Follow the Japanese model: Visa free entry for Chinese best "medicine" to stimulate tourism, Thai media

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Follow the Japanese model: Visa free entry for Chinese best "medicine" to stimulate tourism, Thai media

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

Manager published an opinion piece about the best ways to stimulate the flagging tourism sector. 

 

They proposed abolishing visas for Chinese people and following a Japanese model that has proved successful. 

 

They published a graphic related to visitors to Japan in January to March this year compared to last year. This showed nearly a quarter more Thai visitors to that country. Thais don't need visas to visit Japan. 

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

Manager said that stopping visas for Chinese to Thailand would be the "emergency medicine" that Thailand needs.

 

They said that tourism is still one of the brighter spots in a poor economy and that growth is still expected to be between 2 and 3 % this year. This was, however, down on 4% forecasts.

 

The Chinese market is still the biggest tourist group with ASEAN and Indians behind, they said. 

 

In 2010 there were 1.12 million Chinese visitors to Thailand but this has expanded to 11 million this year. 

 

Stopping the need for visas for Chinese altogether - along with the necessary immigration checks - could be just the shot in the arm needed, they said. 

 

Source: Manger Online

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-11

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[keith101]

More Chinese killed in accidents and more for call centres just what Thailand needs .

[unamazedloso]

Copying others modles causes less dramas than thais thinking for themselves it seems so go for it.. Just a slower way to shoot yourselves in the foot.

Not sure visa free travel for the chinese is wise. Guess they dont watch foreign news here or think that being asian makes you some how impervious to a future take over. Dont bother me none though.. The chinese pooping in public videos are great!

[bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, keith101 said:

More Chinese killed in accidents and more for call centres just what Thailand needs .

Perhaps the Chinese might amalgamate the two. I can see it now, a phone call from one of these call centres:

Hello sir, one of your family has had a boating accident in Thailand and needs an urgent operation in hospital. Please make a money transfer to this account...

 

[RichardColeman]

 

9 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps the Chinese might amalgamate the two. I can see it now, a phone call from one of these call centres: Hello sir, one of your family has had a boating accident in Thailand and needs an urgent operation in hospital. Please make a money transfer to this account...

 

These Chinese nationals or Nigerian Chinese ? 

[observer90210]

Are they comming up with all these flashy schemes on deliberate ? .... just to make people forget about the over inflated rate of the THB !!!

[DLock]

VOA 15-day visas for the great saviours of Thai tourism - Chinese and Indians - does seem a little idiotic.

 

Remove all the restrictions and see what happens.

 

[ThaiBunny]

Putting "Chinese" and "medicine" in the same sentence reminds me - aren't a large proportion of those tourists who skip the country without paying their Thai hospital bills Chinese?

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Putting "Chinese" and "medicine" in the same sentence reminds me - aren't a large proportion of those tourists who skip the country without paying their Thai hospital bills Chinese?

Apparently, yes.

I suppose if the hospital cost them 'an arm and a leg' it would reduce their ability to 'skip' the country.

[ICELANDMAN]

What speaking about this man ?  Minister Tourism said today, this year, Mr Phiphat expects the number of tourist arrivals to reach 40.2 million, outpacing the goal of 39.8 million, but tourism revenue may fall short of the target of 2.04 trillion baht because of the global economic slowdown and solid baht.

 

Why everyone not happy every month one million tourist arrived more ?

I like so much this Minister Tourism comic comedy

 

[Vacuum]

18 minutes ago, DLock said:

Remove all the restrictions and see what happens.

Some western countries already did this, and we know what happened....

[trainman34014]

Too late already. Millions of Chinese have already been here, seen the mess, been scammed, died in every horrible way possible and those who have returned home unscathed have told their friends and family's not to bother as it's an expensive land fill site !

[yellowboat]

Chinese in, Taiwanese out. 

 

Of course, the Japanese love Taiwan, hmmm.....

 

The military government is just too petty and they just have to fool with everything.  The government that governs least governs best, but that will probably never don on cha cha and gang.

[KhunBENQ]

Brilliant

And open the land borders for Chinese camper vehicles.

As far as I remember that was a fact during some time and you would see them park on Jomtien beach.

 

[CLS]

3 days visa free entry, extendable up to 2 weeks for a fee of course. Fee will be refunded if you spend more than 10k THB/day.

[Thian]

Japan also gives tourists large discount on the railway (yes also the Shinkansen)...they give you a free router so you always have free wifi where-ever you go, they give you tax refunds before you even pay, it's deducted from the bill before payment....

 

And also Japan isn't as expensive as people say but the quality and service is amazing! Thailand will never ever reach that level.

[DrTuner]

Why not go the full monty and just give the country to the Chinese. It is after all where this is headed to anyway.

[ChipButty]

33 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Why not go the full monty and just give the country to the Chinese. It is after all where this is headed to anyway.

It's happening right now

[ChipButty]

Seems to me the Thai government are bending over to please the Chinese

[SmartyMarty]

Great initiative. We farangs are finished here. We expect too much, we complain too much, we have no manners and (as tourists), we spend less than the chinese.

[Number 6]

Yeah but Japan is everything the Chinese emulate. It's tidy, has amazing culture, museums. Zero scams and couldn't be safer.

 

Chinese don't need to go on holiday in pollution they have plenty of that at home.

 

Thailand been doing tourism for half century but is now so lost turning to other countries for ideas. Can't face the fact of what it is after sixty years of foreign visitors. Knocking shop.

 

Turned away the only people interested in the place. Added massive amounts of air pollution, accidents skyrocketing as violent crime on foreigners. Double plus good.

[Thian]

33 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Yeah but Japan is everything the Chinese emulate. It's tidy, has amazing culture, museums. Zero scams and couldn't be safer.

 

Chinese don't need to go on holiday in pollution they have plenty of that at home.

 

Thailand been doing tourism for half century but is now so lost turning to other countries for ideas. Can't face the fact of what it is after sixty years of foreign visitors. Knocking shop.

 

Turned away the only people interested in the place. Added massive amounts of air pollution, accidents skyrocketing as violent crime on foreigners. Double plus good.

Yes it's amazing in Japan to not get scammed, they show the price and that's it....in many shops you even get the VAT-refund on the spot without knowing it so the price is lower as you saw on the label. Try that in Thailand who also gives discount to tourists only but i didn't see it last time i was in Paragon.

 

In Japan our hotel tv really worked, was brand new, the aircon could cool and heat, it was all super clean, we got a toilet with computer butt sprayer, the shops next door didn't scam us but gave great service, great bento-sets sold everywhere, no security to open your bag for, no pushing people, nobody walked against the flow, great smoking rooms at the airport, traindrivers who greet ALL passengers personally..money changers who just change euro's, no questions, no soidogs..the list goes on and on.

 

[Destiny1990]

8 minutes ago, Thian said:

Yes it's amazing in Japan to not get scammed, they show the price and that's it....in many shops you even get the VAT-refund on the spot without knowing it so the price is lower as you saw on the label. Try that in Thailand who also gives discount to tourists only but i didn't see it last time i was in Paragon.

 

In Japan our hotel tv really worked, was brand new, the aircon could cool and heat, it was all super clean, we got a toilet with computer butt sprayer, the shops next door didn't scam us but gave great service, great bento-sets sold everywhere, no security to open your bag for, no pushing people, nobody walked against the flow, great smoking rooms at the airport, traindrivers who greet ALL passengers personally..money changers who just change euro's, no questions, no soidogs..the list goes on and on.

 

Yeah yeah but the majority of the boys here simply wants to know how is it girls wise over there?

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

14 minutes ago, Thian said:

Yes it's amazing in Japan to not get scammed, they show the price and that's it....in many shops you even get the VAT-refund on the spot without knowing it so the price is lower as you saw on the label. Try that in Thailand who also gives discount to tourists only but i didn't see it last time i was in Paragon.

 

In Japan our hotel tv really worked, was brand new, the aircon could cool and heat, it was all super clean, we got a toilet with computer butt sprayer, the shops next door didn't scam us but gave great service, great bento-sets sold everywhere, no security to open your bag for, no pushing people, nobody walked against the flow, great smoking rooms at the airport, traindrivers who greet ALL passengers personally..money changers who just change euro's, no questions, no soidogs..the list goes on and on.

 

Yeah, Japan is great. I worked there for a year and my worst experience, was both funny and pleasant.

One time at arrival customs showed me a pictogram with 6 pictures; guns, drugs, etc. I pointed at the porn picture and humorously said I thought they had plenty of that in Japan.

I was swiftly escorted to a room and they searched everything, even the inside of my shoes, but it was in such a friendly and professional matter, almost like a VIP treatment.

Less than 10 minutes later I was on my way and they even showed me directions to the right train platform. Lovely country!

[CNXexpat]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Too late already. Millions of Chinese have already been here, seen the mess, been scammed, died in every horrible way possible and those who have returned home unscathed have told their friends and family's not to bother as it's an expensive land fill site !

I know some Chinese they came 5 times and more because they like Thailand.

[CNXexpat]

2 hours ago, Thian said:

Japan also gives tourists large discount on the railway (yes also the Shinkansen)...they give you a free router so you always have free wifi where-ever you go, they give you tax refunds before you even pay, it's deducted from the bill before payment....

 

And also Japan isn't as expensive as people say but the quality and service is amazing! Thailand will never ever reach that level.

Japan is by far more expensive than Thailand and also it´s a 1st. world country.

[DrTuner]

11 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Japan is by far more expensive than Thailand and also it´s a 1st. world country.

You get what you pay for. Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

 

That said, prices in Thailand aren't that cheap anymore either. Monkeys are the same.

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

Japan is by far more expensive than Thailand and also it´s a 1st. world country.

Neverthemeless, the Visa Model works very well and attracts far more Thai tourists than ever before, far more than there would otherwise be if it were not for the ease of the 15 day visa waiver agreement. 

 

I'm certain many other nationalities which also qualify for the Visa waiver agreement have increased numbers of tourists visiting Japan. 

 

 

Beside - Japan is not significantly more expensive than Thailand, Thailand is no longer the 'cheap tourist destination' and with Thailands growing middle class its an easy overseas trip to make and be able to afford. 

 

For the middle Class folk (i.e. not eating street noodles every day) omitting the flight, Japan is no more expensive than Hua Hin or Samui etc...  (i.e. hotels 5000 baht per night, food costs the same, beer is cheaper in Japan).

 

 

[CNXexpat]

1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

You get what you pay for. Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

 

That said, prices in Thailand aren't that cheap anymore either. Monkeys are the same.

Nonsense. A 4 or 5* hotel in Tokio (with smaller rooms too) is much more expensive than in Bangkok. A 4 km taxi ride with meter is much more expensive in Tokio than in Bangkok, etc. 

[CNXexpat]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Japan is no more expensive than Hua Hin or Samui etc...  (i.e. hotels 5000 baht per night, food costs the same, beer is cheaper in Japan).

You have to compare by example the capitals. When I am in Bangkok I always stay in a very nice 4* hotel (Le Tada Parkview) near the Victory Monument for around 2,000 Baht per night. Try to find this in Tokyo. No chance.