TAT to invite Chinese media to settle misunderstanding between Chinese tourists and Thais

[Tomtomtom69]

As for Chinese tourists who visit Thailand by driving their cars through Myanmar into Chiang Rai province, Mr Yutthasak said that the Land Transport Department decided on June 27 to make some changes to the rules about driving in Thailand by Chinese tourists.

He said several Chinese drivers were caught unprepared by the rules changes, making them unable to bring their cars into Chiang Rai. The new rules are applied to all and not just for Chinese tourists, he added.

The new rules are applied to all, especially Argentinian tourists who drive their car through Myanmar into Chiang Rai.

Correct. However, how many Argentinian tourists drive through Myanmar in their own cars every year? Probably only 1 or 2, if that.

Myanmar has never in it's history allowed foreign tourists to freely drive through their country. A compulsory government liasion officer and travel agency guide MUST accompany every tourist car or motorcycle throughout the entire time spent in Myanmar, from the entry border to the exit border. Advance permission, usually at least a month in advance must also be applied for.

The statement made in the article is false (reporter probably mistook Myanmar for Laos). Tourists can freely enter Laos by car to come to Thailand, not Myanmar. If you're faced with expensive permits and advance notice to enter Myanmar, then having to do the same to enter Thailand, which is still a lot cheaper and once you're inside you don't actually need a guide with you is a lot simpler.

[Redline]

"Thai people in general welcome Chinese tourists because they brought a lot of revenues into Thailand"

No misunderstanding as long as they spend more money.

If they just throw money and gold from their buses, all will be forgotten.

[elgordo38]

"Thai people in general welcome Chinese tourists because they brought a lot of revenues into Thailand"

No misunderstanding as long as they spend more money.

Does TAT have a governor? Bring back the TAT lady she is much more eloquent. In other words spend more money and behave.

[Tomtomtom69]

Anyway, given that Thai and Chinese buses will be allowed to travel between each other's countries starting Dec 1, expect more masses of Chinese to come. Just that it will be by the busload this time, instead of by their own car. For more info, please check out the recent Bangkok Post article in the "Transport and Tourism" section of the business section from a few days ago.

[RandolphGB]

''for talks to clear up a misunderstanding among Chinese media''

Err, there's no ''misunderstanding''. Thais and the rest of the world don't like Chinese tourists because they're the rudest on the planet.

No amount of talks are going to change that.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

The japanese dont think very highly of the Thais either.They were convinced that the Thai resistance were in the pay of the Chinese during ww2

[tomyummer]

Wasn't it only a few days ago that Mrs. TAT Superstar announced that she wanted the wealthy German 50+ tourists back ?

Now a.. - licking the Chinks. guess she doesn't really know what she wants, as these 2 together will not work at all

I guess you had no idea that 'chinks' is an extremely derogatory term?

Nice. Really classy and educated.

I guess TV regulators are just as educated for not taking your post out.

[jerojero]

Sure. Chinese media will tell Thai people and they will listen obediently. Another retarded TAT idea. Hub of retarded ideas.

Edited July 27, 2016 by jerojero

[MaiChai]

No submarines if the Chinese are upset?

[Kiwiken]

As more Chinese self Drive enter Thailand the incidence of Tourist related deaths on the roads will increase. Look at the NZ statistics for Foreigner related deaths on NZ roads. Mainly caused by their inability to adjust to driving on the Left hand side of the road and negotiating tight corners. I suspect asin NZ given that Thailand already high Road toll this may increase significantly. If I am wrong then I am happy to be wrong. But Our road toll is not dropping and the same old stories keep cropping up in the NZ media.

[Tomtomtom69]

As more Chinese self Drive enter Thailand the incidence of Tourist related deaths on the roads will increase. Look at the NZ statistics for Foreigner related deaths on NZ roads. Mainly caused by their inability to adjust to driving on the Left hand side of the road and negotiating tight corners. I suspect asin NZ given that Thailand already high Road toll this may increase significantly. If I am wrong then I am happy to be wrong. But Our road toll is not dropping and the same old stories keep cropping up in the NZ media.

That's exactly why they are being restricted. It is highly unlikely that with this law in place, there will ever be as many Chinese registrations seeking to enter Thailand as was the case earlier this year before the law went into effect (especially around February to March). In much the same way if you go to China, you will almost certainly never see a foreign registration because of the difficulty in entering China in a foreign car. Indeed I haven't seen one Chinese plate here since April, whereas in February and March there were dozens causing mayhem in Bangkok alone! With Bangkok's already bad traffic woes, I have no idea why any Chinese would want to drive here.

Unlike in China, in Thailand motorcycles also mix with cars on the same stretch of road, Chinese tendency for beeping their horns etc. and that's a bad combination. Surprised we didn't hear about Thais pulling out their guns and shooting at these Chinese driven cars, but maybe it's because they refrained from beeping their horns. The large numbers also prompted the head of Bangkok's traffic police to instruct all his officers to enforce a law, which states that foreign car registrations are banned from driving in Bangkok due to them not having paid road tax and thus are illegal. The fine for being caught is 10,000 Baht and driving privileges are immediately revoked. The car must then be towed to the border for export. Not sure if this law has been officially implemented, but it did appear a number of times in Thai newspapers.

I remember seeing one lady from Kunming stopped her SUV on the emergency strip near the Suvarnabhumi airport exit to check for directions. Many others have caused problems like a campervan parking illegally on Ratchadamri road in February, while they went to pray at the nearby Hindu statue. There were also reports of drivers that drove the wrong way onto the tollway, causing major chaos and dirty looks from Thai drivers.

Apparently since last month, the numbers of Chinese registrations entering Thailand has dropped to 10 a day from up to 600 a day previously (check out the recent Bangkok Post article). This law is permanent, whether or not they may loosen the border province restrictions I don't know, but it won't make a big difference because all Chinese vehicles entering will essentially be driving around with a guide in tow. So that action alone will reduce road deaths and is intended for the safety of both Chinese and Thai road users alike. Of course Chinese can continue to hire cars in Thailand as before (there are no new rules that apply to tourists renting vehicles locally).

In the past, there were a number of Chinese that did die, or cause death after getting into car accidents here. Some of these stories (you'd have to go back to last year or 2014) were posted right here on Thaivisa in the Thailand News or local news (for example Chiang Rai) sub-forums. Many more accidents that caused property damage or damage to third party vehicles also occurred and reported on in the Thai press. Stories also of Chinese who didn't pay the full amount of compensation and fled the country (without their cars of course).