The Chinese tourists are likely to top 1 million this year

Chinese visitors likely to top 1m this year despite scams
Bangkok Post, CHATRUDEE THEPARAT

The number of Chinese tourists in Thailand is expected to top one million this year, with the number likely to reach three million in a few years, officials say. But Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani, speaking after his return from a three-day China trip this week, said the industry needed first to address ''zero-dollar tours'' and promote quality and well-heeled tourists.

Zero-dollar tours are package tours priced below the operator's real cost for airfare and hotels. Operators make up the difference through alliances with Thai-based agents and guides who then steer tour groups to shopping centres, tourist attractions and even sex shows, which pay commissions and kickbacks.
The practice has led to several disputes between Chinese tourists and travel agents in Thailand. Some Chinese visitors have refused to pay the service charges quoted by Thai travel agents, since they did not bring sufficient cash to pay for extras.
Chinese media have reported on some tourists' experiences and the result has been bad publicity for Thailand.

According to Mr Suvit, officials from the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) used the trip to China to discussed ways of curbing shady practices with Chinese authorities and tour operators.

He said Thai authorities conveyed a clear message to their Chinese counterparts that the Thai government wanted to promote quality tourism through packages with reasonable price and clear information about all the service charges and destinations visitors would see.

The TAT's Beijing office was also asked to work more closely with major operators such as China International Travel Services, China Youth Travel Services and China Comfort to build up marketing networks, especially in premium markets with affluent potential travellers such as Beijing, Shanghai and other big cities.

The Thai and Chinese governments signed an agreement in October 2005 to work on curbing zero-dollar tours, a problem that has been talked about for more than a decade.
In the first nine months of this year, Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand via Bangkok International Airport totalled 663,121, a rise of 31% from 457,554 in the same period last year.

In 2005, there were 31 million outbound Chinese tourists, up 7% from 28.6 million, with Hong Kong as the top destination followed by Macau, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
Chinese tourism authorities projected outbound tourists would reach 49 million in 2008 boosted by China's growing economy and easing regulations for citizens travelling abroad.

Wowpow's cut-and-paste inanities are likely to top 1 million this year, too.

... spending 100 baht a day, maximum

I have a German friend who specialises in teaching western businessmen how to negotiate with the Chinese and he tells me from his bi-monthly visits that there is burgeoning middle-class-well mannered, well heeled and cashed up. They may drive a hard bargain but they have plenty of money to spend and Thailand looks like becoming a playground for them.

The sex industry is one of the big attractions as well and as distasteful as that may be to many, it will be fascinating to see how the Thai government handles this aspect.

The sex industry is one of the big attractions as well and as distasteful as that may be to many, it will be fascinating to see how the Thai government handles this aspect.You are missing the point on that one, thaiwonon. The Chinese are Asian, so their enjoyment of the sex industry is OK. It's like the Japanese paedophiles who infest Thailand (like the Thais themselves) - you'll never hear a peep about them

that means it will carry on as normal..TIT :cheers:

Yes it's us from the West who are still trying to implant our Puritan vaues on the rest of the world.

[TrongpaiExpat]

that means it will carry on as normal..TIT :cheers:

Yes it's us from the West who are still trying to implant our Puritan vaues on the rest of the world.

I think your still missing the point. It's a double standard. One set of rules for white farangs and another for Thais and other Asians.

but the Thais really have their own way of just saying one thing and doing the opposite.

[bucknaway]

I met a few Chinese guys when I was on holiday. I enjoyed meeting them. Many of them come to Thailand in the hope to find some non-asian action.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I met a Chinese guy once and everything was going fine until I spoke Thai to him. He said, you think I Thai? I said, your not? He was so insulted he left.

With that kind of attitude, you're lucky he stormed off. Does he not know that over 50% of Bangkok residents have Chinese ancestry, and therefore look no different than he does? What an a-hole.

Although Thais have so much Chinese inflence in them-particularly Thai food which is realy an amalgam off all the surrounding Asian countries where Thais have nicked ideas to create their own superb cuiseine.

But you have to be wary of the snobbishness amongst Asians themselves. I've found the Chinese to be extremely conservative ( except in sex) and very good bargainers and they hate being confused as something else. I was watching an interview just this week on Sydney TV where a fashion designer named Jenny Kee has written a book of her mad whirling life that including living with art critic's Robert Hughe's handsome son Damon who unfortunately hanged himself while she was away one day--but I digress--she keeps telling interviewers that she was the "first Asian girl to sleep with John Lennon and it was she who turned him onto Asians-hence Yoko": But if interviewer dare to hint that Yoko is Japanese they will get their heads snapped of.."I'm Chinese dearie not a Jap !"actually she's also half Italian).."how would he ever find a more beautiful Chinese girl than me--he had to settle for that Jap because I lost interest !!"
No-one could make those mistakes about Buckanaway

[bucknaway]

Here in Delaware I am often mistaken to be Dominican or of Latin origin; a few times other black Americans asked me what country I was from. LOL

[Bob]

Here in Delaware I am often mistaken to be Dominican or of Latin origin; a few times other black Americans asked me what country I was from. LOL

I presume you tell them Sweden? :clown:

[TrongpaiExpat]

Then there was the one, right as we were getting ready to do the deed, asks, do I look Chinese?
---ahh ahh.....
---well I am 100% Chinese!
---born in Bangkok?
---yes, but not Thai blood
----now, do I look Chinese?
----yes, absoultly yes yes!

He looked more Issan to me, but I kept my mouth shut. Well, he was a great bottom that's for sure.

I seem to remember a very wealthy Chinese youth - quite handsome, chasing LMTU around the beach. However LMTU prefers to do the chasing.