guangdong going back home for New Year. Chaos and bedlam like you have never seen.

Only the migrant workers return home. There are about 3-400m "middle class" and richer who don't have to migrate and have the wealth to travel to Asia and beyond with extended families 2 or 3 times a year. The west underestimates the scale of chinese population and how quickly that portion of the population has caught up financially.

[sharktooth]

This is surprising as CNY in China is very much a traditional time for family members to go home and be together, rather than go on holiday outside the "Middle Kingdom." Back in '98 I witnessed the MASS migration if workers in Guangdong going back home for New Year. Chaos and bedlam like you have never seen.

Only the migrant workers return home. There are about 3-400m "middle class" and richer who don't have to migrate and have the wealth to travel to Asia and beyond with extended families 2 or 3 times a year. The west underestimates the scale of chinese population and how quickly that portion of the population has caught up financially.

Only the migrant workers return home??? I worked in PRC for six years and know rich and poor Chinese whose first priority at new year was to go to the "family" home.

However I see this thread turning into yet another bickering back and forth pile of pish. Been there, seen it, done it...

[cyberfarang]

I was in the Big C superhighway yesterday and the store was teeming with Chinese. And while driving around the moat they seemed to be everywhere. I believe the Chinese tourist figures given are near the mark. Not good for the Farlangs because it seems the TaT will concentrate on facilitating the Chinese and gearing everything up more for them.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I was in the Big C superhighway yesterday and the store was teeming with Chinese. And while driving around the moat they seemed to be everywhere. I believe the Chinese tourist figures given are near the mark. Not good for the Farlangs because it seems the TaT will concentrate on facilitating the Chinese and gearing everything up more for them.

Even if that was true, what has TAT ever done that made Thailand better for you? TAT themselves don't seem to really get what tourists (Westerners) appreciate, and probably won't do much better with Chinese or anyone else.

Or are you bothered they print some maps and brochures in Chinese too now? The end of life as we know it, surely.

Edited February 7, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[LawrenceChee]

This is surprising as CNY in China is very much a traditional time for family members to go home and be together, rather than go on holiday outside the "Middle Kingdom." Back in '98 I witnessed the MASS migration if workers in Guangdong going back home for New Year. Chaos and bedlam like you have never seen.

Only the migrant workers return home. There are about 3-400m "middle class" and richer who don't have to migrate and have the wealth to travel to Asia and beyond with extended families 2 or 3 times a year. The west underestimates the scale of chinese population and how quickly that portion of the population has caught up financially.

Only the migrant workers return home??? I worked in PRC for six years and know rich and poor Chinese whose first priority at new year was to go to the "family" home.

However I see this thread turning into yet another bickering back and forth pile of pish. Been there, seen it, done it...

Actually the mass human migration you see is to have the reunion dinner on CNY eve which is tonight , the 7th being the first day of the Lunar New Year

So for the middle class if the entire family flies to Chiangmai for the vacation and have dinner ( I bet Jia Tong Heng was fully booked tonight) that counts as reunion too

Chinese New Year spans 15 days and for some migrant worker population this is the annual vacation one takes to head home with presents for your love ones bought from a year of savings of your wages etc ...depending on the province and the travel distance and the mode of transport they can afford this could be a Long journey home but a joyous one

[Tywais]

Actually the mass human migration you see is to have the reunion dinner on CNY eve which is tonight , the 7th being the first day of the Lunar New Year

Correcting the typo. The 8th, Monday, is the 1st day of the Lunar New Year, the 7th is family day. Chinese New Year 2016 Feb 8-10

Chinese New Year's Day is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. But the date is different each year on the Gregorian (internationally-used) calendar, between January 21th and February 20th. In 2016 it's Monday February 8th.

When Chinese New Year is Celebrated Officially Celebration — 7 Days (February 7–13, 2016)

It's a public holiday for Chinese. Usually people have 7 consecutive days off from Chinese New Year's Eve to the sixth day after Chinese New Year's Day.

Officially only the first three days of Chinese New Year (February 8–10, 2016) are statutory holiday. Chinese New Year's Eve and three more days are always added to give seven consecutive days of holiday. These four extra days are taken from weekends: the two weekend days closest to the statutory holiday are included, while the Saturday before (February 6, 2016) and the Sunday after (February 14, 2016) are worked.

Chinahighlights

[LawrenceChee]

Actually the mass human migration you see is to have the reunion dinner on CNY eve which is tonight , the 7th being the first day of the Lunar New Year

Correcting the typo. The 8th, Monday, is the 1st day of the Lunar New Year, the 7th is family day. Chinese New Year 2016 Feb 8-10

Chinese New Year's Day is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. But the date is different each year on the Gregorian (internationally-used) calendar, between January 21th and February 20th. In 2016 it's Monday February 8th.

When Chinese New Year is Celebrated Officially Celebration — 7 Days (February 7–13, 2016)

It's a public holiday for Chinese. Usually people have 7 consecutive days off from Chinese New Year's Eve to the sixth day after Chinese New Year's Day.

Officially only the first three days of Chinese New Year (February 8–10, 2016) are statutory holiday. Chinese New Year's Eve and three more days are always added to give seven consecutive days of holiday. These four extra days are taken from weekends: the two weekend days closest to the statutory holiday are included, while the Saturday before (February 6, 2016) and the Sunday after (February 14, 2016) are worked.

Chinahighlights

Kekekek you are right as I just arrived my time clocks are all jumbled

Thanks....have a prosperous new year everyone !

[Konini]

"He also added that sales are expected to go up as prices of popular products are cheaper than last year, meaning tourists may buy more."

If prices have gone down they will have to buy more to make sales go up?

More turnover is probably what he means. If you're going to do low profit/high turnover, you need really high turnover so it likely won't benefit whoever it is that is putting their prices down; this is Thailand, the place where prices rise when business is slow to make up for fewer sales, especially anything tourist related. While that logic goes straight over my head because it makes absolutely no sense, the only business I've known to put prices down are Central and Robinsons who always have a sale on with % off.

Does anybody know which sectors have put their prices down? Serious question, I'm intrigued. Transport/car and bike hire and accommodation aren't cheaper, the department and international stores are running as usual and eating out remains the same. The only thing I can think of that would be cheaper is the tourist tat from the markets, but they are the people least likely to lower their prices. As I said, serious question; which prices are lower?