MoU due to be inked between Thailand and China to solve zero-dollar package tour

[webfact]

An MoU due to be inked Wednesday between Thailand and China to solve zero-dollar package tour

 

 

BANGKOK: -- A memorandum of understanding will be signed on Wednesday between Thailand and China for joint cooperation in solving the problem of zero-dollar package tour from China.

 

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said Tuesday, during the signing ceremony of the MoU, she would discuss with Chinese authorities from China’s tourism office about the measures meted out by her ministry to cope with the problem of zero-dollar package tour from China.

 

She explained that the measures were intended to develop quality tourism so that tourism business will prosper on sustainable basis.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/mou-due-inked-wednesday-thailand-china-solve-zero-dollar-package-tour/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-09-21

[Rorri]

I did not know Thailand had changed its  currency, from baht to dollar, when did this happen.

[NongKhaiKid]

Quality tourists, she never gives up does she ?

I doubt she can understand that the real quality tourists with big money aren't going to come here as they'll use their money to go to quality destinations such as the world's great cities for example.

 

The MoU will sort out the current problem of course as both LoS and China are countries noted for keeping their word and for operating fairly and above board without aggressive self-interest.

[DrTuner]

The face says "There go my tourist arrivals".

[jaltsc]

"A memorandum of understanding will be signed on Wednesday between Thailand and China for joint cooperation in solving the problem of zero-dollar package tour from China."

 

Well, that should work out well. After all these are two nations whose words and promises can never be questioned.

[harada]

11 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

"A memorandum of understanding will be signed on Wednesday between Thailand and China for joint cooperation in solving the problem of zero-dollar package tour from China."

 

Well, that should work out well. After all these are two nations whose words and promises can never be questioned for their commitment.

Yeah, ok we get the message. 

[taichiplanet]

so many MoUs in the last year or so. From what i've seen the MoUs soon turn into F U!

[Clamhua]

Telling the Chinese how to spend their money will be about as useful as tits on a bull....useless

[JAG]

The face says "There go my tourist arrivals".

Or perhaps. " There are my tourist arrivals - Why did they not bring any cash?"

[BigBadGeordie]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

She explained that the measures were intended to develop quality tourism so that tourism business will prosper on sustainable basis.

 

Realy, so it's not about ensuring tax revenue for the state, or ensuring that only Thais make money from these tourists.

 

I think, dear minister, you are having a "pants on fire" moment.

[waldroj]

So, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is to solve the problem of zero-dollar package tours from China by signing an MoU with that country.

 

Even if they do, I suspect the "ink" is going to be well and truly dry long before there is any noticeable change in how Chinese tourists visit this country. I would think that the Chinese are in no hurry to see any change to the status quo, as evidenced by the following link to a Financial Times article from way back in 2004 (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/41a39ed6-fc42-11d8-bb3a-00000e2511c8.html?ft_site=falcon&desktop=true#axzz4KqX6sW7d).

 

As for having confidence in this MOU, well we are still waiting for work to start on the much-touted rail link between the two countries two years after they signed another MoU, and despite a ground-breaking ceremony for the project in December last year!  http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/12/19/3861s857437.htm

[madmitch]

Has anyone ever seen the tourism minister smile? Or even not have a scowl on her face? 

 

Not exactly an advertisement for the so-calle Land Of Smiles, is she?

[mesterm]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

Has anyone ever seen the tourism minister smile? Or even not have a scowl on her face? 

 

Not exactly an advertisement for the so-calle Land Of Smiles, is she?

 

I think she was sort of smiling when she announced that Pokemon Go was going to save tourism in Thailand.

[williamgeorgeallen]

cant help but think this is just lining more companies up to have their assets confiscated and sold off. thailand needs to decide if it wants chinese tourists or not.

[Golden Triangle]

Some one told me the other day that a bus company conveying these zero dollar tourists had 2000 of its coaches impounded as part of a crackdown, I've been unable to confirm that with any media reports, so I don't take it as gospel. Just imparting some info that may or may not be true.

 

 

[useronthenet]

This is a 'real' face of Thailand ... do you see any smiles ?

[CantSpell]

I am really dreading the results of this lunatic actions on high season profits... 

[SABloke]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a "Zero Dollar" holiday is when one pays for a package tour that includes all travel, hotels, meals and refreshments.

Now I understand that local small business might suffer, because the bus passengers didn't buy water at the stop, for example, but I refuse to believe that none of these tourist buy anything at all. Also, surely the hotel owners, transport companies etc. get paid so money goes into the economy. If you cancel these tours you just cancel revenue...SOME money is better than nothing at all, isn't it???

[Terdsak]

In other Sino-Thai news, following today's announcement that the Chinese TianDong-1 space station will crash to Earth next year, Thailand is preparing to launch its own space station, TingTong.

 

Will there be a dingdong when Tiandong meets TingTong?

 

Watch this space.

[Anthony5]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

She explained that the measures were intended to develop quality tourism

 

If quality tourism is the intention then they are talking with the wrong country to start with

[newnative]

SABloke is absolutely right.  Zero dollar tourist is a ridiculous term.  Even with a package tour a tourist is flying back and forth on an airplane, staying in a hotel, eating food, riding in a bus, doing tourist things, etc.  So, at a bare minimum, it is helping provide employment to pilots and flight attendants, airport workers,  hotel receptionists, maids, gardeners, pool cleaners, bus drivers, tour site/entertainment employees, farmers and their workers growing food, waiters, cooks, shop owners, and others.  Every tourist is valuable in an economy  that relies fairly heavily on tourism--especially when other sectors are not doing that well. 

[CharlieK]

The sale of suitcases must have dropped off, the chinese aren't spending as much in central plaza anymore, so TAT want more of the cake for themselves! 

[ChrisY1]

6 hours ago, madmitch said:

Has anyone ever seen the tourism minister smile? Or even not have a scowl on her face? 

 

Not exactly an advertisement for the so-calle Land Of Smiles, is she?

 

Actually, I think this is her smiling face.......!

[elgordo38]

In layman's terms "If you don't crap in our backyard we will not crap in yours"

[Orac]

3 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Some one told me the other day that a bus company conveying these zero dollar tourists had 2000 of its coaches impounded as part of a crackdown, I've been unable to confirm that with any media reports, so I don't take it as gospel. Just imparting some info that may or may not be true.

 

 

 

OA Transport Co Ltd - quite a few media reports.

[Clamhua]

So Thais never buy full packages in Thailand before they travel to Europe or Australia?..Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.

Complaining about the Chinese when they are doing the same thing, hypocrites I believe

[Golden Triangle]

27 minutes ago, Orac said:

 

OA Transport Co Ltd - quite a few media reports.

 

 

Thanks for that, I wasn't sure of the company name so had fruitless searches, So all the money goes back to China, no wonder the locals are a bit miffed.

[Sydebolle]

Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul should retire - and I mean now. Thailand has done EVERYTHING it its power to get rid of the high paying individual tourism they've been receiving some 30 years ago. Five star hotels filled with consuming tourists enjoying the sites and the offerings of the land. 

1997 came, "protective" import duties killed shopping (remember the watch duty jacked up from 5% to 30% resulting in a drop of imports of Swiss watches by 84% whereas the Swiss showed a mere drop of 19% of exports to Thailand - the difference was either thrown out of aircrafts over India - or smuggled into the Land via Malaysia (neither VAT not duty) or Singapore. 
 

Then following governments introduced more strains, be it the alcohol tax hike some 3 years ago which literally killed the wine and spirit business; the individual tourists faced more and more problems with "visa" issues and so the top paying segment got "replaced" by the cheaper GIT from Russia. Their disappearance is not entirely Thailand's fault as we know but instead of reaching for higher goals the TAT clowns (god only knows what kind of weed these guys smoke) they went straight for the Chinese traffic. Latter steamrollered Northern Thailand until it had to be brought to a screeching halt; the Chinese overland tourists drive even worse than their Thai brethren and leave a little money and as much rudeness, dirt and impoliteness behind as they can.

The Zero-traffic will have to continue as there is no other traffic left. The Thai product got cheaper and cheaper, food wise the paradise is gone and replaced by the fast food junk chains or cheap garbage overloaded with sugar, glutamate and MSG everywhere. 

Get your product in order, rid all those places from all those clowns and man the TAT offices with English-speaking professionals and not those nose poking girl dream teams (like in Ubol Ratchathani) where all three girls, no English abilities, were unable to give basic answers and referred to a call centre number of TAT ...... in Bangkok! 

In closing, forget about the two tier pricing; Thais should be able to visit their sites, temples, ruins and historical places completely free of charge; foreigners will gladly pay decent admissions without discussions!