PM vows to resolve zero-dollar tourism to help Thai business operators

[rooster59]

PM vows to resolve zero-dollar tourism to help Thai business operators

 

BANGKOK:-- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed the government's policy to continue clamping down on zero-dollar tour business in order to improve the image of tourism in the country.

 

He said he preferred to see quality rather than quantity in the effort to help the country’s tourism industry.

 

Speaking on his “Returning happiness to the people” TV broadcast last night, Gen Prayut addressed the zero-dollar tourism saying the country did not fully earn from such operation but it was the operators in the country of origin that the tourists come from will benefit.

 

They brought in tourists and hand over them to local tour companies to take care of without payimg  any tour fare which comprises transportation, accommodation, food, sightseeing packages, and etc to Thai tour  companies.

 

In addition tourists were taken to shop at their nominee shops which overcharged them.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-vows-resolve-zero-dollar-tourism-help-thai-business-operators/

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-10-01

 

[smedly]

welcome to the world of "packaged holidays" something that has been going on for as long as I can remember all over the world

 

- So we have an airline that is booked or chartered to get the tourists here - not much you can about that

- They get booked into hotels were special deals exist with the tour operator or the hotels are legally owned by foreigners - either way not much you can do about that, the same goes for in-country transport.

- Included in the package are visits to national parks etc were again special deals exist with the tour operators from China - again not much you can do about that

 

Welcome to the world of packaged holidays that have been going on for years all over the world

 

The exact same thing is happening with tourists from India - S'Korea - Japan etc

 

-  

[fruitman]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

welcome to the world of "packaged holidays" something that has been going on for as long as I can remember all over the world

 

- So we have an airline that is booked or chartered to get the tourists here - not much you can about that

- They get booked into hotels were special deals exist with the tour operator or the hotels are legally owned by foreigners - either way not much you can do about that, the same goes for in-country transport.

- Included in the package are visits to national parks etc were again special deals exist with the tour operators from China - again not much you can do about that

 

Welcome to the world of packaged holidays that have been going on for years all over the world

 

The exact same thing is happening with tourists from India - S'Korea - Japan etc

 

-  

 

It can even go much farther, there are also ALL-IN holidays with also food/drinks included all day long, Thailand is still behind.

 

But why does Thailand even give police-escorts to the chinese tourbuses so they can drive 130 km/hr on the highway? Those buses are not designed for that, 100 is fast enough but 90 would be better on the Thai roads.

 

And why can they occupy roadlanes in the palace-area in Bangkok? It causes much trafficjam when rows of them are parked on the road, same goes for Pattaya beachroad. Also the buses are too large for BKK.

 

 

[jethro69]

He did not say it, but reading between the lines he most probably meant the Chinese.

Well, first give them free visas, and afterwards complaining, that's what happens if you can't think more than a week ahead.

[Emster23]

Thailand placed too many bets on the wrong horses. It is the local small  businesses that are getting hosed for lack of business.

[andre47]

I think that Thailand should be happy about the Chinese.   Without them it would be very quiet here.

There are many Chinese that don't have a lot of money. They cannot afford the Thai 'quality tourism'. But there are also some very rich Chinese. Thailand should concentrate on them and make them good offers. Also some of the 'tour tourists' will come back and do individual holidays. It just takes some time. China is an important neighbor for Thailand.

[jaltsc]

"He said he preferred to see quality rather than quantity in the effort to help the country’s tourism industry."

 

That's why they promote tourism in the most populated countries where their tourists always look for the cheapest accommodations, and will try and bargain down on a 20 baht item.

 

 

[Brer Fox]

5 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

"He said he preferred to see quality rather than quantity in the effort to help the country’s tourism industry."

 

 

That's why they promote tourism in the most populated countries where their tourists always look for the cheapest accommodations, and will try and bargain down on a 20 baht item.

 

 

The PM should try selling the idea of "quality over quantity" to Madam TAT. A quiet word in her shell-like ear wouldn't go astray. All she seems concerned about is numbers and the more the merrier. 

If the Thais are not happy that the Chinese are sending their people to visit them on holiday then they should try getting off their asses and getting them to come without the help of those same Chinese tourist operators. Fat chance of that happening.

Thais tourist operators love it if they can get others do the hard yards to get them here first so they can just sit around and soak up the money delivered to them on a plate.

[DrTuner]

I see they've figured out the math:

 

20M Chinese * 0 Baht = 0 Baht.

 

 As a bonus, Thailand now has a reputation as being overrun by mainland Chinese. That and the earlier invasion of the Russians has driven all the paying Scandinavians away and they won't come back until it's 100% sure the invasions are long gone.

[yellowboat]

Thais are just way too passive.  They sit back and wait for customers to come them without going out and getting them.  Zero dollar is a direct result of this sort of non action.  Too few Thais and few Thai businesses seem to like operating outside of Thailand.  This is probably due to education and cultural chauvinism.

 

CP is a good example of a company that goes abroad looking for customers.   

[chumpy]

The number of tour buses on the roads in Phuket has dropped dramatically this past week,I think the Thais are starting to realize how big a part of the Chinese tourism market these zero baht tours were.And then the lady from TAT claimed that 60% of Chinese tourists to Thailand were independent travelers.

[Shroud]

The Chinese are known for saving cash and spending it the right way. I'm seeing more and more Chinese people at high-end restaurants and at shopping centers, and many of them are riding first class. In the end however Thailand will benefit from China more than from westerners because China has a large population, growing income and close proximity to Thailand which makes it a priority for Thai officials to refocus preference arrivals. Everyone in the ASEAN regions are competing for Chinese tourists, it's not just the land of the smiles.... 

 

[phantomfiddler]

Pleeeeez, Prime Minister, get rid of all these gangs of lowlife indians roaming the streets of Pattaya contributing nothing other than blocking the roads and causing big delays while they argue with the Baht Bus drivers !

[williamgeorgeallen]

more talk about what they are going to do without any mention of how they are going to do it.

[Grubster]

The farangs "whitey's" are dwindling fast and I'm not sure why, but have had a few hints like murders, boats, ski jets, buses, coups, etc. I think these are the high quality tourists they need here. When I 1st came only five years ago I would meet western tourists spending like crazy at every bar or restaurant I went in. This past January I was down in Pattaya and there were no where near as many. I don't think the oil crash helped matters either though as I seemed to run into a lot of those guys before too. I think we tend to buy a lot more stuff than most to, and I can't speak for all but I don't mind getting ripped off a bit by someone who is out there working hard trying to sell his/her wares. I see these guys beating them down on price and then not buying the stuff anyway. I think most of these bars/restaurants would throw twenty Chinese out to get ten farangs. Indians too.

 I sure hope it comes back, but I really don't see it in the future. Maybe its time to start traveling elsewhere some, like the Greek islands or something. I will still live here in the NE of Thailand though.

[Brer Fox]

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

more talk about what they are going to do without any mention of how they are going to do it.

The PM is keeping it a secret until they can think of a solution which they cannot. That's PM speak for "haven't got a clue".

[Ulic]

10 hours ago, Shroud said:

The Chinese are known for saving cash and spending it the right way. I'm seeing more and more Chinese people at high-end restaurants and at shopping centers, and many of them are riding first class. In the end however Thailand will benefit from China more than from westerners because China has a large population, growing income and close proximity to Thailand which makes it a priority for Thai officials to refocus preference arrivals. Everyone in the ASEAN regions are competing for Chinese tourists, it's not just the land of the smiles.... 

 

I do agree with your main points regarding proximity to China, population size, and expanding

middle class in China. However the average Chinese traveler spends 4 days in Thailand and

their tours remind me of the old European tour packages sold to North American travelers,

"Visit 12 Countries in 9 days" The Chinese do have a high daily spend rate, (higher than Westerners)

but there total spend in Thailand is fractional compared to western tourists  who tend to stay

for 2-3 weeks. That said ex-pat retirees may spend the lowest amount an a daily basis, but most

spent over a million baht a year. They spread there money around amongst independent business

(bar-girls, restaurants, etc...), rent or buy condos/houses, supporting the building industry, are

here both low season and high, political turmoil and unrest and are grossly unappreciated.

Thailand needs to be careful. Vietnam is cheaper, cleaner, and rapidly developing. Big C has

arrived in Nha Trang, beaches are nicer and cleaner, (no overt sex industry) many western level

condos are now available to rent. The only thing missing is the airline service and health care.

 

[hawker9000]

15 hours ago, Emster23 said:

Thailand placed too many bets on the wrong horses. It is the local small  businesses that are getting hosed for lack of business.

 

... local small business ... which I doubt those in charge care all that much about.   If any serious action is taken here, it'll be because the economic damage was filtering up to those they DO care about (who can be identified in the mirror most mornings).   In any case, genies are notoriously difficult to coax back into bottles.