Anxious tourism officials respond to veiled threat with Chinese charm campaign

[snoop1130]

Anxious tourism officials respond to veiled threat with Chinese charm campaign
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

Part of the graphics created by Thai CCTV communicating that Chinese people recognize Thais as friends or relatives. Photo: TCCTV / Facebook

BANGKOK — Thailand is pulling out the stops to tell Chinese tourists they are wholeheartedly welcome in the kingdom out of fear cultural friction could jeopardize the billions of baht in revenue they bring with them.

Tourism officials, responding to fear Chinese might be rethinking Thailand, announced Tuesday they had invited that country’s biggest news agencies in to clear up any misunderstandings stemming from Thai complaints about Chinese behavior.

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/net/2016/07/27/anxious-tourism-officials-respond-veiled-threat-chinese-charm-campaign/

-- Khaosod English 2016-07-27

[craigt3365]

What's wrong with telling them if they can't be polite and respect our culture, then don't come?

Right....money into a few people's pocket....

[daveAustin]

... bring me a bucket!

[Hawk]

Chinese behaviour is bad, there is no way to make that fact anything other than what it is, the truth but Thailand must face reality that the Chinese locusts will find a new country to ravage sooner or later, that's how tourism works. The Chinese tour companies are constantly looking for newer exotic destinations for their customers, so Africa and South America are next on the hit list.

[chowny77]

Most of the Thai's I know can not stand the Chinese. That being said many other tourists are also not in the good books with the Thai's. Thailand will just have to accept that you will get the good with the bad if you want to earn money through tourism they will have to grow a thicker skin and accept it. Either that or just stop all foreigners from entering and wonder what happened to the golden goose!! I expect Thailand would rather shoot themselves in the foot than just to accept that tourists do not go for this Thainess BS of being lied to, robbed and scammed. Each to their own.

[Brer Fox]

Chinese behaviour is bad, there is no way to make that fact anything other than what it is, the truth but Thailand must face reality that the Chinese locusts will find a new country to ravage sooner or later, that's how tourism works. The Chinese tour companies are constantly looking for newer exotic destinations for their customers, so Africa and South America are next on the hit list.

Agreed. But I can't imagine African or South American countries tugging the forelock and grovelling to the Chinese the way TAT does.

[PaPiPuPePo]

I just outed a Chinese tourist's bad behaviour--made it verbally clear I knew what she was up to and it wasn't going to happen--then a bit later apologised to the Thai seller (whose last few of a particular item the Chinawoman behind me tried to manoeuvre me out of) for arguing with another customer, she actually thanked me for saying something and insisted on giving me a little gift. The generally very well-mannered Thais esp. in the north where this happened are as annoyed as I am by this crassness that is acceptable in China and now being exported around SE Asia.

"Cultural misunderstandings" is too neutral; there are standards of behavior like waiting your turn that are nearly universal and no matter how proud the Chinese are of their country they'd best learn sooner rather than later that the rest of the world won't conform to their standards (god I hope not at least).

And the vested interests here can bend over all they want but the populace isn't going to lesson their distaste for the behaviour of their neighbours to the north even if they have to put up with ever increasing amounts of it. There are already 25,000 Chinese arriving in Thailand on average every day of the year, that's nearly 100 planeloads.....

Edited July 27, 2016 by PaPiPuPePo

[gamini]

What's wrong with telling them if they can't be polite and respect our culture, then don't come?

Right....money into a few people's pocket....

This could be equally applied to many of the "farangs" living" in Thailand, particularly in Pattaya.

"

[Wilsonandson]

I thought the Chinese were dubbed "the jews of Asia". Seems if your country has a large military you get special treatment in Thailand.

[elgordo38]

... bring me a bucket!

Will turn into a new hit TV show "Groveling for dollars" (Bahts,Yuan)

[yellowboat]

Yes, we have all seen some Chinese tourists acting poorly, but the vast majority do not, even in China. This is just a

case of over reacting and allowing a few bad apples to ruin the whole batch.

[craigt3365]

Yes, we have all seen some Chinese tourists acting poorly, but the vast majority do not, even in China. This is just a

case of over reacting and allowing a few bad apples to ruin the whole batch.

Partially true. Sadly, it's more than a few bad apples.

[Barnet]

Where's the bend me over and do as you like to me smiley?

About as much pride as pig and as little shame as a speed hump.

[soalbundy]

who's bread i eat his song i'll sing

[craigt3365]

Just saw an ebook called Pigs on the Loose: Chinese Tour Groups. Sadly, in Chinese. Written by a Chinese:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/uglychinese

P.S. I posted this before, but when in Bangkok a few months ago we sadly booked into a hotel that had just been taken over by a Chinese owner and was catering to tour groups. It was terrible. People out in the halls talking loudly, smoking, and the breakfast area looked like it'd been hit by a bomb after they were done. I just couldn't eat there. Luckily, it was only for 2 nights.

[moe666]

bad chinese behavior knocking the sink of the wall doing there laundry, then refusing to pay for the sink until the threat of the police being called. No my girlfriend sees it every day day in and day out.

[gerrytraveller]

bad chinese behavior knocking the sink of the wall doing there laundry, then refusing to pay for the sink until the threat of the police being called. No my girlfriend sees it every day day in and day out.

I can believe wash basins falling of the wall when laundry is being done.. sloppy Thai workmanship???

I have yet to go in a reasonably priced priced hotel where the wash basin tap does NOT turn in my hand..ha ha

[NongKhaiKid]

Every travel book I've read has advice on etiquette, Do's and Dont's etc but how many Chinese tourists buy travel books especially on an organised tour with a guide ?

Producing pamphlet's etc to be given to tourists will only add to the litter problem.

It's indicative of what happens when the Mainland Chinese aren't too popular, to say the least, in Hong Kong where, if the tourists are from Guangdong, everyone speaks Cantonese. ironically the HK Chinese themselves have a reputation for being rude, brash etc.

Incidentally quite recently the Hong Kong govt asked the people to be nicer to mainlanders otherwise the Chinese govt would reduce visitor numbers and it would affect the economy.

[Jimbo2014]

Stock up the prawns, hide the sacred gongs and stock up the sh%t bags on the local flights... more chinese on the way.

[Hayduke]

What we have here is the Thai elite telling the proles that they not only have to tolerate, but embrace the Chinese.

Why? Well, it's for the good of the country….which means for the good of the same ruling class who want to continue making boatloads of money.

The ruling class, however, are well insulated from the grit and grime of dealing with these malignant invaders on a face to face basis. It’s the ordinary Thai people who have to put up with their abuse.

But no sacrifice is too great, if benefits the important few.

[Ricardo]

But how can Thailand compete, with all these new beaches and coral-islands, which China is building in the Phillipines South China Seas ?

[klauskunkel]

^{Thai Rak China}

[dageurreotype]

Most of the Thai's I know can not stand the Chinese. That being said many other tourists are also not in the good books with the Thai's. Thailand will just have to accept that you will get the good with the bad if you want to earn money through tourism they will have to grow a thicker skin and accept it. Either that or just stop all foreigners from entering and wonder what happened to the golden goose!! I expect Thailand would rather shoot themselves in the foot than just to accept that tourists do not go for this Thainess BS of being lied to, robbed and scammed. Each to their own.

I haven't heard a good word uttered by a Thai about the Chinese either, however, your second sentence implies that there will still be tourists from other countries, predominantly Western ones, coming here if the Chinese continue to swamp the place (which looks likely considering the 300 extra Chinese tour busses planned for Phuket), they won't, would you?

All this latest jumping up and down by TAT is the long predicted and now realised fact they've stuffed up their tourism and once a country's tourism's been stuffed up it stays that way. My God even the BP is today running a hopeful headline on the oft reviled Western backpackers being enticed to 'as yet unseen parts of Bangkok' with the aid of any country's ecological nemesis, The Lonely Bastard Planet.

[hansnl]

You can not be too choosy about the tourists visiting your country.

The words: "we want quality tourists" implies the tourists now frequenting your country are not really wanted, so they will stay away.

The so called QT's have so much choice, Thailand is not even on their long range radar.

Then bet on the Russians, and that falls down.

Then bet on the Chinese, and that will fall down as tensions about the Chinese land- and seahunger are more and more clashing with the interests of other ASEAN members.

And the Westerners, staying away because of economic reasons and because knowing very well they are not really welcome, will find and are finding other spots to spend their time, and money.

[saminoz]

Chinese behaviour is bad, there is no way to make that fact anything other than what it is, the truth but Thailand must face reality that the Chinese locusts will find a new country to ravage sooner or later, that's how tourism works. The Chinese tour companies are constantly looking for newer exotic destinations for their customers, so Africa and South America are next on the hit list.

Agreed. But I can't imagine African or South American countries tugging the forelock and grovelling to the Chinese the way TAT does.

You're wrong about AFRICA. I have made my living in Africa for most of the last 25 years and can tell you that pretty much every airport you go to in Africa will be at least 1/3rd full of Chinese. The African nations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, are falling over themselves to grab as much Chinese "investment" as they possibly can whilst in power.

Chinese are busy procreating in Africa in order to have offspring there and benefit (?) from the generally lax citizenship policies.

The Chinese government sends all manner of lower class Chinese to work in Africa, building roads that wash away after one rainy season and railways that have no chance of sustainability. It has been shown that the Chinese have emptied their prisons and sent the inmates to Africa in exchange for a small payment to the Government Du Jour of the more backward countries.

Hell, there have even been cases of Chinese being caught burgling homes here in Zambia recently.

I don't believe that there exists the infrastructure to attract the low-class, low paying Chinese in Africa. Apart from South Africa, there simply aren't enough hotel rooms and precious few attractions.

[saminoz]

Yes, we have all seen some Chinese tourists acting poorly, but the vast majority do not, even in China. This is just a

case of over reacting and allowing a few bad apples to ruin the whole batch.

Partially true. Sadly, it's more than a few bad apples.

It's a freakin' orchard!! Crush them, make cider.

[Tomtomtom69]

Chinese behaviour is bad, there is no way to make that fact anything other than what it is, the truth but Thailand must face reality that the Chinese locusts will find a new country to ravage sooner or later, that's how tourism works. The Chinese tour companies are constantly looking for newer exotic destinations for their customers, so Africa and South America are next on the hit list.

I agree. I mean Chinese tourists are like tourists from anywhere else in the world. Once they've seen Thailand and if they still have the travel bug, they'll naturally want to see other countries. Many Chinese tourists will only ever come here once, it's ludicrous for desperate tourism officials to constantly prostitute themselves for more Chinese tourists, as if there weren't enough already. There was recently an article about how the TAT governor wanted to diversify away from it's reliance on a single demographic. Fact is, should the Chinese economic growth decline further, growth will decline too. it's better Thailand diversify it's market and stop putting all it's eggs in one basket. Similarly, I would urge Thailand to stop it's fanatical obsession with tourism - there are plenty of other industries in which to achieve economic growth. If Thailand were a tiny group of islands like the Maldives I would understand the obsession with tourism. But for a country with 68 million people, relatively good infrastructure and relatively low costs, not to mention a very strategic geographic location, Thailand has a lot of potential in other areas. Every day with these tourism articles. Yawn...

[hawker9000]

What we have here is the Thai elite telling the proles that they not only have to tolerate, but embrace the Chinese.

Why? Well, it's for the good of the country.which means for the good of the same ruling class who want to continue making boatloads of money.

The ruling class, however, are well insulated from the grit and grime of dealing with these malignant invaders on a face to face basis. Its the ordinary Thai people who have to put up with their abuse.

But no sacrifice is too great, if benefits the important few.

Exactly. Ordinary Thais are about to have their well-know culture of acceptance severely tested. And other foreigners clashing with these locusts will find themselves coming off less & less well, further killing off what's left of western tourism. Sad days ahead for Thailand.

[nakhonandy]

As many have said the vast majority of the people don't benefit from these tourists, only the select few.

If the Chinese started spending money in the local tourist businesses the attitude would change, but the vested interest groups won't allow that as it lowers their income.

Why should the normal Thai people accept this behavior when they gain nothing? In fact they lose business because other paying tourists stay away!

[Ulic]

Chinese behaviour is bad, there is no way to make that fact anything other than what it is, the truth but Thailand must face reality that the Chinese locusts will find a new country to ravage sooner or later, that's how tourism works. The Chinese tour companies are constantly looking for newer exotic destinations for their customers, so Africa and South America are next on the hit list.

Africa and South America are too far away for tourists who for the most part go for a

3-4 day junket. Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar are on the hit list.