Tourism Council announces minimum price for Chinese tourist packages be 1,000 baht per day

[Docno]

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

yes but they are still keeping up the arrival numbers and that is what counts.

how the hell can they police the 1000thb per day rule? just another law to over complicate everything that will not be policed, but can be applied selectively to issue fines or seize assets  without trial. 

Myanmar used to require tourists to convert money into Foreign Exchange Certificates upon arrival. This was done at a loss (to the tourists, of course). And money changers--what few there were--had no incentive to change them back to local or other currencies at reasonable rates. Thailand seems to to be getting closer to what Myanmar used to be in a number of areas... this could just be the latest.

[Docno]

One would think that if you're going to do a story on Chinese tourists in Thailand that you could at least find a photo of Chinese tourists in Thailand ... rather than at Angkor Wat. Shouldn't be too difficult...

[williamgeorgeallen]

4 minutes ago, Docno said:

Myanmar used to require tourists to convert money into Foreign Exchange Certificates upon arrival. This was done at a loss (to the tourists, of course). And money changers--what few there were--had no incentive to change them back to local or other currencies at reasonable rates. Thailand seems to to be getting closer to what Myanmar used to be in a number of areas... this could just be the latest.

interesting. had not heard of that before. think it would just put a lot of tourists off coming here.

[Mooner]

Quality tourists? Ha ha. I spent more than a 1000 baht a day when I backpacked here 16 years ago.

If you don't spend that coming on holiday why bother coming at all?

[Autonuaq]

tour operators not make profit... So they want us to  believe the Thai Tour Operators not make profit on the tours with the Chinese?

they will make profit on the tour. they just want more profit.

 

[andre47]

I think it should be a legal right for Chinese citizens to travel as same as other nations around the world if they want. The fact that they don't have so much money like other people should not be a reason to blame them. Anyway it is a fact that China is the most important country in this area here and it would be not clever for Thailand to discriminate the Chinese against others. It is now just a difficult time of adaptation. The Chinese must learn and the Thai should also learn on how to treat each other.

[Krataiboy]

How extraordinary that any country believes it has the right to dictate to tourists how much they should spend while on holiday. If a deal is struck between Thailand and China to charge a minimum daily rate for the pleasure of being in LOS, it will show just how closely the two regimes resemble each other. And boy, is that worrying.

[newnative]

Every tourist contributes something to the economy and I don't think Thailand should be turning its nose up at the low-end tourists--they have helped fill the gap with the slow economies in many countries.  And, today's low-end package tourist may return in a few years on his own and spend more money--if he's not treated badly while he is here.  Gotta play the long game.  Having said that, Thailand's tourist marketing should be more  focused on Europe, America, Canada, Japan, and other areas with cold winters to  get the bigger spending tourists to come for the first time or make a return visit. 

[mesterm]

4 hours ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Will the Thai equivalent of Paul Revere be rushing around all 7-11s in tourist areas to warn,

The Chinese Are Coming, better stock up ?

 

Kind of pathetic. Fly all the way to an exotic holiday location and eat out of a microwaved tray at a 7-11.

[JSixpack]

1 minute ago, mesterm said:

 

Kind of pathetic. Fly all the way to an exotic holiday location and eat out of a microwaved tray at a 7-11.

 

Not really your business, is it? I see Chinese eating at expensive venues as well. So much effort to demonize Chinese here--why is it SO important?

 

Next.

[amykat]

55 minutes ago, Autonuaq said:

tour operators not make profit... So they want us to  believe the Thai Tour Operators not make profit on the tours with the Chinese?

they will make profit on the tour. they just want more profit.

 

 

I believe the bottom line is  (and all the news articles hesitate to say this directly) that: Chinese tour operators undercut all other tour operators on PRICE, therefore there is no competition to speak of.  Then by illegally owning/managing most of what the tourists do while in Thailand, they suck up profits they aren't really entitled to, then make up for the zero profit price they sold the tour for in the first place. 

[mesterm]

Just now, JSixpack said:

 

Not really your business, is it? I see Chinese eating at expensive venues as well. So much effort to demonize Chinese here--why is it SO important?

 

Next.

 

Because they are mostly quite ill-behaved. The people that most dislike and point our their behavior are Thais, so we'll take the cue from them. Why is it SO important for you to defend them?

Next.

[JSixpack]

34 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

How extraordinary that any country believes it has the right to dictate to tourists how much they should spend while on holiday. If a deal is struck between Thailand and China to charge a minimum daily rate for the pleasure of being in LOS, it will show just how closely the two regimes resemble each other. And boy, is that worrying.

 

Let's read the entire article and avoid unnecessary panic. It's prompted by the abuse of Chinese tourists by zero-dollar packages. Now normally we like to rail at abuse of tourists and make dire predictions about the fate of Thailand's economy if it doesn't stop. Yet here the gov't tries to do something to stop some of it--which should be exactly what members are crying for--and it's sneered at as usual and conspiracy theories abound. :)

Edited September 23, 2016 by JSixpack

[JSixpack]

21 minutes ago, mesterm said:

 

Because they are mostly quite ill-behaved. The people that most dislike and point our their behavior are Thais, so we'll take the cue from them. Why is it SO important for you to defend them?

Next.

 

But the post in question, as with so many others, was merely implying a behavior is ill when in fact it isn't at all while totally ignoring what the poster would evidently consider good behavior. Hence it's really just rationalizing "I don't like Chinese" no matter what they do. Best not to take cues from any particular group but learn to think for yourself. Nor am I defending bad behavior but merely looking at the situation objectively.

 

Next.

Edited September 23, 2016 by JSixpack

[natway09]

1,000 Bht a day. That is about 1 hour in my favourite bar.!!!!!

[Docno]

2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

interesting. had not heard of that before. think it would just put a lot of tourists off coming here.

 

Indeed you are right. The whole purpose is to keep foreign currency in the country and in the hands of the government. Just look at the countries listed here that have had FEC schemes in place: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_exchange_certificate  Not sure it would be good for Thailand to be part of this particular list... 

[JSixpack]

54 minutes ago, natway09 said:

1,000 Bht a day. That is about 1 hour in my favourite bar.!!!!!

 

Thank god for the Golden Eggs Layers keeping the Thai economy afloat, eh. I'd thought by all the whinging here that they'd all taken their business to the paradise of Cambodia.

 

Yet can you imagine if the Thai go'vt dared try to impose the B1000 a day rule on Big Spenders such as yourself even though, as you suggest, it'd be mere pocket change? OMG. The "killing the goose" bash fest would extend at least 20 pages. THIS IS FINALLY IT. AGAIN. The teeth gnashing, the hair pulling, the knickers twisting; the ranting, the wailing, the screaming, the anguish, the shock, the accusations of insanity, and of course the dire prophecies! No one would be left to shop in the malls, no one would buy condos, bar girls would disappear, and Thais would all have to return to work in rice paddies. Back to the Stone Age! That's exactly what happened in 2003 when after many years Thailand dared raise visa fees (on all foreigners, not just the Golden Eggs Layers).

 

Ironically--true story--just yesterday I happened to spot a shirtless old farang wearing only shorts and shower shoes rummaging through a garbage bin on the promenade on Beach Rd., Pattaya. He did find a half-empty fruit soda cup and drank a few swallows of refreshment before continuing onward to, I suppose, the next bin.

Edited September 23, 2016 by JSixpack

[Concerned Relative]

It seems to me that a lot of people are reading this wrong. It says nothing about what the tourist must spend, but rather about the price of the tour they must purchase. While it doesn't seem to do ANYthing about the problem of tour companies making all of their profit off of commission from price gouging, it DOES form a minimum requirement for the tax tour companies must pay (--% x 1000 x # of people x # of days). This fulfills the need for Thailand to get its cut and nothing more.

Additionally, it's my understanding that "0 baht tour" now means something different than it did a few years ago. Historically, the problem was tours that were purchased in the home country and then reliant on companies from the same country, thus allowing 0 baht to enter the Thai economy. This whole fiasco is about tour companies that charge less than the actual cost for the tours, relying on commission from (overcharging) rubber, jewelry, and trinket shops, etc.

[mesterm]

12 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

But the post in question, as with so many others, was merely implying a behavior is ill when in fact it isn't at all while totally ignoring what the poster would evidently consider good behavior. Hence it's really just rationalizing "I don't like Chinese" no matter what they do. Best not to take cues from any particular group but learn to think for yourself. Nor am I defending bad behavior but merely looking at the situation objectively.

 

Next.

 

Yes, most Thais and I don't like the behavior of most Chinese.

 

Next.

[HoboKay]

4 hours ago, sabaii69 said:

I was at Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) airport and about 70 Chinese tourists were in the waiting area with me. They brought out cookers, went to the rest room for water and everyone cooked and ate their meals causing an awful smell. Airport staff did nothing about putting the hot cookers on the plastic seats. Go home, Cheap Chinkies.

 

"Cheap Chinkies", how subtle, this forum condones explicit racism?

 

[JSixpack]

30 minutes ago, mesterm said:

 

Yes, most Thais and I don't like the behavior of most Chinese.

 

Next.

 

No matter what it is. And most Chinese eat out of a microwaved tray at a 7-11  Good we all know that now and it's out of the way. I rest my case. :)

Edited September 23, 2016 by JSixpack

[Colabamumbai]

Make them put 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank, with the stipulation that they cannot leave until they show receipts for spending it.

[JSixpack]

8 minutes ago, Concerned Relative said:

It seems to me that a lot of people are reading this wrong. It says nothing about what the tourist must spend, but rather about the price of the tour they must purchase. While it doesn't seem to do ANYthing about the problem of tour companies making all of their profit off of commission from price gouging, it DOES form a minimum requirement for the tax tour companies must pay (--% x 1000 x # of people x # of days). This fulfills the need for Thailand to get its cut and nothing more.

 

That isn't clear from the article. Discussions will be held about how to implement and it appears--though the Thai gov't can expect to take a cut (even implementing the program is an added expense)--the hope is to take away the incentive of the tour companies to run around and abuse the tourists. We've all seen news articles about the practice.

 

Chinese vacationers are attracted to the low prices of these tours but, once they arrive in Thailand, the tour leaders attempt to upsell them all kinds of expensive add-on tours, activities and more. They also take them shopping in certain places that might also offer incentives to the tour officers for bringing their groups there. . . .

 

Sometimes, Chinese visitors on the zero-dollar packages said “no” to the extra expenditures and were kicked off their tours and left without the simple accommodation and meals that they had already paid for. Many of these unhappy tourists filed cases with the tourist police in Thailand.

The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) will meet with the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministries today to talk about how to put this new minimum price into place.

[HoboKay]

9 minutes ago, mesterm said:

 

Yes, most Thais and I don't like the behavior of most Chinese.

 

Next.

I'm empathize and sympathize with your feelings towards the Chinese, I've met several Chinese nationals expressing similar mutual feelings towards the Thais.

[Thian]

7 hours ago, smedly said:

my interpretation or understanding or lack thereof   of this is that China tourists are coming here on China owned Airlines - travelling in China owned buses or (crossing the borders using camper vans which is now banned) - staying in China owned hotels - eating in China owned restaurants - travelling on China owned and built trains (lol) and all the money they spend is going back to China 

 

But those buses get police-escort from the Thai police...so they can offend all laws, drive 130 on the highways and occupy the WHOLE pattaya beachroad when they like.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Thian

[BuckBee]

Seems to me like they need be taxing these Chinese businesses & making sure they employing thai staff at proper wage rates .

Everyone but TAT seemed realise the problem . Thai tourism is at a low income ratio & will be for foreseeable future until big changes in thailands image & infrastructure are made .

[Thian]

4 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

yes but they are still keeping up the arrival numbers and that is what counts.

how the hell can they police the 1000thb per day rule? just another law to over complicate everything that will not be policed, but can be applied selectively to issue fines or seize assets  without trial. 

 

Don't worry, next step is they'll have to pay 1000baht a day in advance and get a stampcard to check if they really spent it.

 

After that you can buy the fake stamps in Chinatown and stamp your own card.

 

I feel a higher price for a tourist visa-excempt coming.....for ALL tourists of course...

[Jai Dee]

16 minutes ago, HoboKay said:

 

"Cheap Chinkies", how subtle, this forum condones explicit racism?

 

No it doesn't.

 

Please see the Forum Rules here.

 

If you feel that a post is offensive or is in breach of the Forum Rules, please use the Report function to bring it to the attention of an online moderator.

 

I will now go back and remove that racist remark.

[Concerned Relative]

11 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

--the hope is to take away the incentive of the tour companies to run around and abuse the tourists. --

 

 

 

I see what you're saying, but to me that doesn't seem to be the driving force here. The driving force seems to be that the tour company reports low income because that's what they take from the tourists.
The retail company only reports normal sales. The mark-up is then divided between the retail outlet and the tour company, off the books. A quick way to avoid paying taxes.

[JSixpack]

5 minutes ago, Concerned Relative said:

 

I see what you're saying, but to me that doesn't seem to be the driving force here. The driving force seems to be that the tour company reports low income because that's what they take from the tourists.
The retail company only reports normal sales. The mark-up is then divided between the retail outlet and the tour company, off the books. A quick way to avoid paying taxes.

 

Sounds like a win-win. :)