Solutions to zero-dollar tour problems to pave way for tourists' confidence: Deputy premier

[webfact]

Solutions to zero-dollar tour problems to pave way for tourists' confidence: Deputy premier

  

BANGKOK, 29 September 2016 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn said that solutions to the so-called zero-dollar tour problems are to be found and pave way for tourists' confidence. 

The deputy premier chaired a meeting of government officials tackling the zero-dollar tour issue, following the detection of allegedly illegal rackets preying on Chinese group-tour customers visiting Thailand. 

The zero-dollar tour refers to a private firm which might allegedly bring in travelers and collect profits and have their nominee or proxy businesspersons remit the money back to China. 

The authorities including the Department of Local Administration, the Department of Business Development and the Tourist Police Division are yet to cooperate with each other to prevent and combat such tour rackets, he said. 

He added that he had discussed the issue with Chinese authorities and commented that solutions should not be taken on daily basis while the tourists’ confidence in Thailand and the quality of tourist industry are yet to be maintained and improved. 

He said that the issue was not seriously affecting tourism-related revenues and confirmed that the minimum fee for each Chinese visitor's entry into the country has been set at 1,000 baht daily.

 

-- nnt 2016-09-29

[jamesbrock]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Solutions to zero-dollar tour problems to pave way for tourists' confidence: Deputy premier

 

Very misleading headline by the NNT...

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Deputy Prime Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn said that solutions to the so-called zero-dollar tour problems are to be found and pave way for tourists' confidence. 

 

Possibly, probably, maybe; but we'll announce it as a fait accompli.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The authorities including the Department of Local Administration, the Department of Business Development and the Tourist Police Division are yet to cooperate with each other to prevent and combat such tour rackets, he said. 

 

Ah, the fourth paragraph and we find out nothing has even begun yet!

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that the issue was not seriously affecting tourism-related revenues

 

Wait, so why did you need to seize about 13.2 billion baht in assets from fuu-an and OA tourism companies for allegedly operating zero-dollar tour operations??

 

Didn't the Chief Propagandist Sansern say in April that around 305 billion baht was being generated annually by this dodgy business? How can 305 billion baht being remitted back to China annually not seriously affect tourism revenues?

Edited September 29, 2016 by jamesbrock

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The zero-dollar tour refers to a private firm which might allegedly bring in travelers and collect profits and have their nominee or proxy businesspersons remit the money back to China. 

This of course being the main problem...

[Brer Fox]

I do not know what I would do without TVN to give my sense of humour this stimulus. The outpourings of Thai government departments never fail to amuse. Great theatre!

[IsaanUSA]

Did tourists actually have confidence issues with a zero dollar trip?  I'm assuming they knew what they were getting into.  Or did they actually think the free/cheap trip was going to be 4 star resorts?

[bark]

12 hours ago, IsaanUSA said:

Did tourists actually have confidence issues with a zero dollar trip?  I'm assuming they knew what they were getting into.  Or did they actually think the free/cheap trip was going to be 4 star resorts?

I don't think the Chinese Tourists are complaining.

It is more the Thai restaurants, shirt sellers, etc.etc. As they do not buy anything when they come here.

[fruitman]

38 minutes ago, bark said:

I don't think the Chinese Tourists are complaining.

It is more the Thai restaurants, shirt sellers, etc.etc. As they do not buy anything when they come here.

 

The chinese bring the game of extortioning/scamming to another level...Now the Thai are totally passed so they 'll have to change the rules...Untill the chinese adapt to those new rules that is...

 

The only solution is to stop with chinese grouptours.

[bark]

1 minute ago, fruitman said:

 

The chinese bring the game of extortioning/scamming to another level...Now the Thai are totally passed so they 'll have to change the rules...Untill the chinese adapt to those new rules that is...

 

The only solution is to stop with chinese grouptours.

It is still good for hotels; if they can sell their unused rooms. Even at discounted prices.

I am told by my friend who manages one of the major hotels in Bangkok. That they do not change the bed sheets for the chinese groups to save money. They just remake the beds. They also do not bother to carry bags to rooms.

They just tell them to carry themselves.

[williamgeorgeallen]

 solutions to the so-called zero-dollar tour problems are to be found . are to be found. doubt it. if there was an answer they would be using it by now. they are just going to do try some b#llshit that will either not work or will reduce the number of chinese tourists coming here.

[Sphere]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

Solutions to zero-dollar tour problems....

 

The first solution is to introduce a 99 cent tour package.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I have absolutely no idea what the gibberish NNT announcement is supposed to mean about the state of zero baht tours.  It so full of doubletalk that you want to pass out from dizzyness.

[Rorri]

A government that wants to FORCE tourists to spend, a minimum, something wrong with that, but hey, how do they monitor every single tourist's spending,  it's  rediculous. This is not a governments perocative,  it is up to the tourist to decide their holiday, where they go, where they stay, what they buy, whether they go on a package, a tour or find their own way.

 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Rorri

[trainman34014]

I wonder if they ever get as tired talking b******s as we do reading it ?

[striderman]

ok i was reading elsewhere about the clampdown on zero dollar tour groups and a drop in chinese numbers so today i did my own survey of parachutes airbourne at any one time from the 9 platforms in pattaya bay.

the average is most times between 34 and 39 when the weather is ok between the hours of  07 30 and 11 30.

today i did 7 counts between 08 00 and 11 00 with binoculars out of my window and the average was 22.................which is down by more than a third.

while not scientific my numbers are real ones and not invented

[anotheruser]

I like others do not think it is the tourists that have a problem with confidence. Like somebody on a Chinese tour trip cares where the money goes? In fact it could be said it would be patriotic for a Chinese to use operators who send the money back to China. The double talk involved trying to make it look like they are doing something in the interest of the tourist is laughable.

 

They only thing they wish to do for these tourists is charge them more money, it is that simple.

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, bark said:

It is still good for hotels; if they can sell their unused rooms. Even at discounted prices.

I am told by my friend who manages one of the major hotels in Bangkok. That they do not change the bed sheets for the chinese groups to save money. They just remake the beds. They also do not bother to carry bags to rooms.

They just tell them to carry themselves.

 

I see, well that takes away work for the maids, laundry service, bellboys...They also like to put all chinese in a separate building if possible with their own breakfastbuffet to not annoy other guests.

 

If this is what Thailand calls "quality tourists" then so be it. 

 

Do they also bring them to hotels owned by chinese? Wouldn't surprise me...

 

[brucec64]

2 hours ago, striderman said:

ok i was reading elsewhere about the clampdown on zero dollar tour groups and a drop in chinese numbers so today i did my own survey of parachutes airbourne at any one time from the 9 platforms in pattaya bay.

the average is most times between 34 and 39 when the weather is ok between the hours of  07 30 and 11 30.

today i did 7 counts between 08 00 and 11 00 with binoculars out of my window and the average was 22.................which is down by more than a third.

while not scientific my numbers are real ones and not invented

 

I was going to add a comment with the exact same numbers. This number is probably a good proxy for the packaged tour levels in Thailand, and since the OA Transport shutdown, the numbers appear to be cut in more than half. I have not seen parasail numbers this low in over 5 years, and it also appears that they stop an hour or two earlier than before.

[bark]

56 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

I see, well that takes away work for the maids, laundry service, bellboys...They also like to put all chinese in a separate building if possible with their own breakfastbuffet to not annoy other guests.

 

If this is what Thailand calls "quality tourists" then so be it. 

 

Do they also bring them to hotels owned by chinese? Wouldn't surprise me...

 

Maid,bellboys, don't want to carry a bag if they do not get a tip. So no loss.

Quality tourists are the ones who stay at cheap hotels, but go out drinking and party all night, and spending on girls.

[Sphere]

3 hours ago, striderman said:

ok i was reading elsewhere about the clampdown on zero dollar tour groups and a drop in chinese numbers so today i did my own survey of parachutes airbourne at any one time from the 9 platforms in pattaya bay.

the average is most times between 34 and 39 when the weather is ok between the hours of  07 30 and 11 30.

today i did 7 counts between 08 00 and 11 00 with binoculars out of my window and the average was 22.................which is down by more than a third.

while not scientific my numbers are real ones and not invented

 

You're looking out the wrong window, please try a lower floor. Zero dollar tourists use 7-11 bags for parasailing. 

[Jonmarleesco]

'... which might allegedly bring in travelers ...' Might, or allegedly? One or the other, not both.