Less Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai as road travel regulations bite

[webfact]

Less Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai as road travel regulations bite


Image: Sanook

CHIANG MAI: -- Regulations prohibiting Chinese caravaners from venturing far from the northern borders are likely to have a serious affect on Thai tourism, reported Sanook.com.

Laws from the Thai Communications ministry that are being enforced prohibit people bringing vehicles in travelling too far from border areas. Many Chinese tourists enter Thailand travelling from Kunming and want to go further south.

The tourists are boycotting Thailand because of the regulations and going to neighboring countries instead. Those that do cross into Thailand are staying around Chiang Rai and do not dare to venture to Chiang Mai for fear of arrest.

Pornchai Jitwatanawasathian of the Chiang Mai Tourist Bureau said that Chinese visitors to Chiang Mai would be down for sure and that the local economy will be adversely affected as a direct result.

He said that other nationalities would also not come to Thailand because of the lack of free movement.

Last year 8.7 million Chinese visited Thailand - the most from any nation. They spent an estimated 380,000 million baht.

Source: Sanook

-- 2016-07-27

[colinneil]

Many Chinese are avoiding Thailand now, because most hotels have reduced the size of their buffets and are using smaller plates.

[ezzra]

Now that those stingy obnoxious Chinese can't cramp 6 people into a small sedan and travel to Thailand

and be ' tourist ' on a shoestring, they stop coming, who'd would think that such a small change of not

allowed to travel beyond CK will stem the tide of million cheap Charlies.....

[harada]

Thank you my Buddha.

[Berkshire]

Less Chinese driving around in their own cars in Chiang Mai? Well done Thai government!

[MROLL320]

380,000,000,000 spent by 8700000 tourist? Around 44000 baht each? Nah.... Don't think so?not by any chinese tourist I've ever seen!

[cmsally]

Tourist numbers way down on last year, Chinese included.

[LannaGuy]

every cloud...

[Inn Between]

Yup, less tourists eating less dumplings in less places. I bet they're bringing fewer money with them too and using fewer transportation.

[worgeordie]

Tourist numbers way down on last year, Chinese included.

Hope T.A.T. does not see your post,you could be sued.

regards Worgeordie

[waldroj]

Berkshire (#5 above) says it beautifully!

Thailand, already has the 2nd most dangerous roads in the world - could you imagine if more Chinese were encouraged to drive their own cars into this country?

Sorry to appear pedantic, but (using TAT visitation figures) the 8.7 million Chinese actually arrived between June 2015 and May 2016)!

"Last year", there were 7,934, 791 Chinese visitors, a whopping 71% increase from the previous year (4,636,298)!

Surprisingly, there is no mention of the "serious affect (sic)" on tourists driving from Malaysia (the second highest number of visitors - 3,423,397).

[Balance]

Why can't reporters and govt offices get the numbers right. If 8.7 million chinese tourists spent 380,000,000 baht then each one of them spent 43 Bhat. Not exactly high value tourists. This can be contrasted with farang on retirement visas who spend 800,000 a year, every year.

[Thailand]

As Chinese were /are the main source of tourists entering Thailand this is somewhat a shot in the foot by the authorities?

[futsukayoi]

Why can't reporters and govt offices get the numbers right. If 8.7 million chinese tourists spent 380,000,000 baht then each one of them spent 43 Bhat. Not exactly high value tourists. This can be contrasted with farang on retirement visas who spend 800,000 a year, every year.

380,000 million baht is 380,000,000,000 baht not 380.000.000. That is 43,000 baht each not 43 baht.

[yellowboat]

As Chinese were /are the main source of tourists entering Thailand this is somewhat a shot in the foot by the authorities?

It is the new heavy handed Thainess we have come to know of the recent years. They are upsetting the gravy train. Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory

[Balance]

Why can't reporters and govt offices get the numbers right. If 8.7 million chinese tourists spent 380,000,000 baht then each one of them spent 43 Bhat. Not exactly high value tourists. This can be contrasted with farang on retirement visas who spend 800,000 a year, every year.

380,000 million baht is 380,000,000,000 baht not 380.000.000. That is 43,000 baht each not 43 baht.

My bad. I have lived in a number of countries and have never seen 380 billion written as 380,000 million. Is that the reporter or is this the way Thais express numbers in the billions?

[Paul Catton]

Why can't reporters and govt offices get the numbers right. If 8.7 million chinese tourists spent 380,000,000 baht then each one of them spent 43 Bhat. Not exactly high value tourists. This can be contrasted with farang on retirement visas who spend 800,000 a year, every year.

380,000 million baht is 380,000,000,000 baht not 380.000.000. That is 43,000 baht each not 43 baht.

My calculator initially had the extension settings wrong.

Wonder if that 43,000 baht is discretionary holiday spending money or part of the all inclusive pre paid packages.

If the latter still doesn't help independent tourism coffers.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Paul Catton

[CNXBKKMAN]

Including Macau and Hong Kong there looks to be only 14 direct flights from China to Chiang Mai today. Then you have the Chinese that fly up from Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi domestically. Most Chinese tourists arrive by air. Those who drive in are a small minority even if they arrive in big SUV's and fancy minivans. It's a negative to block these drivers but the arrivals by air may be growing faster than the loss from the overland route so I don't imagine any big drop visitors being noticed at all.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

That's bad news for the number of red drivers, who insist on only doing high mark-up fares......if onlt they put as much effort in earning an honest living and playing buy the rules......Nimman was very quiet the other night.

[cmsally]

I have heard from a number of people that there is a bit of a boycott going on at the moment as the Chinese don't appreciate all the bad press they get.

Seeing as the TAT has just invited some of the Chinese press and social media for some sort of "clearing up of the misunderstanding" one would presume there is some truth in the matter.

[saminoz]

his is how Thais express numbers in the billions. สามร้อยแปดสิบแสนล้าน. Their word for "billion" is literally พันล้าน/pan-laan or "thousand million"

Agreed and in Thai it makes sense.

However the article was in English and 380 billion is never written as 380,000 million. Just confuses people.

Priceless! You don't often see the words "Thai" and "makes sense" in the same sentence without it causing ridicule! Well done Sir!

[12DrinkMore]

Why can't reporters and govt offices get the numbers right. If 8.7 million chinese tourists spent 380,000,000 baht then each one of them spent 43 Bhat. Not exactly high value tourists. This can be contrasted with farang on retirement visas who spend 800,000 a year, every year.

The "challenged by zeroes" as already been brought up.

So I will take up the claimed 800,000 spend by retired old gits.

800,000 is the requirement for the extension to the visa. It does not reflect the average amount spend by retirees. Which lies somewhere between the "I live well on 100,000 /year" and "There is no way I could survive 24 hours on less than 100,000".

[elgordo38]

Many Chinese are avoiding Thailand now, because most hotels have reduced the size of their buffets and are using smaller plates.

A false prosperity does indeed make people fatter. If what you say Colin is true it would be a great place for them to come to to shed a few pounds and enjoy our lovely culture.

[theDukes]

 

Now that those stingy obnoxious Chinese can't cramp 6 people into a small sedan and travel to Thailand

and be ' tourist ' on a shoestring, they stop coming, who'd would think that such a small change of not

allowed to travel beyond CK will stem the tide of million cheap Charlies.....

 

Actually the cars coming across the border are expensive, usually imported, Audi, Volkswagen, ect. I'm not the expert but my guess would be that those that are driving are spending considerably more than the cheap flights and tours from China.

[connda]

The MOT Business Model

[Yahooka]

380,000,000,000 spent by 8700000 tourist? Around 44000 baht each? Nah.... Don't think so?not by any chinese tourist I've ever seen!

It's probably included the value overindulging of the free buffé's at the hotels.

[Aussie69]

380,000,000,000 spent by 8700000 tourist? Around 44000 baht each? Nah.... Don't think so?not by any chinese tourist I've ever seen!

The difference between the communications ministry's numbers and yours ... math

[Thailand]

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/07/27/tat-desperate-bring-chinese-tourists-back-after-they-boycott-thailand

[ericthai]

380,000,000,000 spent by 8700000 tourist? Around 44000 baht each? Nah.... Don't think so?not by any chinese tourist I've ever seen!

It said 380 million Baht not 380 Billion Baht, so the real number is only 43.67 baht which I dont believe that..

[moe666]

 

Now that those stingy obnoxious Chinese can't cramp 6 people into a small sedan and travel to Thailand

and be ' tourist ' on a shoestring, they stop coming, who'd would think that such a small change of not

allowed to travel beyond CK will stem the tide of million cheap Charlies.....

 

Actually the cars coming across the border are expensive, usually imported, Audi, Volkswagen, ect. I'm not the expert but my guess would be that those that are driving are spending considerably more than the cheap flights and tours from China.

actually a lot of suvs travelling together in a caravan. On the 1048 highway they had a police car escort for 5 or 6 chinese vehicles. I have seen outfitted suvs in aPTT station around Nakon Sawan. They use a lot of differzent vehicles never seen any motor homes though